IT jobs growth boosts profits at Harvey Nash October 18, 2005 Harvey Nash, the recruitment specialist, revealed soaring profits yesterday, singling out the IT sector for its robustness. The company saw first half profits rise 47 per cent to £1.7m on sales of £92.7m compared to £78.9m in 2004. It also beefed up its board with the addition of two new directors. Richard Ashcroft has joined [...]
Hikma plans to float on LSE next month October 18, 2005 Jordanian pharmaceutical company Hikma became the second foreign drugs firm in a week to announce its intention to float on the London Stock Exchange. The multinational group, which specialises in generic, branded and injectable products, is to list on the main market early November with a price range of 265p to 330p, valuing it at [...]
Takeover bid for Easynet October 18, 2005 Easynet, the internet service provider, confirmed yesterday an approach by an unnamed bidder, widely believed to be BSkyB. When the London Stock Exchange opened, Easynet’s shares leaped 25 per cent on the news. The broadband operator is believed to be close to a deal with the Murdoch empire, for an offer price around £150m. It [...]
Barbie sales slip by a third in US October 18, 2005 Shares in toy giant Mattel plummeted to their lowest level in almost five years yesterday after the toymaker admitted sales of its iconic Barbie doll had fallen by a third in America. Mattel blamed intense price competition as well as rising oil prices, which affect shipping costs as well as the cost of the plastics [...]
Co-op shutting up shop October 18, 2005 The Co-op is in talks to sell two thirds of its loss-making department stores to Anglia Regional Co-operative Society as it prepares to exit the business. The food to funerals business intends to dispose of its 36-strong regional department store division within two years. It will close the 10 worst performing stores in February with [...]
Terra Firma bid goes on October 18, 2005 The Takeover Panel told financier Guy Hands yesterday that his investment vehicle Terra Firma could not back out of a £453m bid to buy power business East Surrey Holdings. Kellen Acquisitions, which is wholly owned by Terra Firma, had been trying to back out of an offer that it made on 8 April to buy [...]
Alstom tube contract under threat October 18, 2005 Transport for London, the body responsible for public transport in the capital, will seek legal advice this week in a bid to break the French company Alstom’s 20-year, £429m contract to build and maintain trains on the Northern Line. The Northern Line was suspended last Thursday after unions raised safety concerns about the emergency braking [...]
Hawkish deputy governor quits October 18, 2005 Bank of England deputy governor Sir Andrew Large has resigned. He will be replaced by career civil servant Sir John Gieve. Large, who is leaving for the private sector, is commonly regarded as one of the more hawkish members of the all important Monetary Policy Committee. He voted against August’s 25 basis points rate cut [...]
New storm fears stoke up oil prices October 18, 2005 Oil prices leapt by more than $1 a barrel as tropical storm Wilma threatened to move into the oil-rich Gulf of Mexico by the end of the week. American crude was up by $1.27 to $64.05 by late afternoon yesterday. The storm has winds of 45 mph and s forecast to strengthen in the next [...]
GM agrees union deal as losses soar October 18, 2005 General Motors, the world’s biggest automaker yesterday said that it had agreed a deal with the United Auto workers union to slash its healthcare costs. The announcement came as GM revealed widening losses for the third quarter of $1.6bn (£910m), or the equivalent of $2.89 per share. Chief executive of the embattled group, Rick Wagoner, [...]