Prudential works on plans to sell off UK and US units May 3, 2010 PRUDENTIAL, the FTSE100 insurer, is believed to be firming up plans to offload its UK and US businesses should its $35.5bn (£23.3bn) swoop on Asia’s AIA go through. Although Prudential says it is committed to keeping its London listing, chief executive Tidjane Thiam has tacitly indicated to analysts that parts of the company may be [...]
Lending standards remain tight for US banks: survey May 3, 2010 MOST US banks kept lending standards unchanged while loan demand weakened in the first quarter, a US Federal Reserve survey showed yesterday, pointing to lingering weakness in credit markets. The Fed’s quarterly Senior Loan Officer Survey found banks with assets above $20bn (£13.1bn) easing some lending policies. With regard to lending to households, large banks [...]
Crédit Agricole and Citic plan Asian venture May 3, 2010 FRANCE’s Crédit Agricole and China’s Citic Securities have entered talks to create a broker and investment bank to chase growing opportunities in China and the Asia-Pacific region. The companies plan to explore combining Citic Securities with Crédit Agricole’s CLSA Asia brokerage, Cheuvreux European brokerage, financial advisory franchise in Asia, Europe and the United States and [...]
FirstGroup starts sale of Railfreight May 3, 2010 FIRSTGROUP, the FTSE100 transport behemoth, has put its rail freight haulage business up for sale in an attempt to reduce its £2.3bn debt pile. Potential buyers for GB Railfreight are understood to include Groupe Eurotunnel, the operator of the Channel Tunnel, British outfit Freightliner and French railway network SNCF. FirstGroup has grown steadily through a [...]
Law firms expect sector mergers to accelerate this year May 3, 2010 CONSOLIDATION in the legal sector is likely to escalate this year, according to new research, as law firms look to either merge with another business or poach large groups of lawyers from competitors. Annual research by legal provider Sweet & Maxwell suggests that business sentiment amongst the UK’s law firms is picking up after 10 [...]
US authorities promise no let up in their battle against the tax dodgers May 3, 2010 THE US government expects to probe thousands more cases of wealthy individuals dodging taxes through offshore bank accounts, on top of the high profile case against UBS, a US tax attorney said yesterday. “We expect over the next couple of years, in addition to the UBS cases, to have somewhere between 4,000 and 7,000 more [...]
General Motors lifts sales May 3, 2010 General Motors posted a 6.4 per cent gain in US April sales yesterday, helped by strong demand for newly launched vehicles such as the Chevy Equinox crossover and the Buick LaCrosse sedan. GM sold 183,997 vehicles in April, up from 173,007 vehicles the same month a year ago when US auto sales were near the [...]
Ford revenues up by a quarter May 3, 2010 Ford posted a 25 per cent increase in its spring sales from a year earlier, propelled by record sales of its Fusion midsize sedan and robust demand for trucks led by the F-series pickup. Ford sold 167,542 vehicles in the US market in April, compared with 134,401 vehicles the same month a year earlier. Excluding [...]
Mercedes-Benz powers Daimler May 3, 2010 Mercedes-Benz sold 25.1 per cent more cars in April year-on-year, owner Daimler said yesterday. The high-end auto manufacturer shifted 18,228 units, with strong demand for passenger cars and light trucks fueling volumes. Daimler said the C-Class model – “the gateway to the brand” – maintained its lead as Mercedes’ best-selling marque.
HIGH FLYER LOSES COURT CASE May 3, 2010 A HIGH-FLYING marketing executive who accused her boss of sexual harassment and trying to hire Russian hitmen to kill her has had her £4m compensation claim quashed by an employment tribunal. Jordan Wimmer, 29, was described as not being a “persuasive” witness in her lurid case against multi-millionaire Mark Lowe of Nomos Capital.
