Inflation falls to two-year low May 22, 2012 UK inflation dropped in April taking the Consumer Prices Index measure to three per cent. The rate fell from 3.5 per cent in March, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. The figure was attributed to a fall in transport prices. This is the first time this Parliament that Bank of England Governor Sir Mervyn [...]
Yell reports £1.4bn loss May 22, 2012 Debt-laden Yell Group posted a £1.42bn full year loss mostly due to a writedown of the value of operations and said it had appointed advisors to help put a new capital structure in place. Yell, best known for its printed Yellow Pages directories and struggling under the burden of debts mostly maturing in April 2014, [...]
Vodafone cuts sales targets as European markets struggle May 22, 2012 Vodafone cut a medium-term sales growth target as customers in southern Europe slashed spending and regulators upped the pressure on the world’s largest mobile operator. The company took impairment charges of £4bn relating to its businesses in Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. Vodafone posted full-year results in line with forecasts and said it expected growth [...]
M&S profit falls May 22, 2012 Marks & Spencer posted a 1.2 per cent fall in full-year underlying profit, its first decline in three years, as even its relatively older and more affluent customers were touched by the economic downturn. Britain’s biggest clothing retailer, which also sells homewares and upmarket foods, said on Tuesday it made a profit before tax and [...]
Research that shows why lower taxes are good for growth May 22, 2012 IT is often wrongly asserted that there is no evidence that high levels of tax and public spending have a negative effect on economic growth. Whether the state spends and taxes 30 per cent of GDP or 50 per cent is irrelevant, it is argued, and should merely be seen as a question of taste. [...]
Nervy England prevail in Cook and Bell story May 21, 2012 CAPTAIN Andrew Strauss admitted his relief last night after England survived a scare to start their summer on a winning note with a five-wicket victory in the first Test against West Indies at Lord’s. A cool stand of 132 from opener Alastair Cook and Ian Bell ushered the hosts towards their second-innings target of 191, [...]
Colsaerts gives his Ryder Cup hopes a boost May 21, 2012 BELGIAN Nicolas Colsaerts enjoyed a fantastic win and put himself right into Ryder Cup contention at the World Match Play Championship in Spain on Sunday. Colsaerts started slowly in the group stage but once he had come through the play-off to reach the last eight he was brilliant, playing beautifully and showing real class. In [...]
Zara and Toytown to showcase Olympic flame at Cheltenham May 21, 2012 THE QUEEN’S granddaughter Zara Phillips is due to carry the Olympic torch on horseback tomorrow when the London 2012 flame arrives at Cheltenham Racecourse. Phillips and Toytown, who together won the Eventing World Championship in 2006, will ride Cheltenham’s finishing straight before lighting a cauldron. Her participation will mark the end of day five of [...]
Drog days are over: Blues star nears exit May 21, 2012 CHELSEA look to have lost their battle to keep Champions League hero Didier Drogba after the striker told team-mates he has decided to end his eight-year stint in west London. Ivory Coast star Drogba’s most likely destination is believed to be ambitious Shanghai Shenhua, who lured his former colleague Nicolas Anelka from Stamford Bridge during [...]
Nadal rewrites history in Rome May 21, 2012 TENNIS: World No2 Rafael Nadal claimed a record sixth Rome Masters title with a straight-sets win over Novak Djokovic. King of clay Nadal beat the planet’s top-ranked player 7-5, 6-3 in a final postponed from Sunday due to bad weather.
