Shell to sell Nigeria fields December 20, 2009 OIL giant Royal Dutch Shell could sidestep tougher restrictions on foreign companies in Nigeria and constant violence against its workers by selling its onshore assets in the turbulent African country in deals that would deliver the company an estimated £3bn. Shell yesterday declined to comment on reports that it had already put some of its [...]
Opec tipped to keep supplies unchanged at key oil meeting December 20, 2009 OPEC will keep supply unchanged when it meets tomorrow in Angola, Algeria’s energy minister Chakib Khelil said yesterday. “There will be no change in OPEC supply of crude oil. OPEC will not reduce supply and it will not increase supply,” Khelil told reporters. A meeting of the producer group on Tuesday in Luanda is widely [...]
HUGH’S NEW HORIZON December 20, 2009 PIZZAEXPRESS and Punch Taverns founder Hugh Osmond has moved a step closer to floating his latest investment venture Horizon, with the appointment of bankers Credit Suisse and Numis to advise on going public. Horizon, which is understood to have raised £500m from investors, will debut on the market in the first half of January, according [...]
Execution ups stakes with Noble buyout December 20, 2009 STOCKBROKER Execution has bought its smaller rival Noble in a move the firm said would turn it into a major league player in the mid-cap investment banking and broking sector. The combined company, which will be named Execution Noble, will employ around 250 staff and will be led by Execution founder Nick Finegold, who will [...]
Darling urged to boost SMEs December 20, 2009 A TRADE body representing small and mid cap listed companies has written to chancellor Alistair Darling criticising the government’s haphazard approach to growth markets. The Quoted Companies Alliance (QCA) raised concerns over a range of proposals which it said could seriously damage markets such as Aim and Plus. It called for either the Treasury or [...]
Blockbuster £1bn ticket takings for UK cinemas December 20, 2009 BRITISH cinemas will reach takings of more than £1bn this year, for the first time ever. Aggregate sales for the year stood at £985m last weekend, and the release of Avatar, directed by James Cameron, saw the £1bn barrier broken at the weekend. Blockbusters films like Slumdog Millionaire and the latest instalment of the Harry [...]
Radio group writes off millions December 20, 2009 The company which owns Classic FM and Heart has written off a large part of its investment over the last two years, as the value of media assets continues to nosedive. Shareholders have put £65m into the company to help tackle its debt, now down from £210m to £110m.
Euromoney chiefs to cash in December 20, 2009 Euromoney, the business publisher, is thought to be preparing to next month ask shareholders to give their support to a £30m incentive plan for its top 150 employees. Under the scheme, the money would be paid out if the company raises pre-tax profits to £100m by 2013. It made £62.3m in the year just ended.
Cash injection for dentists December 20, 2009 Intermediate Capital Group is understood to be taking a stake in dentist chain Oasis. It hopes £25m will be raised, to be reinvested in buying more dental practices, to add to the 170 already owned by the dental group. Duke Street, the buyout firm which bought Oasis two years ago for £125m, also announced last [...]
BP hit with bumper bill in Texas December 20, 2009 Oil giant BP has been ordered by a US court to pay $100m (£62m), to 10 contractors who complained about being exposed to a toxic substance at BP’s Texas City refinery. Each received $10m. One hundred workers were hospitalised by fumes in 2007, but the oil firm denies responsibility. It is the same site where [...]
