Roche posts lift in sales January 30, 2013 SWISS pharmaceuticals giant Roche yesterday posted a four per cent lift in group sales for last year, and said it expects sales to grow at the same rate in 2013. The firm reported that sales hit SFr45.5bn (£31.6bn) due to greater demand for key cancer drugs and higher sales of diagnostic tests. Excluding the effects [...]
Weak Europe hits Manpower January 30, 2013 GLOBAL staffing company Manpower yesterday reported a 16 per cent fall in fourth-quarter profit as a weak European market hurt its margins. US-based Manpower, which derives most of its sales and profit overseas, has been under pressure from a weak economy in Europe, where many companies have cut back on hiring. “We are on guard [...]
No more WAGs please: Women prefer traders January 30, 2013 GOOD news for City lotharios, especially in the run-up to Valentine’s Day. Apparently more women would rather date a City trader than a footballer. The shine is slightly taken off this news by discovering that it is only true for women looking to trade their husbands for a banker part-time. The study, by IllicitEncounters.com, the [...]
Boy racers in the Square Mile gear up for motoring challenge January 30, 2013 FORMER managing director of private banking at RBS Nigel Jackson has taken on a charity role chairing the organising committee of The Circuit, a motor racing event to raise money for the NSPCC. Jackson, currently director of boutique business consulting company Abstract UK told The Capitalist that “we’ve already got some keen racers signed up [...]
Fiat’s debt rises as car sales fall 14pc in Europe January 30, 2013 FIAT said yesterday its debt grew by about €1bn (£850m) in 2012 as European car sales tumbled 14 per cent, leaving the Italian carmaker ever more dependent on strong growth at US unit Chrysler. As Fiat’s management moves to increase spending on new models in Europe and the United States, investors are keeping a close [...]
Retailers warn politicians red tape is stifling social mobility January 30, 2013 RETAILERS last night urged politicians in Westminster to avoid stifling the work opportunities it offers to people from less privileged backgrounds. On the evening that the British Retail Consortium (BRC) held its annual parliamentary reception, the group called on government to cut back on red tape. Retail is “one of the most meritocratic sectors of [...]
Insider trading case kicks off January 30, 2013 AN unemployed man has gone on trial at Southwark Crown Crout charged with six counts of insider trading related to shares traded on the London Stock Exchange. Richard Joseph, 43, is accused of trading in the shares of six publicly listed companies between September 2007 and July 2008 allegedly using price sensitive information given to [...]
H&M eyes further expansion as earnings drop on higher costs January 30, 2013 H&M, the Swedish fashion giant, said it plans to press ahead with ambitious expansion plans this year as it reported an unexpected drop in fourth quarter earnings yesterday. The world’s second largest retailer said it will open 325 stores this year, with most planned in China and the US, up from 304 last year. It [...]
Police forces ditch G4S deal January 30, 2013 THREE police forces have axed plans to outsource support work to G4S, in a blow to the company just months after its botched Olympics contract. Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire police forces had hoped to save £73m through a deal that handed G4S human resources, finance and IT work, but will now look at other ways [...]
New car recall woe at Toyota January 30, 2013 JAPANESE car maker Toyota will recall nearly 1.3m cars globally for faulty airbags and windscreen wipers, the firm announced yesterday. The recall, which is not thought to affect UK customers, includes left-hand drive models of certain Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles, as well as some Lexus IS cars. It is the third major Toyota recall [...]
