Regent Inns, the Jongleurs and Walkabout pub group, rose 4½p to 21p after it said that it had begun talks with potential suitors - but it also said that trading had deteriorated since its annual meeting in December.

Paul Hickman, of KBC Peel Hunt, said that a bidder could offer 40p. Sanne Trust, a Jersey-based investment firm that is thought to be a front for an investor, has a 14 per cent stake. Novus Leisure, Inventive Leisure and Laurel Pub Company are seen as potential bidders, but Dresdner Kleinwort said that Regent’s debt levels and deteriorating sales made a deal difficult.

Silverjet, the business-class airline, recovered 5½p to 41p from a Daniel Stewart “sell” note after Blue Oar Securities issued “buy” advice with a 130p price target. It said that the possibility of a bid from one of Europe’s state carriers should not be ruled out and, provided that Silverjet filled more seats than last year, it should eventually cover its £75,000 cost per flight. Hampson Industries rose 9½p to 146½p after a troubled customer raised $100 million (£51 million) in equity. Worries over the finances of Eclipse Aviation, the maker of a “very light” jet, had weighed on Hampson’s price.

Whatman, the maker of DNA testing equipment and filter paper, rose 44p to 250p after it said that it was in takeover talks with several parties. General Electric, Danaher, Parker Hannifin and Millipore are all thought to be in the running.

Cellcast, the interactive digital broadcaster, jumped 0.875p to 3.75p after it signed a deal to supply Orange mobile networks in France and Israel with its video-sharing service. I-Mate, the seller of Microsoft Windows mobile phones and devices, plunged 12¾p to 20¾p after it gave warning that problems with one of its leading chip suppliers would hit sales.

Bloomsbury, the Harry Potter publisher, rose 11p to 165p after it said that profits would be ahead of forecasts.

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