For whom the Bell Chimes

LORD Bell's public relations and advertising combine Chime has tolled a note of caution, describing the current marketplace as 'very weak' and warning that first-half profits would, unusually, be a lower proportion of the whole.

But Baroness Thatcher's former adviser said: 'All in all, if the predicted second half recovery occurs we will see another year of growth'.

Chime has already won a host of new clients in 2002, ranging from L'Oreal and mmO2 to Marconi and Telewest.

Reported pre-tax profits for the year to December fell from £14.3m to £9.1m but after adding back goodwill amortisation they rose by 14%, £2m , to £16.3m . Turnover grew by 5% to £155m . Earnings rose by 4% to 7.4p and the total dividend by 5% to 3.43p a share.