BA staff can’t resist change for ever February 22, 2010 WHAT a shame British Airways’ cabin crew has voted to strike. Willie Walsh, the firm’s chief, is doing a good job in extremely tough conditions to take out costs and ensure the airline will still be with us in five years’ time – yet some of his staff still seem to believe that it is [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING February 22, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES NORTEL AIMS TO BLOCK PENSIONS CLAIM Nortel Networks and its creditors are seeking to block the UK pensions regulator from pursuing a claim worth as much as £2.1bn ($3.3bn) against the company’s worldwide assets to cover the shortfall in its UK scheme. The Canadian telecommunications equipment maker and its UK subsidiary filed for [...]
Energy firms under cosh February 22, 2010 ED Miliband, Energy and Climate Change Secretary, has urged Britain’s largest energy companies to cut prices after Ofgem said they weren’t passing on reduced wholesale costs. So far British Gas is the only big six energy supplier to cut its household energy prices this year. Miliband said: “British Gas’s recent cut was a welcome first [...]
MPs say broadband tax unfair February 22, 2010 The government’s proposal for a tax on fixed telephone lines to pay for increased broadband speeds in areas with poor access is unfair and unwise, a parliamentary committee will say today. The Business Innovation and Skills committee disagreed with the government’s “Digital Britain” white paper which focused on universal broadband access by 2012.
Labour challenged over lending February 22, 2010 The opposition Liberal Democrats will challenge the government today to reveal how much money part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland and rival Lloyds have lent since a state bailout 12 months ago. The issue threatens to embarrass the Labour Party before an election expected in May if the figures show the banks have failed to meet [...]
Commerz in the red after state bailout February 22, 2010 GERMANY’S second-largest bank Commerzbank is today set to post a fourth quarter loss of €1.6bn (£1.4bn), after the group had to be rescued by a state bailout in the wake of its disastrous acquisition of Dresdner Bank in 2008. In a snap pre-announcement yesterday evening, Commerzbank said it would record a worse-than-expected €1.6bn loss over [...]
Nortel to block pension claims February 22, 2010 Nortel Networks, the Canadian telecommunications equipment maker, and its creditors are seeking to block the UK pensions regulator from pursuing a claim worth as much as £2.1bn ($3.3bn) against the firm’s worldwide assets to cover the shortfall in its UK scheme. Nortel and its UK subsidiary filed for bankruptcy protection from creditors in January 2009, [...]
SFO to launch probe into Aero February 22, 2010 The Serious Fraud Office will announce today that it will launch a probe into Aero Inventory. The firm went bust in November after accounting problems related to its share price were discovered.
Senate report hits Glaxo stock February 22, 2010 GlaxoSmithKline’s shares fell sharply yesterday after US senators published a highly critical report into the side effects of its diabetes drug Avandia. Shares in the pharmaceuticals giant tumbled more than two per cent as the senators said two American drug safety reviewers recommended the medicine be pulled from the market amid concerns about its links [...]
AILING HEALTHCARE BILL February 22, 2010 PRESIDENT Barack Obama made a last-ditch bid to revive his stalled healthcare bill yesterday, with a plan to make insurance more affordable and to bolster government authority to regulate premium hikes. But healthcare stocks didn’t react, with investors doubtful over whether Obama can push the bill through.