BlackRock nears BGI deal June 8, 2009 US ASSET manager BlackRock, led by chief executive Larry Fink, is poised to wrap up a $13bn (£8bn) deal for Barclays Global Investors (BGI) as early as tomorrow, in a move that will create the world’s largest money manager. The cash-plus-equity deal, which looks set to go ahead despite interest from Bank of New York [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING June 8, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMES OBAMA’S SPENDING DRIVE TO FOCUS ON JOBSBarack Obama yesterday stepped up the pace of Washington’s stimulus spending with plans to create or save 600,000 jobs over the next 100 days – four times the rate achieved in the $787bn package’s first 100 days. The announcement, which follows last week’s news that 345,000 jobs [...]
Setanta close to administration June 8, 2009 The board of Irish sports broadcaster Setanta met yesterday, a person familiar with the situation said, following media reports the group was close to going into administration. Sources close to the Premier League said that the people running English football’s top flight would be willing to see the broadcaster go under. The company, which could [...]
Pubs to fight competition probe June 8, 2009 Pub companies are to fight a rearguard action to prevent a potentially damaging probe into competition issues at the heart of the industry. A cross-party committee of MPs last week called on the Competition Commission to look into the arrangement by which pub tenants buy beer directly from landlords. But Enterprise Inns is now leading [...]
REVENUES FIZZ AT IRN BRU June 8, 2009 DRINKS maker AG Barr, which makes Irn Bru, said yesterday its sales from 1 February to 29 May rose 22.5 per cent from a year ago, boosted by a strong performance in the Rubicon fruit juice unit it bought last year. Like-for-like sales, taking out the effect of the Rubicon acquisition, also jumped by 7.9 [...]
1,000 CITY MENU TO STAGE A COMEBACK June 7, 2009 LAST year, one of the City’s favourite restaurants, Vivat Bacchus, made headlines all around the globe for introducing a £1,000 tasting menu despite the onset of the credit crunch, as a treat for hard-working financiers celebrating their (albeit reduced) bonuses. The menu – which included royal sevruga caviar, lobster linguini flavoured with 40-year-old Armagnac, grilled [...]
BILL OF THE WEEK June 7, 2009 A GROUP of nine City boys arrived at the Mint Leaf Lounge in Angel Court to cool off during that all-too-brief spell of hot, sunny weather last week. They wolfed down the restaurant’s new chilled mango and canteloupe soup, prawn mango salad and scallops, followed by lobster tails, lamb biryani and seabass. But though the [...]
The Apprentice winner Yasmina uncovers the sweet side of Sugar June 7, 2009 Yasmina is excited. Very excited. “It just feels amazing”, she says of her victory. “Phenomenal. Amazing. Great. Ecstatic. You’ve caught me at a good time. I’m in the Apprentice bubble. I’m loving it.” She’s obviously delighted by her win, but not surprised. “Before I met the other candidates in the house I was petrified. I [...]
Chocolate gives finalists plenty to chew on June 7, 2009 Nearly there. After 13 firings, ten challenges and one peerage, the lowest budget Apprentice to date was drawing to a close. Sir Alan congratulated his finalists before bringing on The Apprentice alumnus to help out with the make-or-break task. Kate and Yasmina grinned as their old friends strutted back in, looking like a Marks and [...]
Oscar-winner who loves London stage June 7, 2009 I ARRIVE 20 minutes early at Ronald Harwood’s Chelsea mansion block, and rather than knock, I sit on the steps outside. I don’t want to risk the ire of the man who won an Oscar for The Pianist and who has two West End plays about Nazi Germany on simultaneously – Taking Sides and Collaboration [...]