Blockbuster puts Euro arm up for sale March 14, 2010 FILM rental chain Blockbuster has put its European arm up for sale, it emerged yesterday. The indebted US company wants to sell its European division, which it values at about £50m, to raise cash, a report said. Blockbuster has hired corporate finance house Winchester Capital to find a buyer for the European arm, which has [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS March 14, 2010 HOME RETAIL GROUP Charles Stanley said the group’s fourth quarter trading update covering the eight weeks to 27 February was mixed. Trading was impacted by poor weather in January, but the impact on profits has been limited as the period is traditionally a low volume one. The broker remains cautious especially over the growing threat [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS March 14, 2010 Coutts Private Office Rupert Allison has joined Coutts Private Office as senior client partner from after three years with HSBC private bank as a relationship manager/ director. At Coutts, Allison will advise high-net-worth individuals whose assets top £30m and will report to global head of Coutts private office, Duncan McIntyre. Allison also spent 15 years [...]
Cannes awaits property fest March 14, 2010 THIS week sees the heavyweights of the property world embark on their annual pilgrimage to Cannes for MIPIM, Europe’s largest property fair. The four day event – known for its yachts and late night parties – is likely to be more upbeat than last year when the property market was still in the midst of [...]
Plus markets to launch fixed income securities products March 14, 2010 PLUS markets, the retail-focused small and mid-cap stock exchange, will launch trade reporting for fixed income securities following calls for the product from private investors. The move is meant to give retail investors a cost effective way to access fixed income securities such as UK gilts and corporate bonds. Rachel Maguire, Business Development Director at [...]
ECKOH THE NEW VOICE OF FUNDRAISING March 14, 2010 ECKOH, the speech recognition supplier, has landed a two-year contract with charity Comic Relief as the sole provider of interactive voice response services for fundraising campaigns including Sport Relief 2010 and Red Nose Day 2011. Eckoh will provide the charity with a number of services, including real time card payment processing.
THE KNIVES ARE OUT AS THE CITY VIEWS GRAND MILITARY GOLD CUP March 14, 2010 THE Capitalist travelled in style to Sandown Park racecourse for the Grand Military Gold Cup, where the City types in attendance were busy whetting their appetite for this week’s Cheltenham festivities. As the military’s most accomplished horsemen and women battled it out around the track, it was off to a private suite for guests of [...]
BILL OF THE WEEK March 14, 2010 JUST St James obviously ticked the right boxes for one of its loyal Mayfair regulars. with the introduction of a Best of British menu. On the day the 10-year-old favourite relaunched its basement bar – formerly Just Oriental – as the Club Bar, six fans celebrated with a modest array of sharing platters with everything [...]
Eurozone production in surprise jump March 12, 2010 INDUSTRIAL production in the 16 countries in the eurozone increased by much more than expected in January. The 1.7 per cent growth between December and January was a record jump in the monthly data produced by Eurostat. Consumer goods like cars, furniture and appliances, rose by two per cent. The European Commission’s latest forecast suggests [...]
BA to be hit by seven days of strikes March 12, 2010 BA cabin crew will go on strike for three days from 20 March and for four days from 27 March, union official have confirmed. Unite called the walkout after talks to settle a dispute over pay and staff levels collapsed. The union said it would not strike over Easter but warned that more action could [...]