

Corus, which employs 280 at its plant at Dalzell, near Motherwell, said it had signed a non-binding letter of intent on the aluminium sale with Aleris International of the US.
Analysts welcomed the move as well as a rise in Corus's pre-tax profits last year to 580m from 567m in 2004. The shares closed up 11 per cent at 85.25p.