Cinema chain Vue considering market flotation after boosts from James Bond and Star Wars April 17, 2016 Cinema chain Vue is considering a market flotation next year. The initial public offering (IPO) plan comes after a strong period for the group, helped by Star Wars: The Force Awakens and the latest James Bond film, Spectre. News of the planned float offers further encouragement that the market is recovering from a slow start [...]
France still committed to “very important” Hinkley Point, says Emmanuel Macron April 17, 2016 France has said it is still committed to building new reactors at Hinkley Point power plant, despite worries over how the project will be funded. Emmanuel Macron, France's economy minister, told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that it remained "completely committed" and the project was "very important" on Sunday morning. EDF, partly owned by the French state, has [...]
S&P: Green bond issuance could triple this year April 15, 2016 Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor's has said green bond issuance could triple to $28bn this year, providing the Chinese market takes off. But investor appetite will continue to exceed supply, following the Paris climate change negotiations in December. Read more: London is leading the world in financing the global low carbon shift A green bond must [...]
US oil producer Goodrich Petroleum files for voluntary Chapter 11 restructuring April 15, 2016 Another US oil producer has been forced to file for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 this week as energy companies struggle amid low oil and gas prices. Houston-based Goodrich Petroleum filed for voluntary restructuring today to cut around $400m (£282m) debt from its balance sheet, leaving behind just $40m in debt related to a first lien reserve based loan [...]
Worldview takeover offer for Petroceltic lapses April 15, 2016 The long-running, bitter battle between Worldview Capital and Petroceltic has taken another unexpected turn. Last week, it looked like activist investor Worldview, also the Dublin-based oil explorers largest shareholder with a 29.6 percent stake, was on the road to victory. Petroceltic's board had urged shareholders to accept a 3p per share offer it had previously rejected on the grounds it undervalued [...]
The New West End Company appoints Jace Tyrrell as chief executive April 15, 2016 The New West End Company (NWEC), the lobby group which represents hundreds of businesses around Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street, has promoted its deputy chief executive Jace Tyrell to the top job. The West End guru spent nine years as director of communications at the organisation but left in 2013 to join the City & [...]
Persimmon narrowly dodges revolt over new director Nigel Mills and executive pay, as shares slump over sales slowdown April 14, 2016 Persimmon narrowly avoided a revolt today over the appointment of Nigel Mills to the board after shareholders raised concerns over his links to the housebuilder's financial advisers. More than 47 per cent of shareholders voted against appointing Mills as an non-executive director at the company's annual general meeting held at York race course – with 107m votes in favour [...]
Pressure mounts on oil producers ahead of meeting in Doha on Sunday April 14, 2016 The stage has been set for what will be the first coordinated action among Opec and non-Opec producers in 15 years – and failure to deliver could spark ire among already harangued oil investors. Talk of a potential freeze deal at the meeting in Doha on Sunday has helped oil prices recover from near 12-year [...]
FTSE clings on to 2016 high, despite poor results from Burberry and Persimmon April 14, 2016 It went down, then up, then did it all again, but the FTSE 100 managed to cling on to its 2016 high day in a confusing day of trading, closing at 6,363 – up 0.01 per cent. Despite the tiny move higher, the biggest stories came from the losers. Housebuilder Persimmon was on shaky foundations at its [...]
This underground arts venue has just opened inside Brunel’s Thames Tunnel entrance – 190 years after it was first built April 14, 2016 An historic underground shaft in south east London that once served as the entrance to the world's first underwater tunnel has been reopened as an arts and music performance venue. The Thames Tunnel – designed by engineers Marc Brunel and his son Isambard Kingdom – is considered one of the greatest feats of 19th century engineering and also paved [...]