Admiral Group share price soars as first half profit inches up August 19, 2015 Insurer Admiral climbed to the top of the FTSE 100 today after its shares jumped 4.6 per cent to 1,534p per share in early afternoon trade. The Cardiff-based group reported pre-tax profit rose one per cent to £186.1m in the six months to 30 June 2015, from £184.9m during the same period a year earlier. This smashed analysts' [...]
Walmart’s Asda has reached its “nadir” says chief Andy Clarke as supermarket chalks up more declines August 19, 2015 Asda boss Andy Clarke has said the troubled supermarket's “nadir” has been reached, as the Walmart-owned retailer revealed yet another slump in sales. Second quarter like-for-likes were down 4.7 per cent, while profits were flat. Clarke described the figures as “disappointing, but a short-term picture”. “We've hit our nadir,” Clarke said insisting there was [...]
Hackers expose details of 37m users of cheating website Ashley Madison August 19, 2015 Hackers appear to have followed through on their threat to expose the details of millions of users of the extramarital affair site Ashley Madison, which is soon to embark on a multimillion-pound float in London. Almost 10 gigabytes of user data were posted to the “dark web” overnight, according to reports, and have since been [...]
FCA drops investigation into Quindell in light of Serious Fraud Office probe August 18, 2015 The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has dropped its investigation into troubled insurance outsourcer Quindell with immediate effect, making way for the criminal investigation being carried out by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). "Quindell announces that it has been informed by the FCA that, in light of the investigation by the SFO into past business and accounting [...]
UK tech sector growth falls to two-year low, dragged by election jitters and Eurozone woes August 18, 2015 The UK’s tech sector growth fell to a two-year low, with activity slowing in the second quarter dragged by election jitters and Eurozone woes. Tech has been booming lately, and the latest figures mark three years of sustained business activity growth in the sector. But expansion is at its weakest pace since early 2013, according [...]
Austin Reed puts Regent Street flagship store up for sale August 18, 2015 Austin Reed has put its flagship store on Regent Street up for sale just months after undergoing a painful restructuring that involved closing 31 stores to pay down debts. The 114-year-old tailor, which counts International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde among its customers, has instructed agents James Andrew International to sell the lease on its [...]
Unilever and ad:tech open $50,000 search for startup innovations with Next Big Thing competition August 18, 2015 Unilever is on the hunt for fresh innovations, as the company is hoping to find new startups to team up with through the “Next Big Thing” competition, organised by ad:tech London. 15 startups will be shortlisted for the award, and at the final in October, they’ll get the change to pitch to brands and agencies. [...]
Fitch ups Sony investment grade status to positive August 18, 2015 Sony inched closer to returning to its investment grade status yesterday after ratings agency Fitch amended its credit outlook from “stable” to “positive”, indicating that a ratings upgrade may be on the horizon. The agency also affirmed its “BB” rating, three grades below investment grade. Efforts to restructure were key to Sony’s improving profitability, in [...]
Cargill feeds its salmon tank in €1.35bn EWOS takeover from Altor and Bain Capital August 18, 2015 Privately owned agribusiness giant Cargill yesterday announced it is buying Ewos, an aquaculture firm, for €1.35bn (£960m). The purchase of the Scandinavian firm marks Cargill’s entry in the salmon feed market. Ewos currently manufactures over 1.2m tonnes of salmon feed, about one-third of the total market, for a global client base. Sarena Lin, president of [...]
Accounting giant EY swoops on Silicon Roundabout firm Seren August 18, 2015 Business advisory firm EY yesterday announced it is buying Seren, a digital design consultancy based in Silicon Roundabout. Seren chief executive Ben Langdon will continue as boss of what will now be EY-Seren. Seren co-founders Catriona Campbell and Terry Heath will become senior advisers to EY in the UK and EY-Seren. Langdon said: “Seren and [...]