Brewer on course for rise

PEDIGREE and Hobgoblin brewer Marston is expected to toast a resilient post-Christmas performance in a trading update on Wednesday as its budget food offering continues to draw in punters.

Analysts expect sales to be in positive territory after like-for-like sales at Marston’s managed pubs cheered 5 per cent in the 16 weeks to 21 January.

Airport scanners and bomb detection firm Smiths has come under pressure from UK government spending cuts but is still expected to reveal a 14 per cent rise in interim profits on Wednesday thanks to work for the oil and gas industry.