BEST OF THE BROKERS August 17, 2009 AEGONNomura said that it sees Aegon’s capital position as being very solid and views the firm as having a “belt and braces” approach to capital management. The broker thinks that the firm’s economic rationale for early repayment to the Dutch government is compelling and rates the stock a “buy” with a €7.00 target price. HAMPSON [...]
Ryanair slashes Manchester routes August 17, 2009 BUDGET airline Ryanair yesterday said it would cut nine of the 10 routes it flies from Manchester and blamed the airport for refusing to cuts its charges. The low-cost carrier said nine routes would be switched or changed as of 1 October, meaning 44 weekly flights will be cut along with 600 local jobs.Most flights [...]
Introducing competition will improve healthcare August 17, 2009 AS AN American who has lived in the UK for 11 years, I love both countries. The debate over healthcare has reminded me of my heritage as a daughter of a physician. Obama is courting America to extend healthcare coverage in the US, triggering a mild UK/US incident and crashing Twitter. What many people outside [...]
Slump hits Fresnillo August 17, 2009 FRESNILLO, the world’s largest silver producer, yesterday said its profits in the first-half had slumped 10.8 per cent, as prices for the precious metal tumble in the downturn. The Mexican company, which is listed in London, said pre-tax profits for the period were $179.9m (£110.3m) down from $201.6m the previous year.But the miner said it [...]
THREE MORE KING’S CROSS EATERIES August 17, 2009 ST PANCRAS GRANDThis high-profile effort from Searcy’s – designed by interiors guru du jour Martin Brudnizky – is just the place to eat the likes of potted salmon, stew and duck under the eye of a large clock and bulbous, elegant lamps. The soft purr of the Eurostar arriving and leaving is a wonderful aid [...]
Gourmet meets grit in this King’s Cross gem August 17, 2009 The Fellow24 York Way N1 9ATel: 0207 837 3001Cost per person without wine: £25 KING’S CROSS is still a funny old area. Try as the developers might, it’s never quite become the next Hoxton or Angel. And for anyone who prefers a good Burgundy to a hip-hop night, it’s not much of an evening destination. [...]
Reasons to be cheerful August 17, 2009 IF YOU believe the old Rodgers & Hammerstein song, all you need to do to lift your mood on a bad day is to whistle a happy tune – if only life really were so simple. But it seems that a positive outlook has worthwhile outcomes beyond merely getting you more easily through the day. [...]
TRADING TIP HURRICANE HEDGES August 17, 2009 One of the biggest hazards to farmers in the United States is hurricanes. Because the early autumn is historically the the season for the worst ones., they and can be devastating for both farmers – and for those holding trading positions in the crops. The lack of adequate insurance against such extreme weather events led [...]
OUTLOOK FOR STERLING IS UNCERTAIN August 17, 2009 MARK OUTTENSENIOR DEALER, GFT THIS summer has promised many great comebacks. Tom Watson only narrowly failed to secure a sixth Open title at the age of 59, Lance Armstrong’s attempt at an implausible eighth Tour de France victory disappeared in the mountains and Michael Schumacher’s eagerly anticipated return to Formula One was thwarted. So what [...]
Take a punt on the weather with grains and orange juice August 17, 2009 THE summer months might be a quiet time for most traders, but not all. For those who make their money watching the prices of assets such as wheat, corn and orange juice, this is when the market is at its peak. In many cases, the outlook for the harvest is becoming clearer, and industry analysts [...]
