Commodities and financials emerge as stars of the index July 13, 2009 THE FTSE 100 closed 1.8 per cent higher yesterday, boosted by stronger energy and mining stocks, while financial shares also provided support to the market which had fallen in five of last eight sessions. The index ended 74.96 points higher at 4,202.13, after falling 0.8 per cent on Friday to its lowest close since 28 [...]
THREE OTHER HIGH-END ITALIANS July 13, 2009 L’ANIMAClassy, chic, and with excellent food, this is one of the best new openings in the City in the past year, and one of the few Square Mile restaurants that you might want to visit with friends, as well as contacts. 1 Snowden Street EC2A 2DQ, tel: 020 7422 7000, www.lanima.co.uk. LOCANDA LOCATELLIAn oldie, but [...]
The food was lovely, it was just a shame about everything else July 13, 2009 MURANO20 QUEEN STREET,LONDON, W1J 5PRT: 020 7592 1222murano@gordonramsay.comFOOD SERVICE ATMOSPHERE Cost per person without wine: £25 (set menu) WHEN Murano opened in 2008 it was greeted with trumpets and fanfare. It was the latest in Gordon Ramsay’s empire, and the food was by Angela Hartnett, one of the few women at the top of the [...]
Coffee is not the miracle drug it’s often made out to be July 13, 2009 LAST week scientists from the University of Florida released a study claiming that coffee can prevent the development of dementia, and even reverse it. When they gave caffeine to mice that had been bred to have the rodent version of Alzheimer’s, they found that the animals’ ability to perform memory tests increased and was soon [...]
SENTIMENT TAKES A NOSEDIVE, DAMPENS RECOVERY PROSPECT July 13, 2009 MARTIN SLANEYHEAD OF DERIVATIVES, GFTCONSUMER confidence is fundamental to market mood, and even more so when the prospect of economic recovery has been touted but not yet assured. Confidence is the building block of spending, which is critical to recovery. And right now confidence is taking a big dip. The bimonthly Reuters/University of Michigan preliminary [...]
Japan offers the contrarian trader a wealth of opportunity July 13, 2009 GIVEN how badly export-oriented Japan has suffered from the financial crisis and the subsequent drop off in global demand, you might think that investing in Japanese equities would be one of the least successful trading strategies around right now. But in fact, a number of analysts have started turning bullish on the Japanese stock index [...]
GAS LEAK CLOSES L&G OFFICE FOR THE DAY July 13, 2009 LEGAL & General had the opportunity to test its contingency plans yesterday, after a gas leak forced the firm to close its Moorgate mother-ship. City types said that the road outside L&G’s Coleman Street corporate headquarters was in a state of disarray in the morning as workers frantically fought to deal with the leak, which [...]
Puma Hotels in debt refinancing July 12, 2009 The Puma Hotels leisure chain, which operates 20 luxury resorts across the UK, is to announce it has had to refinance its £332m of bank debts after suffering losses in the consumer downturn caused by the credit crunch. It is expected to say it negotiated an extended debt facility with Anglo Irish Bank – to [...]
New women’s mag attracts giants July 12, 2009 Three retail giants, including French Connection founder Stephen Marks, have agreed to back a new free magazine for women set to be handed out at transport hubs in six cities across the UK. The magazine, pencilled in for an autumn launch, is being referred to as Project Y pending a final name and also has [...]
Online casino revamp for 888 July 12, 2009 Dublin-based internet gambling group 888 Holdings has said it wants to redesign its online casino in 3-D, as it pushes to boost its customer numbers to weather the slowdown in consumer spending. The group is to unveil the revamped user interface, to apply to its online games including roulette and blackjack, this autumn. It is [...]
