Reckitt looks to Asia as SSL joins the fold November 2, 2010 RECKITT Benckiser predicts it will increase profits by 16 per cent in the next year as rising sales in Brazil, India and East Asia drive the company forward despite tough UK and North American markets. The Slough-based company posted a 19 per cent rise in profit to £426m for the three months to September. Revenue [...]
Liquified gas arm boosts BG’s profits November 2, 2010 GAS company BG yesterday announced total revenues of $4.45bn (£2.78bn) for the third quarter of 2010, an increase of 23 per cent on the figure for the same period in 2009. Total operating profit increased by 21 per cent to $1.67bn. Exploration and production made the FTSE 100 company profits of $761m, while the operating [...]
Metro Bank hires former Abbey director to board November 2, 2010 METRO Bank, the first new start-up bank to hit the UK high street in 100 years, yesterday said it had hired Graeme Hardie, the former executive director for retail banking at Abbey National, as a non-executive director. Hardie is an old hand in the retail and business banking world. Prior to joining Abbey, where he [...]
Stagecoach on track for year after sales rise November 2, 2010 BUS and rail group Stagecoach said ticket sales rose across its bus and rail operations in the first half of its financial year and that it expects to meet its profit expectations for the full-year. The FTSE 250-listed group said revenues in its rail business grew 6.5 per cent in the 24 weeks to 17 [...]
Wenger pleasantly surprised by Wilshere’s rapid progress November 2, 2010 SHAKHTAR DONETSK vs ARSENAL ARSENAL?manager Arsene Wenger is without his influential captain Cesc Fabregas for this evening’s Group H clash in Donetsk, but the Frenchman is confident Jack Wilshere will prove a more than capable deputy. The 18-year-old prodigy signed a new long-term contract with the north London club on Monday and will deputise for [...]
Imperial sees profit double November 2, 2010 BRITISH group Imperial Tobacco, the world’s fourth-biggest cigarette maker, met forecasts with an 11 per cent rise in full-year earnings as price increases and cost savings offset lower sales volumes. The maker of Lambert & Butler, West and Gauloises has seen cigarette volumes fall as smokers switch to cheaper, and sometimes illicit, cigarettes in the [...]
BP recovering reputation after oil disaster November 2, 2010 IN July, I reported that BP’s handling of the oil spill crisis was damaging its brand, and was even affecting the reputation of other British brands in America. The crisis cost BP $40bn and saw its share price nearly halve. Negative publicity became front-page news when President Obama declared: “We will make BP pay for [...]
Murray breezes through in Spain November 2, 2010 TENNIS: Britain’s Andy Murray completed the first stage of the defence of his Valencia Open title with a straight sets win over Spain’s Feliciano Lopez. Top seed Murray was on court for one hour and 27 minutes, eventually winning 6-3 7-6 (7-1) and securing a place in round two where he will face Argentine Juan [...]
Woods targets Nicklaus record November 2, 2010 GOLF: Deposed world No1 Tiger Woods has set his sites on overhauling Jack Nicklaus’s Major record. Woods’ 281-week reign as the sport’s top dog was ended by England’s Lee Westwood last weekend. The American is on 14 Major titles, four behind the legendary Nicklaus, and hopes 2011 will see him edge closer to the Golden [...]
BOBSLEIGH FANATIC TO INJECT CITY WITH SHOT OF ADRENALINE November 2, 2010 YEARNING for an unusual extra-curricular hobby to brighten up your working week? Addicted to adrenaline? The Capitalist might have chanced upon just the thing for more adventurous City types. Ian Barbour is best known for his position as director of financial printing group Millnet, where he runs the financial document services operations. Yet he’s just [...]
