London home registrations at highest point since records began January 31, 2014 2013 saw the number of homes registered in London boom to the highest level since electronic records began 26 years ago, according to the National House Building Council (NHBC). Last year, the number of new homes registered in London rose to 26,230 an increase of 60 per cent on the previous year. However, growth in [...]
Sale of £17.6m site sees Dairy Crest hopeful of future profits January 31, 2014 Dairy Crest, one of Britain's biggest milk producers, has announced the sale of the Nine Elms residential and middle-ground milk depot for £17.6m in a move that will boost the company's profits above expectations. The company anticipates sales from properties to total around £18m in 2014, close to double the previous expectations of £10m. The [...]
New interim CEO for Domino’s as Batchelor leaves early January 31, 2014 Domino's Pizza Group has announced that David Wild, currently the senior non-executive director of the Company, will be appointed as interim chief executive with immediate effect. He will act in an executive capacity for a temporary period until two months after a new chief executive is appointed. Stephen Hemsley, non-executive chairman, commented: I am delighted [...]
Asian shares take a hit as Fed stays the course on tapering January 31, 2014 Asian shares fell on Friday, in wake of fears about the impact of the Federal Reserve's tapering of its stimulus programme on emerging markets. Trading volumes were down due to the Chinese New Year. Japan's Nikkei share average declined 0.6 per cent after a resurgent yen hit exporter shares. Investors were initially optimistic after Japan's [...]
Visa takes a swipe at Bitcoin January 30, 2014 The world's largest processor of credit card payments has taken a swipe at the insurgent cyptocurrency Bitcoin. Speaking on a conference call discussing quarterly results, Visa's chief executive officer Charles Scharf said that current payment networks were a safer option than Bitcoin: The established network rules we have, the understanding of how things operate, understanding [...]
UK to miss out on shale gas revolution says IEA economist January 30, 2014 Shale gas will not herald an energy revolution in the UK in the same way it has in the US, according to chief economist and director of global energy economics at the International Energy Agency (IEA). In remarks that may temper the enthusiasm of shale gas supporters, Fatih Birol told the Daily Telegraph: The UK [...]
Dassault Systemes snaps up US software company in $750m deal January 30, 2014 San Diego-based software provider Accelrys, whose clients include AstraZeneca, Du Pont and Unilever, is set to be bought by France's Dassault Systemes for $750m (£452) in an attempt to expand its product range. The Accelrys board has unanimously approved the deal which is expected to be concluded in the second quarter of 2014. Dassault is [...]
Ericsson results miss expectations as North America fails to deliver January 30, 2014 Swedish communications giant Ericsson has performed below analysts expectations posting a fall in sales and fourth quarter operating profit. Sales in networks also declined by one per cent in the quarter from the same period a year earlier. Sales at Ericsson were 67bn krona (£6.2bn) against a forecast of 69.3bn krona. Ericsson's earnings before interest [...]
Sky’s growing customers fail to stop profits falling January 30, 2014 Broadcasting giant Sky has reported a fall in profit before tax from £642m to £527m for the half financial year 2013/14 compared to a year earlier. In the six months to 31 December operating profit fell by a hefty 16 per cent. The company said it was moving through a year of investment, absorbing the [...]
Chinese manufacturing activity dips to six-month low January 30, 2014 In January, in what continues to be a poor start to the year for the world's second biggest economy conditions for the Chinese manufacturing sector worsened. The Markit/HSBC purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to its lowest level in six months to 49.5 in January from 50.5 in December. The number has slipped below the 50-level [...]
