Friday – No Significant Company Announcements Due. A positive read across boosted shares of equipment hire group Ashtead (AHT) in October, when Seymour Pierce reiterated its buy recommendation and raised its target price to 400p from 350p. The broker said that with U.S. construction confidence reaching its highest level since 2006 and a top of the range set of third quarter results from United Rentals, one of Ashtead's main U.S. competitors, the outlook for Ashtead's U.S. business was bullish. More of the same in this week's announcement should see further progress for the share price.