Sports Direct in £7m move into premium market July 6, 2011 Sports Direct said it has purchased majority stakes in two companies controlled by Tom Hunter, dipping its toe in the premium and luxury sector of the market. The firm, controlled by Newcastle United soccer club owner Mike Ashley, said Wednesday it has acquired 80 per cent shareholdings in Hunter’s West Coast Capital, a branded fashion [...]
Balfour Beatty acquisition to boost order book July 6, 2011 Balfour Beatty , Britain’s largest infrastructure contractor, said it will make further selective acquisitions after recently snapping up a US contractor, a move that it said will lift its order book. Balfour, which operates in 80 countries and offers a range of infrastructure services, said in a short trading statement on Wednesday that the outlook [...]
3i Group reports strong quarter July 6, 2011 Private equity firm 3i Group said today investment in the three month period to end-June was £233m compared with £105m in the same period last year. A £112m investment into Hilite, £17m into GO Outdoors and £13m into World Freight Company International, were among the new investments. The Group had cash, cash deposits and undrawn [...]
S&P hits back at criticism over Greek role July 6, 2011 The head of Standard & Poor’s in Germany rejected criticism that the ratings agency was being too tough in judging efforts to involve the private sector in Greece’s bailout without triggering a sovereign debt default. “The assertions are completely made up out of thin air and factually wrong. They are either based on ignorance of [...]
Booker bucks grim retail trend with sales rise July 6, 2011 Britain’s biggest cash and carry wholesaler Booker said it was on course to meet full-year expectations as it posted a rise in first-quarter sales, showing its resilience against a weak industry backdrop. The firm, which runs over 170 branches supplying convenience stores, restaurants, pubs, schools and prisons, said on Wednesday its total sales in the [...]
TIGER PULLS OUT OF OPEN July 5, 2011 Doctors tell Woods to skip Major at Sandwich, but American insists his best is yet to come FORMER world No1 Tiger Woods insists his best years are still ahead of him despite being forced to withdraw from next week’s Open Championship by niggling knee and Achilles injuries. Three-time winner Woods, who has plummeted to 17th [...]
Tremlett prepared to play the long game after surprising one-day snub July 5, 2011 ENGLAND fast bowler Chris Tremlett admits he’s frustrated at not being part of England’s new-look one-day side but believes a period out of the firing line could spell bad news for upcoming Test opponents India. Tremlett’s international career has hardly followed a conventional path, but his rise from forgotten man to essential cog in Andrew [...]
Indurain: My top tips for cycle success July 5, 2011 Multiple Tour de France king lends hand to City A.M.’s London Triathlon team MY No1 lesson from riding the Tour is a very simple one – learn to ride hills and you will have a big advantage! Everyone knows you can’t win the Tour if you don’t know how to climb, but still many people [...]
Swann backs under-fire Broad and tips England to show their true colours July 5, 2011 ENGLAND spinner Graeme Swann insists he and his team-mates are taking little notice of the criticism that has come their way during the one-day series against Sri Lanka. England won the opening game of the five-match contest at the Oval but have since been comprehensively beaten at Headingley and Lord’s to leave them needing to [...]
Independent probe launched into Olympic Stadium controversy July 5, 2011 LEGACY chiefs have responded to fears over the transparency of the decision to award West Ham the Olympic Stadium by commissioning an independent investigation. The Olympic Park Legacy Company, which earlier this year voted unanimously for West Ham’s proposal over a rival bid from Tottenham, has appointed auditors Moore Stephens to carry out the probe [...]
