FirstGroup sells German bus unit September 30, 2011 Rail and bus operator FirstGroup has sold its German bus operations for 5.5m euros (£4.8m). Th transport company said it had sold FirstGroup Deutschland to Marwyn European Transport. FirstGroup chief executive Tim O’Toole said the disposal marked “a further step in our programme of small asset and business disposals”. He said the move was part [...]
Japan in new move to control yen September 30, 2011 Japan said it will boost its currency intervention fund and keep watching dealers’ trading positions in yet another effort to tame the yen in the face of growing evidence that its strength is stalling the economy’s post-quake rebound. August industrial output and other data showed Japan’s swift recovery from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami [...]
Panmure narrows losses with income rise September 30, 2011 Panmure Gordon said today that total net income increased by 22 per cent to £20.9m in the first half. The investment bank said its statutory loss reduced by 33 per cent to £4m compared with the same period last year. The company added five new UK corporate clients during the period, taking the total to [...]
Germany votes for Eurozone crisis plan September 29, 2011 Germany’s parliament approved new powers for the euro zone’s crisis fund but it was not clear if Angela Merkel got enough votes from her coalition to silence rebels worried about funding a series of bailouts of countries like Greece. Support from the opposition meant there had been no doubt Germany would okay new powers for [...]
Mortgage approvals up September 29, 2011 The number of new mortgages approved, but not yet lent, for home buyers in August rose to its highest level since December 2009, according to figures from the Bank of England. It said 52,410 mortgages were approved last month. That was nearly three thousand more than in July, and the highest number since December 2009. [...]
Thomas Cook ditches dividend payments September 29, 2011 Thomas Cook expects to reach an agreement with its lending banks by the end of October to relax the criteria for a key test of its financial health due in December, finance director Paul Hollingworth said. “I think we should have an agreement by the end of October. If things are getting tighter what we [...]
LSE trading steady as Rolet eyes growth September 29, 2011 The London Stock Exchange said its main share trading activity was flat by value of trades and up by number of orders for the past six months, with chief executive Xavier Rolet citing fixed income and clearing as particular growth areas. The exchange said its British share trading was £5bn a day, on a par [...]
NBNK confirms bid for Lloyds branches September 29, 2011 New British bank venture NBNK has submitted a second-round bid for some 630 Lloyds bank branches, NBNK confirmed which sources saying it could be worth £1.5bn. The auction — codenamed “Project Verde” — offers a chance to create Britain’s seventh-biggest bank in one fell swoop. The sale includes 4.6 percent of personal current accounts and [...]
Domino’s on track thanks to new ranges September 28, 2011 Pizza delivery firm Domino’s Pizza said it was on track to meet full year expectations after sales growth accelerated, benefiting from the launch of new stuffed crust and ‘Gourmet’ ranges. The company, which runs the British and Irish franchises of the global delivery brand, said its stuffed crust range had proved popular after being launched [...]
Misys revenue up but orders fall September 28, 2011 Misys, the British banking software firm courted by a US rival in the summer, posted a four per cent rise in first-quarter revenue, helped by customer wins in Asia and the Middle East. But delayed sales to three new and upgrading customers in Asia and Europe in its Sophis unit, which serves capital markets, meant [...]
