Paramount at peak of world film industry January 3, 2012 MOVIE maker Paramount Pictures has been crowned the world’s number one film studio as it enters the year of its 100th anniversary, beating old favourite Warner Bros to the coveted top spot. America’s oldest existing film studio amassed a record $5.17bn (£3.3bn) in 2011, $1.96bn of which was in North America, with a further $3.21bn [...]
Digital services company Yells for help January 3, 2012 YELL, the online services directory, has appointed a new chief strategy and business development officer after a turbulent few years packed with debt and digital competition. Matt Anderson, the first to fill this new global role, will guide the struggling company in its continuing transformation from Yellow Pages distributor to a leader in the emerging [...]
Samsung edges Apple to top spot January 3, 2012 Samsung’s Galaxy S II handset fought off competition from Apple’s iPhone 4S to maintain its top spot in the mobile phone war over Christmas. The phone has now led tables for eight consecutive months, according to uSwitch.com’s tracker, which is based on internet searches as well as sales. The race appears to have been close-run, [...]
TalkTalk to expand its mobile offering in 2012 January 3, 2012 TALKTALK will enter the handset market in the second quarter as it continues its push to become a player in the mobile sector. The firm, which launched its SIM-only mobile offering last year, has just 50,000 customers but hopes the addition of devices will bolster its numbers. To lead its new drive TalkTalk has appointed [...]
How hopeful are you for the new year? January 3, 2012 THIS week we are asking members of the City A.M. Voice of the City panel, run with PoliticsHome.com, where they think the world’s markets are headed over the next twelve months. Is the new year’s boost to the FTSE a signal for gains through the coming months, or should investors brace for another rocky year? [...]
Wind power in the uk January 3, 2012 SSE onshore wind farm generating capacity in UK and Ireland = 1GW+ powers approx 1M homes (1,000 homes per megawatt) Overall UK onshore wind farm generating capacity (excluding Ireland) = 4.4 GW+ powers approx 4.4m Homes 1GW of onshore wind power equates to around 160 kilotonnes of oil equivalent (Ktoe). 160 kilotonnes of oil equivalent [...]
SSE lifts its capacity for wind power January 3, 2012 SSE, one of the UK’s biggest utilities, has revealed it has exceeded more than one gigawatt of onshore wind farm capacity for the first time, enough to power around a million homes. The company, previously known as Scottish and Southern Energy, said in a statement yesterday that “good progress” made on sites in Northern Ireland [...]
BMW predicts 2012 growth January 3, 2012 BMW expects the global premium car market to grow more than twice as fast as overall auto sales this year, the carmaker’s finance chief has told a German newspaper. “Around the world, we see market growth of four per cent and more than eight per cent in the premium market,” Friedrich Eichiner told Sueddeutsche Zeitung [...]
Centrica completes acquisition of US energy firm Vectren Source for $39m January 3, 2012 CENTRICA’s US arm Direct Energy has completed a $39m (£25m) cash acquisition of natural gas retailer Vectren Source from Vectren Corporation, a move it said will boost its customer base in the US North East. Indiana-based Vectren Source has more than 146,000 residential and small commercial customer accounts, with the majority of customers located in [...]
Travis Perkins buys out Toolstation from founder January 3, 2012 THE FOUNDER of Somerset-based hardware store Toolstation netted a £24m windfall yesterday after Travis Perkins – owner of DIY chain Wickes – bought the company. Mark Goddard-Watts set up the business in 2003 after leaving rival Screwfix, which he also founded, following its takeover by B&Q owner Kingfisher. Yesterday he sold the remaining 70 per [...]