Market watch: Bet on better outlook for bookies

MORE benign recent trading in the gaming sector has raised hopes of a better outlook from under-pressure bookmaker Ladbrokes when it announces its full-year results on Thursday.

The firm issued a profits warning in October – with a 58 per cent tumble in its operating surplus for the third quarter after it suffered a barren start to the English Premier League football season.

Analysts expect group operating profit for the year to be a little above the 170 million mark, which would represent a fall of about 30 per cent.