A gripping drive December 1, 2009 THE LAST time I drove a Civic Type R, I found the ride quite brutal. So I have to admit to being slightly wary of having this one to test on UK roads, but it had to be done, because just 20 of them are destined for the whole of Europe. First things first, this [...]
MY OTHER CAR’S AN ASTON, BUT THE G-WIZ IS PERFECT FOR LONDON December 1, 2009 IF YOU watch Top Gear, you will have recently seen Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond trying to build an electric car to rival the best-selling G-Wiz. The presenters hate electric cars as they stand for everything that they don’t. I am no greenophile – my other car is an Aston Martin. Yet I [...]
A drop in temperature makes some brands hotter December 1, 2009 WE all like to “make up our own minds” about brands, and recommend to our friends those with which we have had positive dealings. However, rather than being wholly our own self-determined opinions, these recommendations tie in with the seasons much more readily than we might think. Some “seasonal brands” like The North Face and [...]
Shaftesbury keen to buy after slump December 1, 2009 THE LONDON landlord Shaftesbury reported a fall in the value of its property last year, but forecast improving demand and more acquisitions. Shaftesbury, which owns more than 450 properties focused in the West End, said its portfolio was worth £1.21bn at the end of September, down 3.8 per cent against a year ago after falls [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS December 1, 2009 DIAGEOS&P Equity Research yesterday raised its 12-month target price for Diageo from 970p to 1,080p ,partly based on good results at Cointreau and Campari. But it kept its “hold” recommendation, saying Diageo’s earnings are holding up but that the stock is at a premium compared to Pernod Ricard, Campari and Constellation. QINETIQInvestec yesterday put out [...]
Alstom and Schneider in Areva deal December 1, 2009 SHARES in Alstom and Schneider Electric rose yesterday after the duo pushed aside non-French rivals to enter exclusive talks to buy Areva’s nuclear transmission and distribution business. Several analysts said the French consortium’s €4.09bn (£3.7bn) offer appeared to be fair and the bid removed uncertainty that Areva might sell to Japan’s Toshiba and American General [...]
CITY MOVES WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS December 1, 2009 RBC Capital MarketsRBC Capital Markets, the corporate and investment banking arm of Royal Bank of Canada, yesterday announced that it had hired Simon Ballard as a director and senior credit strategist in London. Ballard, who will be based in RBC’s London office, has over 20 years of credit experience, including roles at ABN AMRO Asset [...]
BNP Paribas ups savings forecast for Fortis buyout December 1, 2009 BNP PARIBAS yesterday raised its forecast for savings from the integration of former Fortis assets and said it was not planning any big acquisitions. BNP Paribas, one of just a few banks to emerge relatively strong from the credit crisis and among the first to pay back the government for financial support, raised its savings [...]
The Americanisation of the SFO is not the way to stamp out UK fraud December 1, 2009 THIS year began with an announcement by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) that it was investigating potential UK criminality arising out of the Bernard Madoff Ponzi scheme scandal. Richard Alderman, the SFO’s director, hailed the investigation as an example of the “new, faster approach to tackling fraud”. So as the year draws to a close, [...]
SPEAKER’S CORNER December 1, 2009 KERRY GARCIASTEVENS & BOLTON LLP EARLIER this year, the government stated that it supported “British jobs for British workers”. But that policy is beginning to damage British business and the economy. In 2008, Tier 2 of the Points Based System replaced the work permit scheme. Many companies have registered as sponsors with the UK Border [...]
