BP closes Deepwater Horizon oil spill chapter with £12bn record US payout: Firm may now be subject to mega takeover July 2, 2015 Oil giant BP has settled a massive lawsuit surrounding the 2010 Deepwater Horizon accident, agreeing yesterday to pay up to $18.7bn (£12bn) in respect of US federal, state and local claims connected with the disaster. The payout, believed to be the largest environmental fine ever handed out, comprises $5.5bn in civil payments, $4.9bn in [...]
Persimmon reports jump in sales July 2, 2015 Housebuilder Persimmon has posted a jump in sales for the first half of the year, boosted by a pick-up in consumer confidence following the General Election. Legal completions increased by seven per cent to 6,855 new homes, while total revenue surged by 12 per cent to £1.34bn in the six months to 30 June. [...]
Worldview on the war path in Petroceltic row July 2, 2015 The war of words between Irish oil firm Petroceltic and activist investor Worldview kicked off again yesterday, as the Swiss investment firm announced its intention to requisition an extraordinary general meeting (EGM). Petroceltic and Worldview, which holds 29 per cent of the oil company’s share capital, were previously engaged in a protracted battle over control [...]
Sage to move into the Shard July 2, 2015 Software company Sage is to move into The Shard after the owners of London’s iconic skyscraper announced it has bagged three new lettings. Real Estate Management (REM), which manages the building on behalf of the Irvine Sellar and the State of Qatar, said an “as yet un-named” software company understood to be Sage has [...]
Martin Sorrell’s WPP heads to Cuba as part of Latin American expansion plan July 2, 2015 Communications giant WPP is about to set up shop in communist-led Cuba – an unprecedented step among the world's major advertising agencies. Read more: Cuba woos US banks as sanctions ease The company, set up by Sir Martin Sorrell in 1971, has partnered with state-owned Palco Group to make the move, which marks the [...]
Ryanair’s June traffic takes off on the back of bigger summer schedule July 2, 2015 Traffic really took off at budget airline Ryanair last month, it turns out: figures published this morning showed passenger numbers grew to 9.5m passengers in June, up 14 per cent from 8.3m passengers the year before. The airline's load factor, how much capacity is actually used, was 93 per cent for the month, up five [...]
BP share price rises after it reaches $18.7bn settlement with US over Gulf of Mexico oil spill July 2, 2015 Shares in BP pushed higher this afternoon after it agreed to pay $18.7bn (£12bn) in damage claims over 18 years to the US government and five states over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The explosion and spill over five years ago killed 11 workers and spewed oil into the Gulf of Mexico for nearly three [...]
Cider loses its a-peel as Bulmers and Magners maker C&C says cold spring put off drinkers July 2, 2015 It never rains but it pours. The unseasonably cold weather in May has put pub-goers off ice-filled pints of cider, the maker of Magners and Bulmers said today. C&C Group, which also makes Tennent's Lager, said revenues between March and the end of June were lower than expected – paving the way for flat [...]
Lloyds share price dips as government sells off more shares July 2, 2015 Shares in Lloyds were trading flat this morning after the government announced it had hived off another load of shares in the state-backed bank. The Treasury sold off around 691m shares, shrinking the government's stake by one per cent to 15.9 per cent. The government has been whittling down its stake in the bailed-out bank since [...]
Dixons Carphone share price rises after announcing US expansion with Sprint Corporation July 2, 2015 Dixons Carphone is heading across the pond. The group's Connected World Services division has teamed up with American telecoms company Sprint with plans to open up to 500 stores across the States. Read more: Dixons Carphone ups full-year profit forecast Chief executive Sebastian James has already been named the most powerful person in British retailing, and [...]