MILK CUTS INTO DAIRY CREST’S GROWTH February 2, 2012 Dairy Crest unveiled a two per cent rise in sales in the first nine months of the year despite what it called a “challenging business environment”. The cheesemaker said its five key brands – Cathedral City, Country Life, St Hubert Omega 3, Clover and Frijj – were up eight per cent compared with the previous [...]
LVMH expects an excellent year February 2, 2012 LVMH, the world’s biggest luxury goods group, said yesterday the outlook for 2012 was “excellent” and hiked its dividend after rapid growth in Asia and at its Louis Vuitton brand helped it post a forecast-beating rise in full-year operating profit. The French group, which last year bought Italian jeweller Bulgari, shrugged off concerns about the [...]
Game Group gets loan lifeline February 2, 2012 Struggling retailer Game Group has won a lifeline from its lenders, after they agreed to revise the terms of the firm’s loan facilities. Game said last night it now has support from its stakeholders and lenders, and expects to meet its loan covenant tests at the end of the month having lowered the limits on [...]
CME surprises with dividend February 2, 2012 CME Group has surprised investors with a huge increase in its dividend, sending shares soaring about six per cent and overshadowing disappointment with both its earnings and a new insurance fund to protect farmers from another MF Global-like collapse. CME, the biggest US futures exchange operator, said it sought to attract new investors with a [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS February 2, 2012 Laurence Simons The specialist legal recruitment firm has appointed Guy Adams as lead director of its European private practice team. Previously, Adams worked as a tax lawyer at Norton Rose, McGrigors and, most recently, Reynolds Porter Chamberlain, where he assisted in the growth of the firm’s tax litigation practice. Adams subsequently spent three years with [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS February 2, 2012 SPIRENT COMMUNICATIONS Goldman Sachs initiates coverage of the communications technology company with a “buy” rating and a target price of 160p, and says it expects the company to maintain its position in the market due to strong customer relationships and sound product innovation. The broker expects Spirent’s stock performance to be catalysed by upside to [...]
FTSE sees boost from M&A muted by outlook warnings February 2, 2012 BRITAIN’S top share index paused yesterday after recent sharp gains with a rally in miners on the prospects of a big sector merger counterbalanced by warnings from bluechips of a tough year ahead. The FTSE 100 finished 0.1 per cent, or 5.35 points, higher at 5,796.07, retreating from a six-month intra-day high of 5,809.82 after [...]
Investors wait for key US jobs report February 2, 2012 INVESTORS largely took a wait-and-see approach yesterday as US stocks ended little changed ahead of today’s key employment report, but tech shares rose after strong earnings from chipmaker Qualcomm. Recent economic data suggesting the economy is on a slow but steady path to recovery has helped fuel a rally in stocks. Today’s nonfarm payrolls report, [...]
Nasty, bitchy and…brilliant February 2, 2012 Film YOUNG ADULT Cert: 15 ***** YOUNG Adult takes a premise from the Hollywood Rom Com Storyline Generator™ and subverts it deliciously. Charlize Theron plays ageing prom queen Mavis Gary, who returns to her “hick” hometown to try to rekindle her high school romance with Buddy Slade, who is now married with a baby. She [...]
She Stoops stands up very, very high indeed February 2, 2012 Theatre SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER Olivier Theatre at The National **** OLIVER Goldsmith’s famous play is a good old-fashioned romp. Cases of mistaken identity abound, incriminating snippets of conversation are overheard, priceless jewels are misplaced. Summarising the labyrinthine plot, which twists and writhes for two and a half hours, would take pages. Suffice it to [...]
