STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-Cookson up, sees year at top end of view

Shares in Cookson Group Plc (CKSN.L) rise 13 percent after the industrial materials firm says it expects full-year profit at the upper end of analysts' forecasts and to meet its financial covenants at the year end.

"Cookson's third-quarter interim management statement is reassuring, with the positive trends of the previous quarter continuing, some positive seasonal influences and a slight improvement in the foundry market," Arbuthnot Securities says.

The broker says it expects to upgrade its recommendation to "buy" from "neutral" and increases its estimate for 2009 adjusted pretax profit to 71 million pounds ($118.3 million) from 45 million.

"We can now look forward to a highly-geared recovery in earnings and we expect the shares to be strong today," analyst Michael Blogg says.

For more please click on [ID:nBNG425664]

Reuters messaging rm://shivani.singh.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net

($1=.6002 Pound)