2005-08-25
Shares of Accenture Ltd. rose nearly 9 percent before the bell on Friday after Prudential Equity Group raised its fiscal 2005 earnings estimate for the consulting firm.
On the electronic brokerage network Inet, shares of the Bermuda-based company rose $1.88 to $24.08, up from its Thursday close of $22.20 on the New York Stock Exchange.
Also, shares of WPT Enterprises, which owns the popular World Poker Tour, jumped more than 50 percent before the bell after the New York Post reported U.S. poker icon Doyle Brunson had launched a $700 million cash bid for the company.
On Inet, shares of WPT rose $9.25 to $27.00 from its close of $17.75 on Nasdaq on Thursday.
Shares of Paradyne Networks Inc. also jumped about 53 percent before the bell on Friday after Zhone Technologies Inc. said it would buy the broadband access solutions provider for about $180 million, or $3.92 per share.
On the electronic brokerage network Inet, Paradyne shares rose $1.01 to $2.90. On Thursday, shares of the company closed at $1.89 on Nasdaq.