Merlin and China Media Capital strike joint venture deal to open Legoland in Shanghai October 21, 2015 Madame Tussauds owner Merlin Entertainments announced that it has struck a joint venture agreement with China Media Capital to develop new attractions in China including a Legoland in Shanghai. Under the agreement, which was announced as part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit, the pair also plan to develop various other Merlin brands across China [...]
British Bankers’ Association warns banking jobs are shifting from London to regional cities October 21, 2015 Banking jobs are shifting from London to smaller, regional cities, according to a new report from the British Bankers’ Association (BBA). According to the banking industry group, while the industry has shrunk in the capital in the past two years, banking jobs are booming in such places as Tunbridge Wells, South Gloucestershire, Chelmsford and North [...]
Lonmin share price dips as it reveals plans for cash call in the face of debt crunch October 21, 2015 Embattled Lonmin has become the latest miner to ask for cash from its shareholders, as it struggles with an unwieldy debt load taken on at the height of the commodities boom. The South African platinum producer outlined plans for a $400m (£259m) rights issue, which it needs for banks to agree to $370m in debt facilities that will [...]
NewRiver Retail eyes a move from Aim to the main market after £54m Punch Taverns deal October 21, 2015 Retail and pub landlord NewRiver Retail said a recent acquisition spree helped assets under management to top £1bn in the second quarter, paving the way for a move from Aim to the main market next year. NewRiver, which owns shopping centres including Regents Court in Leamington Spa and The Martlets in Burgess Hill, said assets [...]
London-listed Russian hypermarket chain Lenta raises $150m for expansion October 21, 2015 Russia's second biggest hypermarket chain Lenta has raised $150m (£97m) through the sale of new shares to fund its expansion, despite a tough economic backdrop at home. The London-listed company, which has 122 hypermarkets in 63 cities across Russia and 27 supermarkets around Moscow, said it sold 21.1m new global depositary receipts (GDRs) through an accelerated [...]
Reckitt Benckiser share price climbs 2.5 per cent as Nurofen owner posts hike in sales October 21, 2015 Shares in Reckitt Benckiser climbed higher today after the Nurofen and Strepsil owner posted better-than-expected third-quarter sales and boosted its full-year guidance. The FTSE 100 company, which owns everything from Finish dishwasher tablets to Durex condoms, said like-for-like sales rose by seven per cent in the third quarter, beating analyst expectations of around 5.2 per [...]
IMF fires growth warning to Middle East Gulf states amid oil price falls October 21, 2015 The IMF expects economic growth to slow down across the Gulf States over 2015 and 2016, blaming falling oil prices and geopolitical instability for the downturn. It estimates a growth of 3.3 per cent across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies this year, followed by a 2.8 per cent growth next year. This reflects a [...]
BHP Billiton share price rises as it goes full steam ahead with iron ore October 21, 2015 BHP Billiton yesterday showed no signs of slowing down during the commodities rout, as it reported record iron ore production over the last quarter. The FTSE 100 mining giant said iron ore production had risen by seven per cent year-on-year to a record 61m tonnes. Full-year guidance remains unchanged at 247m tonnes. BHP, alongside its peers [...]
Younger Britons more likely to want to remain in the EU – NatCen Social Research October 21, 2015 Younger Britons are more likely to want to stay in the European Union, while older people are more likely to want to leave, a new study has found. A report published by NatCen Social Research found that 69 per cent of those aged under 35 wanting to stay inside the EU, with just 25 per cent [...]
Virgin Media hits out at BT and Sky over Premier League football TV rights deal October 21, 2015 Virgin Media has fired the latest shot in the battle of the broadcasters over the way TV rights for football games are sold. Research commissioned by Virgin showed that just six per cent of football fans said they were able to watch every match they wanted to on TV at home. Media watchdog Ofcom launched an [...]
