Motorola legal scrap with Huawei July 22, 2010 US mobile phone maker Motorola has sued China’s Huawei Technologies for alleged theft of trade secrets, highlighting the fast-growing Chinese firm’s difficulty in shaking the nation’s reputation for piracy. In an initial suit, filed in 2008, Motorola sued five of its former workers for allegedly sharing trade secrets with Lemko, which was also named in [...]
Google in court over privacy July 22, 2010 Connecticut’s attorney general, who is leading a 37-state probe of Google’s collection of data from private Wifi networks, asked the internet search leader on yesterday if it had tested the software before using it. Attorney general Richard Blumenthal also asked for the names of the people responsible for the software, which Google has said was [...]
Amazon steps up ebook war July 22, 2010 Online retailer Amazon.com said yesterday it will exclusively publish digital editions of 20 classic books owned by the Wylie Agency, including authors such as Philip Roth, John Updike and Norman Mailer, for the first time on its Kindle electronic reader. Amazon’s move is a sign of intensifying competition in the crowded digital book format, including [...]
Asset values rise at Great Portland trust July 22, 2010 BRITISH landlord Great Portland Estates said yesterday its asset values had risen in its first quarter to end June, at the same time noting a slowdown in the volatile London property market’s rebound. In an interim management statement, Great Portland Estates said its portfolio valuation had risen 4.6 per cent since 31 March on a [...]
Aer Lingus hopes to break even in 2010 July 22, 2010 IRISH airline Aer Lingus said it expected to at least break even in 2010, after first-half trading was boosted by strong revenues and lower fuel and staff costs. The former state carrier, which has been cutting costs to survive competition from former suitor and shareholder Ryanair, said trading in June was stronger than expected. “Recent [...]
Development Securities eyes £100m rights issue July 22, 2010 BRITISH property firm Development Securities yesterday said it planned to raise about £100m through a share placing and rights issue to fund future projects. The company, which specialises in office and retail development projects, said it would place about 4.1m shares at 250p a piece, a discount of 8.8 per cent to their closing price [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS July 22, 2010 RECKITT BENCKISER Execution Noble rates Reckitt Benckiser as “sell”, with a fair value of 3,106p. Execution believes the SSL deal makes strategic sense, but cites the timing of the deal as evidence of increased competition in the company’s core categories and expects continued evidence of this in second quarter results next week. MORGAN STANLEY JP [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS July 22, 2010 DLA PIPER The law firm has poached Stephen Hoyle from Ernst & Young to join its London office as a partner and head of UK tax. Hoyle, a specialist in corporate tax and structured transactions, was a partner at E&Y’s international tax services group. Prior to that, he worked as a managing director in Deutsche [...]
Sven back on Fulham radar after Jol blow July 22, 2010 FULHAM could revive their interest in former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson after a drawn-out attempt to lure Martin Jol from Ajax ended in embarrassing failure yesterday. Ivory Coast coach Eriksson was on the Cottagers’ initial shortlist to replace Roy Hodgson and was said to be aggrieved at the club opting to pursue ex-Spurs boss Jol [...]
I’ll let Milner leave if Man City’s price is right, says O’Neill July 22, 2010 ASTON VILLA manager Martin O’Neill has told James Milner he can leave if Manchester City table an acceptable offer after admitting the sought-after midfielder has asked to leave. Manchester City have had one bid, thought to be worth £20m, turned down by Villa, who are holding out for nearer £30m. But the big-spending Eastlands outfit [...]