Education stocks suffer as weak data spooks traders August 16, 2010 INVESTORS found little reason to buy stocks yesterday as the Dow and S&P 500 ended barely changed, suggesting that even several days of losses have not convinced institutions share prices are attractive. A smattering of strength in technology shares boosted the Nasdaq modestly, but just 5.812bn shares traded on the combined NYSE Arca, Nasdaq and [...]
Hiring drive in City boosts Michael Page August 16, 2010 RECRUITMENT group Michael Page yesterday reported booming profit growth over the first half, driven by a strong performance across its global divisions and by an explosion in demand for City workers in the aftermath of the financial crisis. Chief executive Steve Ingham said recruitment activity in the City has now been rebounding for several consecutive [...]
BRASSERIE BLANC FOCUSES ON LE PUB August 16, 2010 THE private equity firm behind Brasserie Blanc, Core Capital, said it will launch the White Brasserie Company which will focus on gastropubs. It will start by opening the Queen’s Head in Weybridge, Surrey, and the King’s Head in Teddington, Middlesex. Raymond Blanc (above) is the chef behind Brasserie Blanc.
Afghanistan looks for partner after discovering 1.8bn barrel oil field August 16, 2010 AFGHANISTAN is looking for a commercial partner after it discovered an oilfield with an estimated 1.8bn barrels in the north of the war-torn country. The discovery of the basin between northern Balkh and Shiberghan provinces was made after a survey conducted by Afghan and international geologists, according to Jawad Omar, a spokesman for the ministry [...]
Mall owner disposes of four sites August 16, 2010 THE Mall Fund, a major investor in shopping centres in the UK, yesterday offloaded four sites for £135.9m. The fund, set up by Capital & Regional and Aviva Investors in 2002, sold the shopping centres to clients of Rockspring Property Investment Managers as part of its drive to cut debts. The Liberty 2 Shopping Centre [...]
Balfour gets US rail contract August 16, 2010 Construction firm Balfour Beatty has won the contract for a £560m commuter rail project in the US. It said it had closed the deal for the design, build and operation of the Eagle P3 project in Denver, beginning later this month. The FTSE 250 firm will be responsible for a 50 per cent share of [...]
Brewer defends S Africa share August 16, 2010 SABMiller aims to protect its 90 per cent market share in South Africa from rival Heineken, the head of the brewer’s South African unit said yesterday. The world’s second-largest brewer was also confident it had a solid case against South African charges of violating anti-competition laws, managing director Norman Adami said. London and Johannesburg-listed SABMiller [...]
Misys sells off AllScripts stake August 16, 2010 A subsidiary of software firm Misys has announced it is selling 25m shares on behalf of its parent company and majority shareholder. Misys is selling to reduce its majority stake in AllScripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions as part of an agreement between the two, in preparation for AllScripts’ pending merger with Eclipsys Corporation. There is also an [...]
China investors to snap up AIA stake August 16, 2010 A CONSORTIUM of Chinese financial services companies are eyeing a 30 per cent stake in AIA, the Asian arm of US insurance giant AIG, ahead of its planned listing on the Hong Kong stock exchange later this year. The consortium – thought to include Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the China Life insurance [...]
Murdoch to launch tablet-only national newspaper in the US August 16, 2010 RUPERT?Murdoch is planing an audacious tablet-PC only newspaper in the US. Murdoch plans to charge users a subscription fee to read his new venture on their iPads. It is understood the as-yet-unnamed paper will draw on resources from his existing media outlets but also have its own staff of several dozen. The News Corp boss [...]
