Moody’s downgrades eight Greek banks September 23, 2011 Moodys have downgraded eight Greek banks by two notches. The ratings agency downgraded National Bank of Greece, EFG Eurobank Ergasias, Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank, Agricultural Bank of Greece and Attica Bank to CAA2 from B3. It also downgraded Emporiki Bank of Greece – which is majority owned by French bank Credit Agricole – and General [...]
Centrica buys Texas energy retailer in $270m deal September 23, 2011 British utility Centrica agreed to buy Texas-based energy retailer First Choice Power from smaller US peer PNM Resources for $270m (£175m) in cash, as the UK firm looks to expand and strengthen its North American customer base. Irving, Texas-based First Choice Power, a wholly owned unit of PNM Resources, has more than 220,000 residential and [...]
Banks lead tentative FTSE recovery September 23, 2011 European markets made a tentative recovery this morning after world economic leaders promises to pile in liquidity if the dire state of equities did not pick up. There was carnage on global markets yesterday with commodities and shares driven down by fears over the Eurozone crisis and the spluttering US economy. Commodities also took a [...]
ECB’s Knot admits Greece may default September 23, 2011 A situation where Greece cannot pay back its public debt can no longer be excluded, European Central Bank Governing Council member Klaas Knot has told a Dutch newspaper. Until recently, European leaders have rejected any chance of Greece defaulting, but are moving slowly to allow for the possibility of this happening. Knot became the first [...]
Harsh glare of spotlight fortifies us, insists Cueto September 22, 2011 ENGLAND vs ROMANIA ENGLAND wing Mark Cueto insists the negative publicity surrounding their World Cup campaign has only made them more determined to repeat the heroics of 2003 and return with the Webb Ellis Trophy. The team’s preparations for tomorrow’s Pool B clash with Romania have been surrounded by controversy over the off-field behaviour of [...]
Tindall grilling prompts fed-up Johnson to round on press pack September 22, 2011 IRATE England manager Martin Johnson stepped in to swat away questions about Mike Tindall’s private life yesterday when the vice-captain faced the media ahead of tomorrow’s World Cup match with Romania. Tindall answered one question relating to his much-publicised visit to a Queenstown bar, and the tabloid storm that has subsequently stalked the squad, in [...]
Cheer up, England have good reason to be happy September 22, 2011 YOU wouldn’t know it from much of the media coverage or the vibes surrounding the camp, but I think England have made a good start to this World Cup. An overreaction to the performance against Georgia last week combined with the nonsense about players’ off-field pursuits has created a cloud. There is no doubt that [...]
Legend Walsh laments Windies slide September 22, 2011 THE CRICKETING summer began with the release of Fire in Babylon, a rousing film charting the exploits of the all-conquering West Indies team of the late 1970s and ‘80s. It will end this week at The Oval in the shape of two Twenty20 matches – the first today – crowbarred into an already packed schedule, [...]
Hargreaves frightened by end of injury ordeal September 22, 2011 REVITALISED Owen Hargreaves admits he was scared before making a triumphant Manchester City debut in Wednesday’s Carling Cup win over holders Birmingham. The midfielder’s injury-ravaged career looked all but over, having barely played at all in the last three years, until City took a chance and signed the 30-year-old free agent last month. He repaid [...]
Van Persie: We’ll fight out of crisis September 22, 2011 ARSENAL captain Robin van Persie has urged the beleaguered Gunners to come out fighting when they resume their Premier League nightmare against Bolton tomorrow. Last week’s defeat at struggling Blackburn marked another low in an already testing season and prompted fresh questions about manager Arsene Wenger’s future. But Van Persie said: “We realise this is [...]
