ECB council member says plans for liquidity in place until March January 25, 2010 THE European Central Bank has already made all the important decisions regarding its liquidity measures through until the end of March, ECB governing council member Axel Weber was quoted as saying on yesterday. Weber said inflation risks in the euro zone are only slight and that the interest rates are appropriate. “In December we conducted [...]
Golden oldies can offer the City a wealth of experience January 25, 2010 YESTERDAY, the actress Jane Fonda announced that she is to film a new workout video at the age of 72, 30 years and one hip replacement after the video that made her a global star. In the world of business too, oldies are still going strong. Warren Buffett – who will be 80 in August [...]
CITY VIEWS: IS IT RIGHT FOR PEOPLE TO WORK PAST 65? January 25, 2010 ALEX GULLIFORD | JM FINN “As the average age increases, people are going to have to work to an older age as the burden on pensions gets greater and greater. I am very concerned with the situation particularly at the moment given we are said to be a broken nation” ROBIN HASTINGS | DRUCES SOLICITORS [...]
Chinese tycoon to raise new $1bn fund January 25, 2010 NEW HORIZON CAPITAL, whose co-founders include the son of Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, will raise a $1bn (£616m) private equity fund. The fund will be solely focused on investing in domestic industry leaders who are ready to make an IPO, according to sources close to the matter. This would be the third and largest private [...]
Gowrie-Smith leads Kea Petroleum to flotation on Aim January 25, 2010 IAN GOWRIE-SMITH, the mining and pharmaceutical entrepreneur behind Skyepharma, yesterday announced plans for another oil and gas flotation on Aim. Kea Petroleum will raise £6m to help explore oil and gas finds in New Zealand. It already owns three permits in the Taranaki and Northlands basins. Kea marks a return to oil and gas exploration [...]
Bermudian venture capital company Oakley will invest in a vast war chest January 25, 2010 VENTURE capital firm Oakley Capital Investments said its full-year net asset value per share rose over 26 per cent and that it would focus on investments in the IT services sector in 2010. Oakley, which focuses on mid-market Western European businesses, has total funds of £247m and £166m left to be invested, according to director [...]
Private equity groups close in on Pets at Home January 25, 2010 FOUR firms were thought to have launched bids of up to £800m for Pets at Home last night. Apax Partners, Bain, KKR and TPG made it through to a second round of bidding for the company and all four were expected to table bids before the deadline last night. The company will then decide whether [...]
Hornby says Scalextric boosts profits January 25, 2010 THE popularity of Scalextric sets helped to put toymaker Hornby’s sales into the fast lane over Christmas. Hornby said the racing car game had received a boost after current Formula One grand prix teams were introduced. In November the firm – which also produces Airfix models – was facing a potential downturn according to retail [...]
Hutchings row strikes Lupus January 25, 2010 LUPUS Capital, the manufacturing investment group which remains embroiled in a leadership battle with founder Greg Hutchings, said yesterday it expects to post a nine per cent fall in annual sales after a highly disruptive year for the company. Lupus has yet to call a general meeting requisitioned a fortnight ago by entrepreneur Hutchings, who [...]
All Leisure battered by fuel price and currency swings January 25, 2010 ALL Leisure Group, the owner of luxury cruise ships such as the Hebridean Princess, said yesterday it managed to stay in the black for the past year, though it did not escape the punishing effects of the recession and adverse currency and fuel price movements. The group, which operates the Swan Hellenic and Voyages of [...]
