Old Vic Productions in money drama June 19, 2011 Old Vic Productions, which co-produces and invests in shows from the West End to Broadway, has revealed a full-year pre-tax loss of £630,423 for 2010. The company has decided to close a US tour of Billy Elliot the Musical after the show’s Toronto run. The company, chaired by Barclays chief executive, Bob Diamond, said losses [...]
Green Lantern disappoints in US June 19, 2011 The costly superhero movie Green Lantern flickered at the weekend box office in North America, while Mr Popper’s Penguins exceeded low-ball forecasts. According to studio estimates issued yesterday, Green Lantern earned about $52.7m – at the lower end of expectations – during its first three days of release across the US and Canada.
JANE NORMAN IN RESCUE TALKS June 19, 2011 BELEAGUERED high-street fashion retailer Jane Norman is in rescue talks with two private equity companies over a possible takeover, according to reports yesterday. Better Capital, run by Jon Moulton, and Sun Capital Partners are believed to be in talks with the chain’s lenders, including Royal Bank of Scotland.
BEST OF THE BROKERS June 19, 2011 DUNELM GROUP Citi initiates on the homeware retailer with a hold/medium risk rating and 435p target price. The broker says Dunelm is a high-quality and cash-generative business part-way through a low-risk, high-return organic expansion programme. But while its fundamentals are attractive, Citi says there is little hidden value on offer, and thinks industry headwinds drive [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS June 19, 2011 Co-operative Bank The Co-operative Bank has appointed Richard France (left) and Chris Wilson to lead the Corporate and Business Relationship Banking team and the Corporate Banking Specialist Sectors operations respectively. France was previously head of the Bank’s nationwide corporate banking centres and Wilson led the firm’s Commercial Real Estate, Public Sector and Treasury Sales activities. [...]
Greece is the word as country’s debt woes persist June 19, 2011 NEWS from Luxembourg yesterday evening that Eurozone finance ministers may release a fifth tranche of bailout funding for Greece will be the major focus for traders this morning, but European stock markets are nevertheless expected to open to the downside this morning. The general reaction is likely to be that this is merely another finger-in-the [...]
WALL STREET WEEK AHEAD June 19, 2011 THE S&P 500’s 200-day moving average is the line in the sand as the bulls and the bears fight over the US stock market’s direction. It will face one of its stiffest tests this week with Greece’s debt crisis reaching a climax. After setting its closing high for the year on April 29, the S&P [...]
RUDD’S 50TH BRINGS BIG BUSINESS TO SOMERSET June 19, 2011 THE SOMERSET economy received a much-needed boost over the weekend, when local taxis, security firms and caterers were booked out solidly for the 50th birthday celebrations of Finsbury boss Roland Rudd at his Grade 1-listed country pile. Around 400 City leaders and friends prioritised the PR-chief’s party over George Osborne’s 40th at the chancellor’s grace-and-favour [...]
BILL OF THE WEEK June 19, 2011 CHAMBERLAIN’S in Leadenhall Market was the venue of choice for four insurance employees who “know their stuff food-wise”. By the size of the bill, it was clear the group were from the broking fraternity rather than the “more conservative” underwriting clan, commented a Chamberlain’s mole, who supplied the gourmand group with a complimentary amuse bouche [...]
A drink with the master of UK entrepreneurship June 19, 2011 LUKE Johnson is a man who takes a while to introduce. He seems to have run, or had his hand in running, half of the middle-class high street. Pizza Express, Giraffe, Patisserie Valerie, Belgo, Strada, Feng Sushi, Baker and Spice, the Signature Restaurants that owned The Ivy and Le Caprice – to name a few. [...]
