Engineering design software provider Aveva is rising on the back of yesterday's upgrade by broker Panmure Gordon.

The broker has not touched the forecast for the year to March 2010 but it has increased its 2010-11 earnings per share forecast from 55.6p a share to 58.7p a share. This is based on revenue growth of 6%.

Improvements in shipping rates are expected to help boost shipbuilding, a major customer for Aveva. The company could also become involved in takeover activity.

Janus Capital reduced its stake in Aveva to less than 3% last week.

A pre-close trading statement will be published in the middle of April.

Andrew Sinclair has sold 3m shares in Godalming-based Sinclair Pharma. The removal of the overhang appears to have had a positive effect on the share price. Andrew Sinclair, who founded the company in 1971, still owns 5.11m shares - 3.175 of Sinclair Pharma.

Pharma company Vernalis has more than lost yesterday's share price rise on the back of news that it will receive a $3m milestone payment from Novartis.

Last month, Vernalis raised £28.5m net via a placing and open offer at 76p a share and the current share price is below this level.

FTSE TechMARK - Risers
Ark Therapeutics (AKT) 12.50p +4.17%
Kewill (KWL) 102.00p +4.08%
Aveva Group (AVV) 1,155.00p +3.68%
Phoenix IT Group (PNX) 281.50p +3.11%
Alterian (ALN) 147.00p +2.80%
Vectura Group (VEC) 63.50p +2.42%
Puricore (PURI) 11.25p +2.27%
CML Microsystems (CML) 45.50p +2.25%
Sinclair Pharma (SPH) 30.50p +1.67%
Rolls-Royce Group (RR.) 577.00p +1.58%

FTSE TechMARK - Fallers
Kofax (KFX) 240.00p -3.81%
Vernalis (VER) 73.00p -3.31%
Vislink (VLK) 25.00p -2.91%
KCOM Group (KCOM) 49.75p -2.45%
Oxford Biomedica (OXB) 10.50p -2.33%
Computacenter (CCC) 313.80p -2.15%
Innovation Group (TIG) 12.25p -2.00%
NXT (NTX) 13.75p -1.79%
Biocompatibles International (BII) 240.00p -1.64%
BATM Advanced (BVC) 37.00p -1.33%

Related share prices
Vernalis (VER) share price
Aveva Group (AVV) share price
Sinclair Is Pharma (SPH) share price