Rose ready for battle at M&S investor AGM July 7, 2009 MARKS & Spencer is bracing itself for an investor revolt for the second year in a row when shareholders gather for the retailer’s annual meeting today. A number of influential shareholder bodies have backed a resolution urging M&S to split the roles of chairman and chief executive currently held by Sir Stuart Rose. It is [...]
Miners give support as they rise to recoup their losses July 7, 2009 MINERS were the saviour of the FTSE 100 yesterday, offsetting falling oil stocks and disappointing UK industrial output data to keep the index flat, or just 7.91 points lower, at 4,187. Data showed that UK manufacturing output unexpectedly shrank in May, falling 0.5 per cent on the month, making it less likely the economy returned [...]
Wall Street suffers on stimulus fears July 7, 2009 US STOCKS fell to their lowest level in 10 weeks yesterday as talk of a second government stimulus plan heightened fears that the economy is not yet on the path to recovery and that the corporate earnings season starting this week will be weak. A member of the Obama administration’s economic advisory panel said the [...]
JJB pledges support for Jones in spat July 7, 2009 AILING sportswear retailer JJB Sports yesterday backed its executive chairman Sir David Jones amid a growing storm over a £1.5m loan he received from Mike Ashley, chief executive of arch-rival Sports Direct. JJB Sports said that the board had given its “unanimous support” to Jones and said it believes “that he is the right person [...]
Landbank drops its 250m LSE launch July 7, 2009 PROPERTY firm Landbank has abandoned plans for a £250m share listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE), in favour of raising money privately. The recently-launched firm had been pencilled to complete an initial public offering (IPO) today, under plans to raise capital to buy vast swathes of residential land from distressed housebuilders at bargain prices. [...]
JACKSON CITY RACE INCENTIVE SCRAPPED July 7, 2009 THE fallout continues over tickets from the late Michael Jackson’s planned London tour – and this time, it has hit the City. Standard Chartered, those with elephant-like memories may recall, offered runners in their Great City Race next week the chance to see the King of Pop at the O2 Arena on 6 August, as [...]
England look value July 7, 2009 WHEN England were bowled out for 51 by the West Indies at Sabina Park in February, I never thought I’d be tipping them up to reclaim the urn at 2/1 with Boylesports less than five months later. However, since then, Andrew Strauss’s men have seen off the West Indies with an emphatic 2-0 Test series [...]
Now it’s my turn to slay the Aussies July 7, 2009 WHO could forget it? It was Sunday 7 August 2005, Australia needed just two runs to win the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston, England needed a solitary wicket. Steve Harmison thunders down to the crease, batsman Michael Kasprowicz gets the faintest of edges and Geraint Jones dives to his left to take the catch. The [...]
Onions must get the nod over struggling Panesar July 7, 2009 MUCH of the talk surrounding today’s first Test has centred around the condition of the Cardiff pitch and its effect on selection. While it seems the soft nature of the surface would suit the spinners come day four or five, I would urge England to consider going against the grain when selecting the XI to [...]
Zhirkov seals 18m switch to Chelsea July 7, 2009 CHELSEA’S newest recruit Yuri Zhirkov has admitted that accepting a switch to Stamford Bridge was an easy decision. The versatile Russia international, 25, who can play anywhere down the left flank, signed a three-year contract yesterday after sealing his £18m move from CSKA Moscow. Zhirkov said he could not have rejected the dream transfer, having [...]