STOCK WATCH

RISING sales and a 20pc dividend increase failed to stop Oxford Metrics shares sliding.

The software firm revealed a profit fall in its motion technology division Vicon and its analytics arm Yotta, amid increased investment.

Sales increased 10.3pc to £22.5m in the year to the end of September, but profits fell to £5.6m, from £5.9m the year before. Despite the drop, Oxford Metrics said it was trading as expected.

Its shares closed down 1.2pc, or 0.75p, at 61.5p.