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Most followed: Barclays, Essar Energy, Centrica, Motive TV, Magnolia Petroleum ...

Last updated: 21:20 17 Feb 2014 AEDT, First published: 22:20 17 Feb 2014 AEDT

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‘TV anytime, anywhere’ firm Motive Television (LON:MTV) is often the most heavily traded share, but today the trading activity was backed up by a business update.

The company says it will move from the development to the growth stage this year as its products move into commercial use.

The second and third most heavily traded shares are both banks: Barclays (LON:BARC) and Lloyds (LON:LLOY).

In terms of the value of shares traded, Barclays is top of the tree, with aggregate share transactions totalling three times the next most popular stock, Vodafone.

On the search engines, energy groups Essar Energy (LON:ESSR) and Centrica (LON:CAN) are both hot stories.

At Essar, a ding-dong is in prospect as minority shareholders grumble about the Ruia family’s plans to buy the remaining 22% of the share capital of the London-listed oil and gas producer that it does not already own.

The Essar Group hived off Essar Energy four years ago, floating it at 420p a share; now, so the reports go, the Ruia family's Essar Global Fund vehicle is pondering a 75p a share offer to take back full control of the company.

Grumbling is also behind the popularity of stories about British Gas owner Centrica, ahead of its results this Thursday.

Ed Davey, the Energy Secretary, wrote to industry watchdog Ofgem last week, suggesting it look into British Gas’s charges and price margins, while the prospect of breaking up the business was also raised.

Meanwhile, the Fuel Poverty Action group has been on the warpath, using emotive language that accuses a commercial enterprise of being chiefly interested in making a profit.

Chief executive Sam Laidlaw is rumoured to be edging towards the exit door and the Sunday Times reported over the week-end that the company has approached a big wheel at BP to see if said big wheel would be interested in replacing him at Centrica.

The most widely read stories on a well-known news site are the usual mix of tiddlers and blue-chips.

Property group Hammerson (LON:HMSO) is in the spotlight after its results statement, while Telecom Plus (LON:TEP), one of the many companies offering an alternative to British Gas, is garnering interest after it flagged its intention to bump up the full-year dividend by 13% to 35p for the current financial year.

Magnolia Petroleum (LON:MAGP) is one of the more prolific companies in terms of stock exchange announcements, and its latest update is attracting a lot of eyeballs.

The AIM quoted US onshore focused oil and gas exploration and production company, has been informed by Devon Energy that a total of eight wells will be drilled on the same spacing unit in Oklahoma as the Marion 1-23 HW well, in which Magnolia has a 4.1% interest, to maximise the recovery of reserves from both the Mississippi Lime formation and the lower lying Woodford.

This will be the first time Magnolia is participating in eight wells on a single section in Oklahoma (where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain).

On the message boards, Gulf Keystone continues its residency at the top of the most active forums, while in the Barclays forum investors are still arguing the toss over the bank’s bonus policy.

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