RusEnergy

26.04.2006 13:01 [Neftegaz.ru] - Shares of UK energy firm Centrica rise 1.9 percent in early trade on Wednesday after a report that Britain has ruled out blocking any takeover bid by Russian gas giant Gazprom. By 7:57 a.m. the shares were at 309 pence each, up from Tuesday's 302-1/4p, despite trading without the right to its latest dividend payout of 7.4p. In February the UK government said a Gazprom bid would face "robust scrutiny" after officials at the Russian firm were quoted as saying it was mulling an approach for the firm.