Merrill Lynch "Reduces" P&O's Rating

Merrill Lynch said on Monday it had cut its rating on British shipping and logistics group The Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O) to "reduce" from "neutral" in the intermediate term.

Analysts at the investment bank also cut their long-term rating on the stock to "accumulate" from "buy", citing a worsening outlook for the company's container business.

They expected second-quarter results for P&O Nedlloyd (P&O's joint venture with Dutch Koninklijke Nedlloyd Groep), due on Thursday, to be poor for sentiment, they said.

"The tone is unlikely to be encouraging and the risk with forecasts is on the downside," they said.