Optimism over trading at the interim stage had proved unfounded, the group said yesterday.

I have always felt a little uncomfortable about the interim stage.

The prospective 2012 yield is 3.3pc - and the group revised its dividend policy at the interim stage.

"It's just that there needs to be an interim stage in order to achieve that objective."

Thus, we spoke of autonomy as an interim stage that will last five years.

"They are trying too remind us at every step that it is not an independent state, that it's only an interim stage."

So we have introduced an interim stage this year.

This directive is, of course, an interim stage, but I believe that it is a step in the right direction.

These are good figures, but of course they can only ever be an interim stage.

This production is said to be an interim stage in the development of "Wifey," which the company plans to film at a later date.