Tiger planning’s meticulous March 22, 2010 SO, the lure of a possible fifth Masters title and a 15th Major was too much for Tiger Woods to refuse – and I can’t see many complaints. Woods will play competitively for the first time in five months at next month’s Masters and typically, Tiger’s thought about his comeback meticulously. Most would have expected [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF March 22, 2010 Sarries land prop Du Plessis RUGBY UNION: Saracens have freshened up their crumbling Premiership title campaign by completing the signing of South African front row forward Petrus Du Plessis, from Nottingham. The 27-year-old tight-head prop had been lined up to join Sarries for the start of next season but director of rugby Brendan Venter has [...]
London’s FTSE 100 ends down after weak oil stocks weigh on the market March 22, 2010 BRITAIN’S top share index ended slightly lower yesterday, as weakness in oil stocks outpaced firmer drugmakers, as the US House of Representatives approved a healthcare reform bill, and with miners also in demand. The FTSE 100 ended down 5.58 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 5,644.54 after a volatile session which saw the index dip [...]
Wall Street rises after healthcare bill is passed March 22, 2010 US stocks advanced yesterday, boosted by gains in the healthcare sector as passage of a bill to overhaul the system eased uncertainty for investors. The legislation was passed by the US House of Representatives late on Sunday, and while analysts have raised concerns it will pinch corporate profits, they said much of the negative impact [...]
Germany set to bring in a levy on banking sector March 22, 2010 GERMANY’S coalition government looks set to introduce a banking levy in order to cover the cost of future bailouts. It is understood Angela Merkel’s cabinet could approve the tax as early next week. The move is designed to protect taxpayers and prevent banks from relying on public money. Volker Kauder, the parliamentary leader of Chancellor [...]
CITY VIEWS: WOULD A BANK TAX HURT THE CITY? March 22, 2010 MICHAEL WONG | BARCLAYS GLOBAL INVESTORS “It depends on what level its set at, and would need to be adopted by the US and EU too since this country depends on financial services. The Tories have proposed this as a publicity stunt to win the favour of the electorate, and since the City is about [...]
Forth Ports will hear bid as profit is up March 22, 2010 TAKEOVER target Forth Ports is ready to listen to suitor consortium Northstream. The UK’s biggest listed ports operator will be buoyed after its full-year results showed a swing back into black with pre-tax profits of £36.3m. The firm underwent a series of cost cutting measures that offset a loss of £30.7m the year before. However, [...]
Obama’s healthcare bill will not boost drugs sector March 22, 2010 THE US House of Representatives’ approval of the long-awaited and highly contentious Healthcare Reform Bill leaves final ratification to the Senate. Importantly, although costly ($940bn, or £623bn, over 10 years), the key provisions contained within the Reform Bill are not scheduled to become effective until 2014 and between now and then additional regulations will be [...]
Lloyds’ remuneration chairman quits ahead of investor showdown March 22, 2010 The head of the remuneration committee at Lloyds Banking Group will retire in May, sidestepping a potential fight with shareholders over the bonus awarded to the bailed-out bank’s chief executive. Wolfgang Berndt, 67, will step down from the board at the bank’s annual shareholder meeting, Lloyd’s said. He is leaving just months after approving a [...]
Shell snaps up Arrow in £2.1bn deal March 22, 2010 ROYAL Dutch Shell is on the brink of gaining a lucrative foothold in the energy supply chain to China after a £2.1bn bid for Australia’s Arrow Energy was accepted. Shell’s joint bid with PetroChina is now awaiting the green light from Australian regulators after it was unanimously recommended to Arrow shareholders. The firms do not [...]
