Investigation begins into Agora insider dealing accusation

Shares in media group Agora fell by up to 6% on Friday as the company fights a regulatory probe into insider share dealings by its top management. Analysts said Agora's role in alleging that it was the target of a multi-million-dollar bribery attempt as well as expected weak year-end results due to be published next month, had also helped send the stock to 15-month lows. Flawiusz Pawluk, analyst at CA IB Securities in Warsaw highlighted problems at Agora's billboard unit AMS. Agora hit back on Friday in a strongly-worded statement, saying it had published all necessary information in a timely way. "In recent days the company and its management have become the targets of an attack intended to undermine their credibility," the company said. (Reuters)