Sports Direct ends BAML link January 14, 2013 SPORTS Direct has parted ways with corporate broker Bank of America Merrill Lynch after six years. Mike Ashley’s retailer and the bank are believed to have ended the relationship by mutual consent at the end of last year. Ashley and BAML have worked together since Sports Direct floated in 2007, and are reported to have [...]
Chrysler talks up Fiat merger January 14, 2013 FIAT and Chrysler will eventually be merged even if Chrysler does go for an initial public offering, said Sergio Marchionne, the chief executive of both carmakers. “We will eventually have a merged car company,” Marchionne told reporters at the Detroit auto show yesterday. A minority owner of Chrysler last week pushed the US firm to [...]
Households got a £60 income boost last year January 14, 2013 Lochard to lose Thunderball Aim-listed Lochard Energy will let its licence to operate the Thunderball natural gas discovery in the North Sea lapse, as it does not have enough funding to drill it on its own. It has tried to bring in a farm-in partner but has been unsuccessful. Additionally, the firm is to be [...]
OECD: UK economy not on its way into triple-dip recession January 14, 2013 UK GROWTH is solidifying, not falling away, according to widely regarded data out yesterday. The UK’s composite leading indicator (CLI) edged up to 100.7 in November, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) revealed, from 100.5 in October – indicating “growth firming”. CLIs “tend to precede turning points in economic activity by approximately six months,” the OECD [...]
Surveyors say housing is flat January 14, 2013 HOUSE PRICES stayed flat over the past three months, a poll of surveyors revealed this morning. Exactly the same fraction of surveyors said prices rose as reported that prices fell, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ data showed, producing a net balance of zero in December – compared to November’s minus nine. And the figures suggested [...]
City workers mull moving January 14, 2013 BANKING growth outside the capital is driving City workers to consider moving as far afield as Edinburgh in order to get the right role, data revealed yesterday. Forty-nine per cent would consider a move to Manchester to get the right job, making it the most popular destination, ahead of 45 per cent who would mull moving [...]
Christmas cheer raises spirits at Greene King January 14, 2013 RECORD numbers of people flocked to Greene King pubs over Christmas as the company ramped up efforts to bring in festive diners. The pub owner and brewer revealed yesterday that like-for-like trading in its establishments was up 2.8 per cent in the six weeks to 6 January, while pub sales were up 6.8 per cent [...]
Britvic and Barr merger put on ice as watchdog delays tie-up January 14, 2013 THE UK’S trade watchdog has put the brakes on the merger of soft drink giants Britvic and AG Barr after extending the timetable for its probe into the deal. The Office of Fair Trading has put back a decision to green light the merger until the 13 February, giving it more time to scrutinise whether [...]
Big Yellow upbeat on bookings despite a muted third quarter January 14, 2013 BIG Yellow, the self-storage provider, said 2013 had started well after a quiet third quarter when occupancy at its warehouses fell following the strong summer months. The company said total revenue across its 54 stores rose 3.7 per cent to £16.8m in the third quarter to 31 December compared with last year but down 9.7 [...]
Amplats warns of full year loss as strike cripples production January 14, 2013 ANGLO American Platinum said yesterday it slumped to a loss last year, as it battled a two-month strike during the second half of 2012. Amplats, which is 80 per cent owned by parent Anglo American, said it expected headline earnings per share to drop to between 491 and 628 South African cents over the year [...]
