Ashtead posts record first-half profit December 11, 2012 Industrial equipment hire firm Ashtead today posted record first-half profit of £141m this morning, as it lifted profit expectations for the full year. First-half profit for Ashtead, which makes 85 per cent of its revenue from US arm Sunbelt, was up 64 per cent from £84m over the same period last year. Revenue over the [...]
Costa coffee boosts Whitbread sales December 11, 2012 Coffee chain Costa continued to boost hotel and restaurant group Whitbread, as the group this morning posted a 3.3 per cent rise in third quarter sales. The coffee brand reported UK like for like sales up 7.1 per cent over the 13 weeks to November, compared to 6.8 per cent growth in the first half. [...]
Diageo ends talks on Cuervo tequila December 11, 2012 Drinks maker Diageo this morning announced that long-running discussions between it and the Jose Cuervo tequila brand have ended. The talks, which have been in the offing for more than a year, had been widely expected to result in a deal for the world’s number one tequila brand. A short statement from the FTSE 100 [...]
Heathrow passenger traffic up 3.1 per cent year on year in November December 11, 2012 London airport Heathrow this morning posted a 3.1 per cent jump year on year in traffic figures in November, as 5.4m passengers passed through the airport over the month. Heathrow reported that its load factor – showing how full the average flight was – came in at 72.8 per cent. Passenger numbers to Europe were [...]
Outcry at calls for netting to protect players December 10, 2012 FOOTBALL supporters’ chiefs last night rejected calls for netting to be erected at stadia to prevent repeats of the Rio Ferdinand coin incident that marred Sunday’s Manchester derby. Manchester United defender Ferdinand suffered a gash above the eye when a missile hit him as he celebrated the visitors’ late winner at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium. [...]
Wenger fears shoot-out in Bradford clash December 10, 2012 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger is desperate to avoid a penalty shoot-out in tonight’s Capital One Cup quarter-final trip to Bradford. The League Two side have won seven straight shoot-outs while the Gunners have not won at Bradford for 90 years, most recently drawing 1-1 at Valley Parade in 2000. “We have to win the game [...]
Rodallega earns win but Berbatov display delights Fulham boss December 10, 2012 FULHAM 2 NEWCASTLE UNITED 1 FULHAM manager Martin Jol hailed forward Dimitar Berbatov last night after his side ended a winless run of seven Premier League matches in an enthralling victory over Newcastle. Midfielder Steve Sidwell put Fulham ahead with their first league goal in more than five hours, before Hatem Ben Arfa’s superb looping [...]
Attorney General in application for new Hillsborough inquests December 10, 2012 HILLSBOROUGH campaigners moved a major step closer to achieving their aim of new inquests yesterday when the Attorney General applied to have the controversial original verdicts quashed. Dominic Grieve QC indicated in October that he would seek to have the verdicts of accidental death overturned in light of the findings of a report by the [...]
Dravid wants India to copy England’s example December 10, 2012 ENGLAND’S domination of India in their own backyard could be a blessing in disguise for Indian cricket, according to their former captain Rahul Dravid. The tourists won the second and third Tests in India comfortably and will become the first England team to win a series in the country since 1985 if they avoid defeat [...]
Hartley cited for striking December 10, 2012 RUGBY UNION: England hooker Dylan Hartley is facing another ban after being cited for striking Ulster’s Rory Best with his arm during Northampton Saints’ 25-6 Heineken Cup defeat on Friday. Hartley has served previous bans for gouging and biting offences and faces two to eight weeks on the sidelines if found guilty.
