Big time bidder saves his bacon March 10, 2014 PORK was well and truly off the menu for the star-studded crowd at Tracy Worcester’s “Pig Pledge” event at No 41 in Mayfair last night. The well-connected campaigner was drumming up support for her charity Pig Business, which is trying to encourage people to boycott meat from animal factories – actor Dominic West, Zac Goldsmith [...]
The silver screen beckons Randall March 10, 2014 THE GHERKIN was taken over by film crews yesterday, as a movie starring Kelsey Grammer (yes, Frasier) chose the Sky News studio as one of its backdrops. Why? Well, the movie includes a scene involving the Jeff Randall Show and the presenter was roped in to play himself on screen. The Sky News team had to [...]
Euro investors at most bullish for three years March 10, 2014 THE CONFIDENCE of investors in the Eurozone rose again this month, climbing to the highest level since early 2011 despite the announcement of poor industrial output in France. The Sentix investor confidence index reached 13.9 in March, the highest level since the same month three years ago, before the European Central Bank’s swiftly-reversed increase in interest rates. [...]
Cyprus Central Bank governor quits March 10, 2014 PANICOS Demetriades, governor of the Central Bank of Cyprus, handed in his resignation yesterday, and will stay in the post until 10 April. The governor was known to have a sour relationship with President Nicos Anastasiades, who had publicly sought legal approval to sack Demetriades.
IGas surges as court rules to move activists March 10, 2014 SHARES in IGas rose over 1.8 per cent yesterday after a Manchester court ruled in favour of landowners to move anti-fracking protesters from land near Barton Moss, where the energy company has begun exploratory drilling for shale gas. Judge Mark Pelling QC ruled in favour of the Peel Group and said that protesters must leave [...]
Hangar 8 merger talks called off March 10, 2014 Private jet group Hangar 8 and Air Charter Service have ended merger talks, the firms announced yesterday. Hangar 8 chairman Nigel Payne said the collapse of the talks was disappointing but that his firm has an “excellent platform” to grow as a standalone company. Shares in Hangar 8 rose 4.6 per cent to 264p on [...]
Coal of Africa narrows its losses March 10, 2014 Coal of Africa yesterday said losses had narrowed to $46m (£27.6m) in the first half of the year, as the triple-listed company cut costs as part of its turnaround strategy. “[The firm] has made good progress with its turnaround strategy in the last twelve months, having concentrated on selling non-core assets and closing down loss [...]
Senior reveals plan to buy UPECA March 10, 2014 Manufacturing group Senior rose 5.5 per cent in early trading after it said it would buy Malaysia’s UPECA Technologies for £75.5m. The FTSE 250-quoted firm said the deal, expected to complete by the end of March, would strengthen its presence in the South East Asian region. Yet shares ended down 0.45 per cent.
Pennon rises on Ofwat approval March 10, 2014 FTSE 250-LISTED Pennon soared three per cent in early trading yesterday, after the regulator Ofwat said that its water company subsidiary South West Water had qualified for enhanced status and a fast-tracked price review. Affinity Water, which supplies water to parts of central England, Essex and Greater London, also qualified, but FTSE 100-listed Severn Trent [...]
Costain wins £150m Crossrail contract to upgrade stations March 10, 2014 BRITISH engineering firm Costain yesterday said it had been awarded a £150m contract to provide infrastructure for suburban Crossrail stations in east London. Costain will deliver major infrastructure improvements, including upgrading the tracks and overhead electrification equipment at stations between Stratford in east London and Shenfield in Essex. The contract starts immediately, with the main [...]