Investors in fine wines toast gains July 18, 2011 FINE wine remains a good choice for investors, who enjoyed steady gains of over 13 per cent during the first six months of 2011, according to Bordeaux Index. Gary Boom, founder and MD of the fine wine merchant, said that 15 per cent growth in wine sales in the first quarter of the year reinforced [...]
Seeing Machines jumps 25pc July 18, 2011 UK tech firm Seeing Machines saw its shares rocket 25 per cent yesterday after Toshiba said it would use its facial recognition technology in its new 3D laptop. Japanese tech giant Toshiba is leading the way in glasses-free 3D laptops, which track users’ eyes to calibrate its display. Seeing Machines will receive a royalty for [...]
WH Ireland swings into profit as cost cuts and private client branch pay off July 18, 2011 FINANCIAL services group WH Ireland yesterday swung to a half-year profit on a 30 per cent rise in group turnover on last year. The AIM-listed firm credited its £0.71m pre-tax profit for the six months to the end of May on cost reductions under a new management team, and flagged up new products that will [...]
HOW DOES FACEAPI WORK? July 18, 2011 Q. What does Seeing Machines’ technology do? A. Seeing Machine’s FaceAPI allows a computer to track the face of the person using it. It then provides a stream of information that can be incorporated into other systems, such as 3D laptops. Q. Why do 3D laptops need to track your face? A. In order to [...]
CITY VIEWS: WOULD YOU INVEST IN WINE? July 18, 2011 ALEX GRUNDY | HBA “I would consider it but I don’t know anything about it. It’s a decent long-term investment. I know quite a few people who invest in and do well out of it.” PERCY HALLAM | WILLIS “Yes. It’s quite an interesting thing to invest in. I got some for my wedding, not [...]
Rank Group shares soar July 18, 2011 Shares in Rank Group jumped 6.2 per cent after it became clear the bingo and casino operator will retain its London listing, ending lingering questions in the wake of a 150p a share offer from Hong Kong-based Guoco Group. The Rank board initially said the deal significantly undervalued the company. Guoco could have delisted the [...]
Lavendon gains on strong outlook July 18, 2011 Rental-equipment firm Lavendon Group saw its shares close up almost five per cent yesterday after it said its performance improved in the first-half and that it sees year results above prior expectations. The firm also announced that it would exit its Spanish operations, which have been hurt by a weak long-term outlook in the country. [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS July 18, 2011 HSBC HSBC has promoted Krishna Patel, chief executive of HSBC Africa, to chief executive of its Global Private Banking division, reporting to group chief executive Stuart Gulliver. Patel will start his new role on 1 September, initially based in Geneva, and will focus on strengthening the bank’s presence in the fastest-growing wealth markets. Patel, who [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS July 18, 2011 LAND SECURITIES Panmure Gordon rates the commercial property group hold with an 825p target price as it believes today’s trading update will confirm a trend of strong rent growth and tenant demand, particularly in central London. Panmure believes Land Sec has a portfolio of prime retail space that will maintain its growth despite a tough [...]
FTSE drops sharply as banks suffer in wake of stress tests July 18, 2011 BRITAIN’S top shares fell sharply yesterday after the results of stress tests on European banks were met with disappointment over their credibility while investors were also fearful over the threat of a US default on the nation’s debt. The banking sector index sunk to a two-year low as money managers and traders cast doubts over [...]
