Undertaker hits decade high on takeover deal January 22, 2013 The UK’s only listed undertaker soared to its highest share price ever yesterday after unveiling plans to buy a northern funeral business. Dignity, which famously buried Sir Winston Churchill, has agreed to buy privately owned business Yew Holdings for £58.3m, giving it 40 additional funeral parlours and two crematoria to add to its 600 locations [...]
Tesco is already bouncing back from burger debacle January 22, 2013 SUPERMARKET giant Tesco has faced a brand crisis with the revelation that it sold beef burgers contaminated by horse meat in its stores. In such situations, daily tracking of the public’s perceptions of the under-pressure brand really comes into its own. So – how quickly did the news spread and what was the impact on [...]
Rolls-Royce to axe nearly 400 jobs January 22, 2013 Rolls-Royce is to axe up to 378 jobs at its Ansty plant near Coventry, according to union Unite. The aerospace firm said it was consulting with the unions over reductions in the defence workforce, and that it hopes to avoid compulsory redundancies.
WANdisco sets up in China January 22, 2013 British software company WANdisco has opened a base in China, as the newly-listed company expands in the country. The firm said establishing itself in the southwestern city of Chengdu, where many other western technology companies have based themselves, would allow them to seek more clients in the wake of its contract with Huawei.
British Empire outperforms January 22, 2013 British Empire Securities and General Trust yesterday revealed it surpassed its benchmark to deliver a 7.9 per cent net asset value return for the three months ending December. The firm had an overall annual return of 18.8 per cent, aided by French telecom stock Vivendi.
EDF issues perpetual bonds January 22, 2013 French energy firm EDF made the most of a buoyant bond market yesterday to raise €4bn (£3.36bn) through perpetual hybrid bonds in euros and sterling, its first such issue in 16 years.
Sir Stuart’s in line for a shelf stacking role January 22, 2013 SIR STUART ROSE’S retail track record stretches as far back as the 1970s, when he was known to sweep the warehouse floors during his time as a management trainee at Marks & Spencer. Since then his career has taken in shelf stacking, pyjama folding and clothes hanging before he took the top job at Marks [...]
David Cameron backs new EU deal – and cheaper sandwiches January 22, 2013 The Capitalist was delighted to receive a call from David Cameron yesterday afternoon, arguing in favour of renegotiating Britain’s relationship with the EU and, er, the removal of VAT on hot sandwiches. Cameron – the owner of a Subway fast food franchise in Dewsbury, Yorkshire – was delivering a 150,000-strong petition to his namesake at Downing Street, calling for [...]
Fresnillo sinks despite posting top gold output January 22, 2013 MEXICAN precious metals miner Fresnillo sank on the FTSE 100 yesterday, despite reporting a relatively upbeat trading statement. The miner, which has seven operating mines in Mexico, posted record gold output of 473,034 ounces over 2012, up 5.4 per cent year on year, thanks to a successful first year at its Noche Buena mine and [...]
Cairn sets out spending plan January 22, 2013 OIL and gas explorer Cairn Energy said yesterday it was fully funded for all planned exploration and development activities over the next few years. Over the next five years, Cairn will spend between $1.5bn (£945m) and $2bn on its development assets, plus an annual average of between $250m and $300m on exploration. The FTSE 250-listed [...]
