100 new Queen’s Counsel named February 18, 2014 ONE HUNDRED lawyers will become Queen’s Counsel (QCs) in this year’s round of appointments, the selection panel will reveal today, including 18 women. The new QCs – known as silks – will formally take up their roles at a ceremony on the 14 April. They include Blackstone Chambers’ Tom Weisselberg, who acted for Oleg Deripaska [...]
Bwin.Party rises on breakup talk February 18, 2014 Bwin.Party’s shares jumped five per cent yesterday after an activist investor took a 6.1 per cent stake in the firm. Numis analyst Ivor Jones said that the stake bought by investor SpringOwl Gibraltar, managed by Cumberland Associates, could lead to a selling or breaking up of the business.
AZ Electronic says sales are tough February 18, 2014 Chemicals producer AZ Electronic Materials said it expects sales to be tough this year after a three per cent fall in 2013 revenues to $730.3m (£436.8m), excluding currency movements. Profits before tax at the firm fell 13 per cent to $102.4m. Drugs giant Merck has given investors until the end of the month to accept [...]
Chi-Med doubles revenue to $46m February 18, 2014 Shares in China-focused healthcare group Hutchison China MediTech – known an Chi-Med – climbed over four per cent yesterday after it announced a doubling of revenue to $46m and a 65 per cent rise in operating profit to $9.6m last year. It has deals with Eli Lilly, AstraZeneca, and Nestle Health Science.
First Bitcoin shop opens its doors here in the City February 18, 2014 BITCOIN, Bitcoin, Bitcoin – not a day goes by when the pioneering cryptocurrency isn’t dominating headlines, but actually getting hold of the virtual coinage is still relatively difficult for most people (The Capitalist included). But that might be about to change. There’s now a Bitcoin shop (Europe’s first). And it’s in the City – [...]
Getting business tips from pirates and psychopaths February 18, 2014 FOR MOST people, a life of piracy on the high seas isn’t really something to look to for inspiration, but one ex-Skype employee disagrees so much she has planned a conference to give punters ideas for innovation based on pirates and er, psychopaths. “It’s is aimed at anyone open to learning from unexpected places; misfits, like [...]
Gold demand fell 15pc in 2013 on US recovery February 18, 2014 OVERALL gold demand slid by 15 per cent in 2013, despite 21 per cent growth in demand from consumers, according to a new report by the World Gold Council yesterday. Interest from the retail market was offset by large-scale outflows from exchange traded funds (ETFs) as confidence in the US economy improved, the report said. [...]
Kier chief Paul Sheffield to step down after 30 years at the firm February 18, 2014 THE CHIEF executive of Kier will step down on 30 June, the construction firm said yesterday. Paul Sheffield, who has been with the FTSE 250-quoted company for 30 years, will be replaced by Haydn Mursell, currently group finance director. A full executive search will be conducted for a new group finance director to succeed Mursell. “I [...]
Wood Group’s results in line February 18, 2014 SHARES in John Wood Group soared over six per cent yesterday, after the oil and gas services company reported full-year results in-line with expectations. The FTSE 250-quoted firm posted a 16 per cent rise in core earnings to $533m (£320m) and a three per cent rise in revenue to $7.06bn. The firm, which announced two [...]
Margins hit at Morgan Sindall February 18, 2014 CONSTRUCTION group Morgan Sindall said profits fell 34 per cent last year as its margins were hit by growing competition and costs in infrastructure and affordable housing. The firm said profits before tax fell to £31.3m on revenues up two per cent at £2.09bn. The FTSE 250 company, whose building clients range from the Crown [...]
