EQT takes bite out of China firm December 16, 2013 EQT yesterday bought a stake in the owner of China’s biggest ice cream chain and second biggest pizza restaurant. The private equity group, based in Sweden, has taken a majority stake in China F&B, which owns the franchise to China Dairy Queen and US-based chain Papa John’s Pizza. No financial terms were disclosed.
BG Group hits key project target December 16, 2013 FTSE 100-quoted oil and gas company BG Group yesterday said it has reached a key milestone in the development of its Queensland Curtis liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Australia, with the first gas delivered onto Curtis Island where the liquefaction terminal is located. This enables commissioning work to begin.
Hargreaves warns on coke market December 16, 2013 Hargreaves Services, the Aim-listed fuel logistics supplier, yesterday said it is trading in line with expectations and expects to meet its full-year targets. But the company warned that its Monckton coke production plant in Yorkshire is exposed to volatility in the steel sector and talks with its customers over contracts for 2014 are ongoing.
JP Morgan plans to sell its Asian investment unit December 16, 2013 JP MORGAN is in the early stages of talks to sell its Global Special Opportunities Group, City A.M. understands, as part of its ongoing programme of cutting back non-core businesses. The investment business is no longer a main focus for the giant bank in Asia, sources close to the lender said. JP Morgan has also been selling [...]
Online retailers take £10bn in a bumper November December 16, 2013 ONLINE retailers took over £10bn of sales in November, a new monthly record that raises further fears that high street retailers have been left behind in the key Christmas trading period. Online retail sales jumped by 30 per cent in November compared with the previous month – the highest monthly increase in 10 years. This [...]
TM Lewin plots major overseas expansion December 16, 2013 SHIRTMAKER TM Lewin has launched ambitious plans to open one store a week over the next three years after reporting a rise in profits. The retailer, whose suits and shirts are popular with working professionals, said over half of the openings will be in South Africa and India with the rest spread across the Far [...]
H&M sales warmed by the cold December 16, 2013 SWEDISH retail giant H&M delivered better-than-expected sales in November as the cold weather prompted shoppers to stock up on winter clothing. The world’s second largest clothing retailer, which has 3,132 stores worldwide, said yesterday that total sales jumped by 21 per cent in November compared with the same time last year thanks to the “favourable [...]
Shares in Moncler jump in market debut December 16, 2013 MONCLER shares jumped more than 45 per cent on their first day of trading in Milan as investors scrambled to put their money into the maker of luxury down jackets. Moncler shares were changing hands at around €14.5 mid-morning yesterday, compared to a listing price of €10.2. The listing of around 31 per cent valued [...]
Glaxo betting on India with $1bn pharma buyout December 16, 2013 GLAXOSMITHKLINE has decided to spend roughly $1bn (£613m) to raise its stake in its Indian pharmaceutical unit, betting on rising demand in emerging markets as sales in developed economies slow due to a wave of patent expirations. With the latest India deal announced yesterday, GSK is set to spend close to $2bn in roughly a [...]
General Atlantic strikes deal with UK media clan for weather group December 16, 2013 GENERAL Atlantic, the private equity firm, yesterday swooped to buy a London-based weather forecaster from a consortium of UK newspaper publishers. The buyout shop has agreed to pay €190m (£160m) to the PA Group consortium for MeteoGroup, which sells weather forecasts to institutions such as the Highways Agency and local councils to help them plan [...]
