Kocherlakota calls for rate cut September 20, 2012 ■ Promising to keep rates low until unemployment falls could help bring joblessness down, top federal reserve official Narayana Kocherlakota told business leaders yesterday. Fed officials expect unemployment to fall to somewhere between 5.2 per cent and six per cent in the long-run – that is the next five to six years. But Kocherlakota said [...]
Capital Shopping Centres to tap bond market for £300m in cash September 20, 2012 CAPITAL Shopping Centres (CSC), the UK’s largest shopping centre owner, has become the latest listed property firm to turn to the market for cash after it launched a £300m bond issue yesterday. The owner of malls including the Trafford Centre in Manchester and Lakeside in Essex, is offering £300m of senior, unsecured convertible bonds due [...]
Imperial price hikes help to boost revenue September 20, 2012 PRICE rises improved Imperial Tobacco’s full-year revenue and offset a dip in volumes, the world’s fourth-largest cigarette group said yesterday, as it suffered weakness in recession-hit countries. The Bristol-based group, which sells over 340bn cigarettes annually of brands including Davidoff, Gauloises, JPS and West, said today revenue would rise around four per cent for its [...]
What did you make of Imperial’s trading update? September 20, 2012 DAMIAN MCNEELA | PANMURE GORDON Imperial’s in line trading statement should come as a relief, given the degree of nervousness ahead of the statement. The shares continue to trade at 15 per cent discount to its international peer group which given the firm’s cash generation is undeserved. We repeat our “buy” recommendation. MARTIN DEBOO | [...]
Virgin Media in talks to run 4G mobile internet September 20, 2012 VIRGIN MEDIA is in the running to become the UK’s second mobile operator to offer 4G mobile internet, with the company in talks with Orange and T-Mobile owner EE to use EE’s network to offer the service. City A.M. understands Virgin Media – which already runs a “virtual” mobile network using EE infrastructure – is [...]
Enticing rich smokers to light up won’t be enough in the long run September 20, 2012 SPARK up a celebratory cigar – Imperial Tobacco has managed to offset the shift towards cheaper brands in recession-hit countries by upping prices elsewhere. The firm has taken a gamble that richer customers – already resigned to paying steep taxes to fulfill their nicotine craving – won’t balk at an extra premium on their favourite brands. [...]
Daimler warns on full-year fall in profits at Mercedes division September 20, 2012 DAIMLER warned that profit would slip at its flagship Mercedes-Benz Cars division this year due to a deteriorating market in Europe and China, spooking investors in German rivals including BMW and Volkswagen. “We are gearing up for a challenging environment,” chief executive Dieter Zetsche said. Shares in both Daimler and BMW fell more than three [...]
ABN Amro shuts grains desk as open outcry style trading ends September 20, 2012 BROKERAGE ABN AMRO will close its pit trading grains desk on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade on 1 November, the team’s five members said yesterday, in one of the clearest signs that the iconic “open outcry” style of trading is drawing to a close. The exchange, the citadel of the global grains [...]
Should Vince Cable replace Nick Clegg as Lib Dem leader? September 20, 2012 NEIL ALLISON | ICON SOLUTIONS Yes. It’s a question of credibility and being realistic. Clegg will never win in polls now, and the Lib Dems need a fresh face and a new voice if they’re going to restablish themselves in parliament.” PAUL SMALLWOOD | RBCIS Yes. People have lost confidence in Clegg, and the Lib [...]
United Utilities on track as bid talk continues September 20, 2012 WASTE and water group United Utilities said in a trading update today that it enjoyed a solid start to 2012 and is on course to deliver a good financial performance for the year. The firm, which is currently the target of takeover bid speculation, said current trading is in line with group expectations in a [...]
