INTERIORS November 25, 2010 Andrew Dunning HEAD DESIGNER AT APD INTERIORS Q.Dear Andrew, we now have guests visiting for Christmas. How can we prepare our home in time? A.Christmas is a lovely time to have guests but the additional people, decorations and presents can make your home feel very crowded. If you are house-proud then you want your home [...]
Capital Shopping Centres November 25, 2010 CAPITAL Shopping Centres (CSC) shareholders are currently in a win-win situation. While Simon Group’s bid interest seems to have taken it completely by surprise, the shares’s near 13 per cent surge to 381p indicates the market is taking it seriously. Simon, which already owns 5.6 per cent of CSC, is a big player in the [...]
MPs criticise ring-fencing of budgets November 25, 2010 THE government’s decision to “ring fence” spending on health and international aid has been criticised by a group of influential MPs. Before the election, David Cameron pledged to protect spending in real-terms on health and overseas aid, in a bid to soften the Tory party’s image. But in a report released today, the Treasury Select [...]
Spotlight shines on high-speed traders November 25, 2010 BRITAIN and France yesterday signalled a looming crackdown on ultra-fast share trading that featured in May’s brief “flash crash” freefall on Wall Street, alarming regulators and investors globally. French economy minister Christine Lagarde said a form of computerised trading known as high-frequency trading (HFT) may need banning in some cases. “My natural tendency would be [...]
Real estate shares surge as bid for CSC sparks appetite November 25, 2010 BRITAIN’S leading shares pushed higher yesterday, buoyed by strength in heavyweight miners and banks, and by gains from real estate issues as Capital Shopping Centres bounced on bid interest. At the close, the FTSE 100 was up 41.83 points, or 0.7 per cent, at 5,698.93, dipping back in the closing auction after hitting a late-afternoon [...]
Margaret Beckett named as president of No 2 AV campaign November 25, 2010 MARGARET Beckett, the former Labour foreign secretary, will today be named as the president of the “No to AV” campaign, which aims to secure a “No” vote in next May’s referendum on the alternative vote. The decision to appoint a Labour stalwart – Beckett was party leader for a short spell in 1994– will be [...]
Lift in mining stocks helps boost Europe November 25, 2010 EUROPEAN shares ended higher on yesterday, with heavyweight mining shares boosted by rising metals prices and bid interest in Capital Shopping Centres lifting the real estate sector. The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of top shares ended 0.5 per cent higher at 1,092.80 points, though trading was light as US markets were closed for the Thanksgiving [...]
Aldermore in shake-up November 25, 2010 COLIN Snowdon, chief executive of Aldermore’s residential mortgage lending, has left after less than a year with the firm. Snowdon is believed to have left by mutual consent. He was one of the key players at Aldermore, responsible for building up the group’s residential lending business. Aldermore, one of the new banks to have emerged [...]
Equity funds join bid for Del Monte November 25, 2010 TWO private equity funds are believed to have joined Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) in the buyout firm’s bid for Del Monte Foods, sources familiar with the situation said yesterday. Vestar Capital Partners and a fund run by Centerview partner James Kilts are both understood to be working with KKR, with the suggestion that an agreement [...]
Be your own lending bank November 25, 2010 IN THE 1947 film, It’s a Wonderful Life, the hero George Bailey prevents a run on the Building and Loan by reminding his customers where their money is. “The money’s not here. Your money’s in Joe’s house, right next to yours, and in the Kennedy house, and Mrs Macklin’s house, and a hundred others” he [...]