May 3 (Bloomberg) -- The following stocks may rise or fall in U.K. and Irish markets today. Stock symbols are in parentheses and prices are from yesterday's market close.

The benchmark FTSE 100 Index rose 64.90, or 1 percent, to 6484.50 in London. The FTSE All-Share Index gained 32.26, or 1 percent, to 3374.31.

Ireland's ISEQ Index increased 192.73, or 2 percent, to close at 9681.73.

U.K. Companies:

Antofagasta Plc (ANTO LN): The London-based owner of three copper mines in Chile is to give a production update. The shares rose 10.5 pence, or 2 percent, to 549.5.

British Airways Plc (BAY LN): The airline is announcing traffic figures. The shares rose 14 pence, or 2.9 percent, to 519.

British American Tobacco Plc (BATS LN): The cigarette maker said first-quarter profit rose 9.5 percent to 495 million pounds ($986 billion), beating the 468 million-pound median estimate from eight analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. The stock added 31 pence, or 2 percent, to 1570.

HMV Group Plc (HMV LN): The U.K.'s biggest music and DVD retailer said sales at stores open at least a year fell as more customers shopped online and downloaded music from the Web.

Revenue on that basis, including bookstores, dropped 3.9 percent in the 16 weeks ended April 28. Total sales declined 1.5 percent. The shares were unchanged at 116 pence.

Imperial Chemical Industries Plc (ICI LN): The U.K.'s largest maker of specialty chemicals said first-quarter profit jumped to 955 million pounds, in line with estimates, from 65 million pounds a year earlier. The results were boosted by 877 million pounds in gains stemming from the sale of flavors and fragrances unit Quest. The shares lost 6.75 pence, or 1.3 percent, to 525.

Pearson Plc (PSON LN): Goldman, Sachs & Co. lowered its recommendation for the owner of the Financial Times to ``neutral'' from ``buy.'' The shares lost 30.5 pence, or 3.4 percent, to 870.5.

Rank Group Plc (RNK LN): Britain's second-largest casino company said sales and profit increased in the first 16 weeks of the year. Revenue at outlets open at least a year climbed 3 percent in the 16 weeks ended April 22. The stock added 1.75 pence, or 0.9 percent, to 198.

Reuters Group Plc (RTR LN): The world's largest publicly traded provider of financial data would be interested in buying some assets of Dow Jones & Co. if it is sold, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a person familiar with the matter. The shares dropped 2.75 pence, or 0.6 percent, to 491.25.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc (RDSA LN): Europe's biggest oil company said first-quarter profit increased 5.7 percent to $7.28 billion, as it earned more from refining crude and gasoline and diesel. Profit, excluding certain one-time costs and gains, was $6.6 million. That beat analysts' estimates of $5.6 billion on that basis, according to the median projection from a Bloomberg survey. The shares rose 32 pence, or 1.8 percent, to 1770.

Smith & Nephew Plc (SN/ LN): Europe's largest maker of knee and shoulder implants is announcing earnings. The shares added 5 pence, or 0.8 percent, to 625.

Tomkins Plc (TOMK LN): The U.K. maker of auto parts and building materials said first-quarter profit fell 13 percent to 39.4 million pounds. Sales dropped 11 percent to 739 million pounds. The shares were unchanged at 267.5 pence.

Unilever Plc (ULVR LN): The world's second-largest maker of food and detergent said first-quarter profit unexpectedly rose 2.3 percent to 1 billion euros ($1.4 billion). That beat the 854 million-euro median estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. The shares rose 4 pence, or 0.3 percent, to 1556.

To contact the reporter on this story: Sarah Jones in London at sjones35@bloomberg.net; Lenka Ponikelska in London lponikelska@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: May 3, 2007 02:45 EDT