Scottish and Southern Energy gas demand down 19 per cent March 30, 2012 Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) has said they continue to expect a full-year dividend increase of at least 2 per cent more than RPI inflation to around 80p per share, despite a significant fall in customer fuel consumption. Gas consumption is estimated to have fallen by 19 per cent, with electricity consumption also falling by [...]
Unions rule out Easter fuel strike March 30, 2012 Unions ruled out an Easter strike by fuel delivery drivers after the government was accused of triggering panic-buying and long queues at garages with its “incompetent” handling of the dispute. The Unite union lifted the threat of action over one of the busiest weekends on the roads, saying it wanted to focus on talks next [...]
Miner Polyus prepares for premium London listing March 30, 2012 Russian miner Polyus Gold is likely go ahead with a share sale worth $700m (£436m) to $1bn in late April, paving the way for a premium listing on the London Stock Exchange, according to Reuters sources. The company had originally planned to redomicile from its Jersey home to London in early March but has instead [...]
FTSE buoyed by miners March 30, 2012 The FTSE 100 rebounded in early trading as mining stocks continued to edge up. In London copper prices climbed and are on track for a more than 10 per cent first-quarter gain. However more sluggish demand from China is still casting a shadow. Among miners Kazakhmys and Antofagasta were the star performers, up two per [...]
French deficit lower than expected March 30, 2012 France’s public deficit fell to 5.2 per cent of GDP in 2011, significantly below the government’s target of 5.7 per cent, statistics agency Insee has announced. That is down from 7.1 per cent in 2010, thanks in part to the end of one-off spending measures. Insee said public spending shrank last year, with tax returns [...]
John Lewis sales hit by fine weather March 30, 2012 John Lewis, Britain’s biggest department store chain, said today hot weather held back last week’s sales growth, as shoppers spent more time outdoors, in addition to tough comparative numbers last year. The retailer said department store sales rose 6.5 per cent to £57.9m in the week to March 24. This was a slowdown from the [...]
LSE posts solid results ahead of key LCH vote March 30, 2012 The London Stock Exchange reported steady trading results as the market gears up for a crucial shareholder vote next week on its takeover of LCH.Clearnet. The exchange group said in a regulatory filing the value of share trading was down two per cent for the 11 months to the end of February while Italian equity [...]
Labour loses seat to Galloway March 30, 2012 The Labour party lost one of its safest parliamentary seats after a by-election in northern England, in the strongest sign yet that new leader Ed Miliband is failing to cash in on disenchantment with the Conservative government. George Galloway, an anti-war campaigner in the small, left-wing Respect party, beat Labour’s Imran Hussain in a result [...]
Lancaster vows to unshackle England and win World Cup March 30, 2012 ENGLAND’S new head coach Stuart Lancaster laid out his blueprint for leading the team to glory on home soil at the 2015 Rugby World Cup after his promotion was finally cemented yesterday. The Rugby Football Union plumped for the inexperienced Lancaster over decorated former Italy and South Africa coach Nick Mallett after the 42-year-old led [...]
Stuart’s task is about to get far more difficult in unforgiving world of Test rugby March 30, 2012 STUART Lancaster’s appointment as England head coach is, I think, a good move. Nick Mallett would have done a good job as well, but after a very good Six Nations Lancaster deserves an opportunity to go forward with this job. I do believe, however, that it will become more difficult for Lancaster from now on, [...]
