UK industry is modern, high-tech and a good bet for savvy investors July 25, 2008 Funds and ETFs can help get you exposure to an area that promises to flourish, writes Phil Thornton Barely a day goes by without a new portent of doom and gloom for some part of the UK economy, whether for financials, retailers or housebuilding. But one sector may offer a glimmer of hope during a [...]
Federer defeat sees Nadal close in on world No1 spot July 25, 2008 Roger Federer’s reign as the world’s number one player is looking as perilous as ever following his shock first round defeat in the Toronto Masters. The Swiss star crashed in three sets to unseeded Frenchman Gilles Simon and is now in danger of being overtaken at the top of the ATP rankings by his Wimbledon [...]
How the big channels are defying the odds to prosper July 25, 2008 Anyone who wants to understand something fundamental about the media just has to hold a single number in their head – 38,000. It’s a decent size for most football crowds or those willing to watch a Wagner opera the whole way through. But it doesn’t exactly pass muster as the ratings for a top US [...]
Fake Facebook entry banned July 25, 2008 A business whose personal details were falsely entered on Facebook, the social networking website, has won substantial libel damages at the High Court. Mathew Firsht won £22,000 in damages against an old school friend, Grant Raphael, who created the false entries. The judge ruled that Raphael’s defence – that the entry was created by people [...]
Imperial fired up for growth July 25, 2008 Imperial Tobacco, the world’s fourth-biggest cigarette company, yesterday said group performance had been in line with forecasts and that it was on course for another good year. The British maker of Lambert & Butler cigarettes said the integration of Altadis, the Franco-Spanish rival it acquired for €12.6bn (£9.92bn) in January, was going well. “Our operating [...]
Credit Suisse swings back into the black July 25, 2008 Swiss bank Credit Suisse has returned to profit in its second quarter, thanks largely to its private banking arm. The group outstripped analysts’ predictions, recording profits of Sfr 1.2bn (£560m) in the three months to 30 June, reversing losses made in the first quarter. The figures showed a 62 per cent fall in profits year-on-year, [...]
BG to stick by its £6.7bn bid for Origin July 25, 2008 British Gas explorer BG Group yesterday said it has no plans to boost its £6.7bn bid for Australian power firm Origin Energy, despite the bid target’s management touting the business to the Chinese. A BG spokeswoman said: “We believe our bid is a fair price for the company, and we will formally submit it to [...]
EDF closes in on British Energy deal July 25, 2008 French state-owned energy firm EDF and British Gas owner Centrica are closing in on UK nuclear business British Energy, and could announce a £12bn purchase as early as next week. British Energy, led by chief executive Bill Coley, admitted yesterday “it is in advanced discussions with one party.” A source close to the deal said [...]
Retail sales reverse into biggest slump on record July 25, 2008 The biggest monthly fall in retail sales on record has heightened fears that the UK will fall into a technical recession. British retail sales slumped in June by 3.9 per cent, the sharpest monthly fall since the series began in 1986, bringing the annual growth rate down to 2.2 per cent, according to the Office [...]
Oligarchs in oil grab as BP chief expelled July 25, 2008 Robert Dudley forced to leave Russia after campaign of “harassment” by authorities British oil giant BP was dealt a devastating blow last night after Robert Dudley, boss of its TNK-BP joint venture, was forced to leave Russia. Dudley, a key BP ally in its long-standing battle with its four oligarch partners, lashed out at the [...]
