Ocado share price dives on half-year results July 1, 2014 Online grocer Ocado has seen its share price drop 4.7 per cent after releasing half-year results for the 24 weeks ended 18 May. The fall comes as the company announced it was on track for its first ever annual pre-tax profit. The company swung back into the black with pre-tax profits reaching £7.5m compared to [...]
Ocado earnings jump 79pc after Morrisons tie-up July 1, 2014 Online grocer Ocado has reported a rise in gross sales of 15.6 per cent for the 24 weeks ended 18 May, broadly in line with what had been expected. Analysts at Deutsche Bank had forecast that Ocado would report that gross retail sales in the second quarter grew by 15.3 per cent, compared to 18 [...]
Bitcoin now legal alternative to US dollar in California June 30, 2014 The governor of California has signed assembly bill 129, which gives Bitcoin and other digital currencies the status of legal money. Jerry Brown's signature has finally clarified Bitcoin as valid form of payment in the golden state after AB-129 was passed in February by the California Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee by a 7-1 [...]
Shale gas reserves in Scotland pale in comparison to England says new report June 30, 2014 Scotland's shale gas reserves are relatively minor compared to those in the north of England, according to a new study from the British Geological Survey (BGS). The Midland Valley is estimated to have just 80 trillion cubic feet of shale gas, compared to the north of England's Bowland Basin with an estimated 1,300 trillion cubic [...]
US haggis ban should be overturned, says UK minister June 30, 2014 The UK government is attempting to convince US authorities that traditional Scottish Haggis is safe to eat, so as to overturn a decades-old ban on the highland delicacy. Haggis imports have been prohibited in the US for 43 years following an embargo on food containing sheep lung. Environment secretary Owen Paterson will be hoping to [...]
Premier Oil announces $130m disposal June 30, 2014 Premier Oil has announced the sale of its non-operated interests in the Scott, Telford and Rochelle fields to MOL Group for a cash consideration of $130m. For the year to date, production has averaged 3.7 kboepd net. The deal comprises six UK North Sea licence and will require government approval. Tony Durrant, chief executive, commented: Our [...]
Sports Direct confirms no deal for Office June 30, 2014 Sports Direct has confirmed that it is not considering an acquisition of footwear retailer Office. The FTSE 100 company said recent speculation over a possible deal was "unhelpful to the customers, staff, suppliers and other stakeholders of both companies". The board of the UK sports retailer has had its fair share of concerns over past [...]
Scottish independence savaged by Ed Miliband in plea for progressive Britain June 27, 2014 Ed Miliband has pleaded with Scottish voters to reject independence and work for a progressive change throughout the UK in a bid to shore up Labour support before the 2015 general election. Speaking to an audience in Edinburgh, the embattled Labour leader said: "Scotland has always thought big. And the way to think big in [...]
Blockchain breaks new ground with DNA wallet June 27, 2014 The blockchain technology which underpins the network of cryptocurency Bitcoin, is breaking new ground through an Israeli startup called DNA.Bits. DNA.Bits is planning to store genetic and medical data, with genetic information available to researchers. However, privacy will be maintained through the use of private keys to keep a digital DNA Wallet. The new technology [...]
Celebrities slam failed war on drugs in letter to David Cameron June 26, 2014 Some of world's most famous actors, singers and entrepreneurs have signed a letter condemning the criminalisation of drugs in the UK. Addressed to David Cameron, the letter says that the use of the law to punish the possession of drugs has led to the "unnecessary criminalisation" of 1.5m people in the past 15 years. Signatories [...]
