After the Nvidelity comes the Huangover. Jensen Huang joins long list who confused boardroom and bedroom
Mining gains offset retail weakness March 29, 2012 The FTSE was broadly flat in early trading with a bounce back in the mining sector helping to offset weaknesses among blue chip retailers like Marks & Spencer. Official figures which yesterday saw the UK’s GDP figures revised down have hit investor sentiment while energy stocks are coming under pressure from volatile oil prices. But [...]
GDF in £6bn swoop for International Power March 29, 2012 French utility GDF Suez offered £6bn ($9.5bn) for the 30 per cent of British electricity producer International Power (IPR.L) it does not already own, seeking to integrate the two companies more closely. The announcement came as German utilities E.ON and RWE said they would no longer build new nuclear power stations in Britain, raising doubts [...]
Service sector in slim rise March 29, 2012 Britain’s dominant service sector grew modestly in January, official data showed on Thursday, raising the chances that the overall economy can avoid a renewed recession. The output from the sector ranging from banks and hotels to airlines grew by 0.2 per cent after an 0.3 per cent increase in December, the Office for National Statistics [...]
FirstGroup in blow from bus division March 29, 2012 Transport operator FirstGroup said growth was stalling at its bus operations in the north of England and Scotland, reflecting a growing disparity between the region and the prosperous south of England. “The economic environment is presenting challenging trading conditions and performance during the year reflects the growing North-South divide with considerably lower growth rates emerging [...]
E.ON and RWE shelve UK nuclear plant plans March 29, 2012 German utilities E.ON and RWE have shelved their plans to build new nuclear plants in Britain, sources told Reuters on Thursday. “The companies want to withdraw from that,” said a source close to the companies and informed about the developments. Both companies and their joint venture Horizon declined to comment. They had planned up to [...]
Britain lines up 13 rail franchise bidders March 29, 2012 Stagecoach, FirstGroup, Go-Ahead and National Express are among 13 firms vying to be the next operators of the Great Western, Thameslink and Essex Thameside rail franchises, Britain’s Department of Transport said. “The Government is engaged in the biggest programme of refranchising since the privatisation of the railways,” Rail Minister Theresa Villiers said on Thursday, adding [...]
Co-op deal for Lloyds branches in doubt March 29, 2012 The Co-Operative Group, whose bid to buy 632 retail bank branches from Lloyds has been hit by difficulties, said its offer remained non-binding, with many analysts speculating the deal could still fall apart. “Our current bid is non-binding and we would only proceed if we could reach an agreement that was in the interests of [...]
Inflation fears as tax on pasties bites March 28, 2012 GEORGE Osborne’s pasty tax and other hikes in VAT will push up the cost of living even further, according to official figures out yesterday, while new data suggests higher wages could also be about to stoke inflation. The tax on hot food sold in retail outlets, along with higher duties on fuel, cigarettes and alcohol, will [...]
PM fuels panic as drivers are urged to fill up March 28, 2012 THE GOVERNMENT was accused of provoking panic yesterday after ministers urged motorists to stockpile petrol ahead of possible fuel tanker strikes. David Cameron chaired a meeting of the Cobra committee, normally only convened in times of emergency, to discuss how to keep supplies going. Downing Street later insisted that while “motorists should consider keeping their [...]
Facebook nears float as it stops secondary trading March 28, 2012 FACEBOOK will suspend trading of its shares on the secondary market from next week in a sign the social network is inching closer to its mammoth IPO, expected in May. The Menlo Park-based company is said to have asked grey market operators to halt trades of Facebook shares to avoid valuation churn while it sets its [...]