US data storage colossus EMC looking to rivals HP and Dell as possible merger targets September 22, 2014 EMC, the biggest maker of corporate data storage equipment, reportedly held merger talks with rivals Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Dell. Under pressure from an activist shareholder and the expected retirement of its longtime chief executive, the company is exploring options including a sale, according to the Wall Street Journal. Merger talks between HP and EMC, which [...]
WPP investing $25m in adtech September 22, 2014 ADVERTISING giant WPP yesterday announced it had taken a $25m (£15.3m) stake in AppNexus, the world’s largest independent adtech provider based in New York. AppNexus’s technology lets marketers, publishers, content providers and media investment management firms to buy and sell digital advertising, which delivers 30bn impressions a day. WPP said the investment would cement its [...]
Bullion for you: Royal Mint sells gold coins online September 21, 2014 The Royal Mint is hoping to lure retail investors looking to buy into gold or silver with a trading website that it hopes will tap into demand for the precious metals. People will be able to buy both 24-carat gold and silver bullion coins from royalmintbullion.com at any time of the day and at prices [...]
Global ad spend set to reach over $520bn this year September 21, 2014 DIGITAL advertising will help grow the global advertising market by 5.3 per cent this year, higher than the 3.9 per cent growth seen in 2013, according to research released today by ZenithOptimedia. Total global adspend will reach $523bn (£320.5bn) over the course of the year, boosted by 17.1 per cent growth in internet advertising. “Internet [...]
Siemens nearing deal to buy US equipment maker Dresser-Rand September 21, 2014 GERMAN industrial group Siemens is reportedly near an agreement to acquire US oilfield equipment manufacturer Dresser-Rand Group in an all-cash deal. Dresser-Rand, which has a market capitalisation of more than $6.1bn (£3.74bn), could announce a deal as soon as today, according to Reuters. Siemens is expected to pay low- to mid-$80s per share, compared with [...]
Teenager to bid for the top job at Nisa Retail September 21, 2014 HARRIS Aslam, an 18-year-old businessman who runs three convenience stores in Scotland, yesterday launched a bid to be the next chief executive of independent shop supplier Nisa Retail. Aslam currently sits as a non-executive director on Nisa’s board, as well as a youth board director of home improvements retailer B&Q. Nisa’s current chief executive, Neil [...]
EE ready to buy up to 60 Phones 4u stores today September 21, 2014 BRITAIN’S largest mobile network operator EE is in talks to buy up to 60 Phones 4u stores following the retailer’s collapse into administration. PwC is understood to be planning to announce the deal as soon as this morning. However sources close to the administrator said talks were ongoing last night. Phones 4u’s collapse was triggered [...]
Marks & Spencer’s clothing sales through Alibaba soar in China September 21, 2014 Alibaba, the Chinese e-commerce giant which could hold the title of having the world’s biggest ever initial public offering after raising $21.8bn on Friday, has helped to boost Marks & Spencer’s (M&S) online clothing sales in China. The head of M&S’s overseas internet business, Ricky Wilson, said on Saturday that M&S is now the fastest [...]
Alibaba share price means it will to smash tech float record September 18, 2014 Chinese e-commerce titan Alibaba last night priced its initial public offering at the top end of expectations, lining it up to raise a colossal $21.8bn (£13.3bn) in what will be the biggest tech float in history today. Alibaba will price its shares at $68 on the New York Stock Exchange, giving the firm a historic [...]
City traders on 24-hour alert over sterling September 18, 2014 TEAMS of staff at the Treasury, Bank of England, as well as sterling traders across a number of London-based banks were drafted in last night to staff 24-hour desks monitoring the fallout from the Scottish referendum. BNP Paribas, Barclays and Rabobank were among the institutions who staffed currency desks through the night so that their [...]
