Infrastructure fund boosts NAV August 30, 2011 Listed infrastructure fund International Public Partnerships has increased its half-year dividend by 2.6 per cent, and posted a 0.4 per cent rise in net asset value. For the six months to 30 June the net asset value was £550m compared with £541.9m for the same period last year.
Crossrail train bids put back as Alstom pulls out August 30, 2011 THE awarding of a contract to supply trains for the £15bn Crossrail project has been pushed back – raising hopes that a UK-based firm can seal the deal. The Crossrail scheme to build a new railway link under central London said it had deferred the tendering for 60 new carriages from late 2013 to 2014 [...]
City sales set to net £250m for Ireland August 30, 2011 A NUMBER of major City property developments are expected to come up for grabs for £250m when a long-awaited sale by Irish investors begins next month. Among the buildings ready to be sold it 107 Cheapside, the upmarket development near St Paul’s Cathedral. The office and retail building, opened three years ago, was developed by [...]
Slipping margin takes the shine off L’Oreal profit August 30, 2011 FRENCH cosmetics giant L’Oreal posted first-half operating profit slightly below forecasts and a lower operating margin, hit by higher advertising and research expenses. The provider of Garnier shampoo, Lancome creams and Yves Saint Laurent perfume posted earnings before interest and tax of €1.7bn (£1.51bn), compared with an average estimate of €1.77bn in a poll of [...]
Perform sees its shares surge on positive outlook despite slipping to a loss August 30, 2011 PERFORM Group, which has seen its shares tumble since its listing in April, surged more than eight per cent yesterday despite slipping to a first half loss. The sports media firm posted a loss of £2.2m in its first half – compared to a £4.7m profit last year – after taking a hit from listing and [...]
ZUCKERBERG HANDS HACKERS $40,000 August 30, 2011 FACEBOOK has handed $40,000 (£28,000) to hackers for finding flaws in its website as part of its Bug Bounty scheme. Facebook joins a growing list of companies, including Google, which pays independent hackers for information.
WPP acquires stake in Japan’s DAC digital agency August 30, 2011 SIR Martin Sorrell’s WPP yesterday continued its blistering acquisition drive with a bid for a stake in Japanese digital advertising agency DA Consortium. WPP has made an offer for Tokyo-based ADK’s approximately 24 per cent stake in the highly-rated agency. The offer is understood to be in the region of $43m (£26m). The deal is [...]
Vodafone may buy Greek rival August 30, 2011 Vodafone yesterday confirmed it is in talks with Greek rival Wind Hellas over a potential merger of operations in the country. The Greek telecoms industry has been pummelled by the country’s economic woes, with Vodafone’s service revenue slumping by almost a fifth last year. Wind Hellas and Vodafone both command around 4m subscribers and a [...]
Paddy Power earnings lifted by online bets August 30, 2011 IRISH bookmaker Paddy Power has reported a 15 per cent increase in first-half operating profit boosted by online betting. Underlying profits were €56.8m (£50.3m). The bookmaker said profit through its website was up, while mobile phone applications were mobile turnover was up 279 per cent.
Misys boss got £3.2m last year August 30, 2011 MISYS boss Mike Lawrie saw his remuneration slide 3.6 per cent despite receiving a bonus worth 195 per cent of his basic salary. He received total compensation of £3.22m after the firm hit a key operating profit target. Chief financial officer Stephen Wilson, who joined Misys in 2009, received bonuses worth 150 per cent of [...]
