Car review: The Morgan Roadster may be unwieldy, but it’s a joy to ride September 22, 2014 Sometimes life throws you a curve ball – my drive in the Morgan was one. This was no ordinary road-test; no private jet awaited at the Harrods terminal at Stansted, the London Morgan dealership simply arranged for a Roadster to be delivered to my home. The plan then was to drive 400 miles [...]
The FTSE 100’s Twitter power-users (and its social flops) September 21, 2014 FTSE 100 companies have upped their game on Twitter according to social media agency Battenhall, sending out a total of 1.4 million tweets in the past year compared with 582,227 in 2013. The agency puts companies’ increased efforts on Twitter down to the US Securities and Exchange Commission’s 2013 legislation, which gave firms permission to [...]
Car review: The new Audi TT feels more like a top-end VW than a thrusting sports car September 16, 2014 What’s your take on the Audi TT? A brilliant interpretation of Bauhaus design language? An unusually attainable, good looking sports car? Or so commonplace it barely even registers? The original TT was something special. No car manufacturer had built such a bold interpretation of the coupe away from a motor show concept. And no one [...]
Miner Mick Davis gets First Avenue on board to build $4bn war chest September 14, 2014 Mining magnate Mick Davis is believed to have hired more advisers as he looks to build on his $4bn (£2.5bn) funds while hunting assets for his new mining company. Davis has been working to build up funds since setting up X2 Resources following the sale of Xstrata to Glencore for $27bn last year. Now, in [...]
London listing to raise $2.1bn for AngloGold September 10, 2014 SOUTH African mining giant AngloGold Ashanti yesterday announced plans to raise $2.1bn (£1.3bn) in a rights issue and spin its international assets into a new London-listed company. The Johannesburg-based mining firm, created by a merger between AngloGold and Ashanti in 2004, revealed it would focus on its core South African operations after the asset spin [...]
Mining tax in Australia axed after two years September 2, 2014 AUSTRALIA’S controversial mining tax was on the way to the scrap heap yesterday, after having been in place for only two years. The Liberal government, led by Prime Minister Tony Abbott, won a vote in the Australian Senate backing a repeal. The vote in the Senate, by 36 to 33, represents a significant political victory [...]
London Report: Mining shares lift FTSE despite doubt over ECB September 2, 2014 BRITAIN’S top share index steadied near a two-month high yesterday, with some caution before the European Central Bank’s policy meeting tomorrow offsetting a rally in miners prompted by stronger metals prices. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index ended 0.06 per cent higher at 6,829.17 points after rising up to 6,849.28 points, the highest level since early [...]
More mining M&A on the cards? Anglo American share price rises as boss says “come and get us” September 2, 2014 Shares in Anglo American, the world's largest platinum miner, jumped 2.6 per cent this afternoon after its chief executive said the company is open to takeover offers. In an interview, Mark Cutifani said his job is "to create value" – adding that "if somebody sees value, then there's a conversation to be had". I'm not [...]
London Report: Ukraine tension and ore prices weigh on FTSE August 28, 2014 A RATCHETING up of tension in Ukraine yesterday took its toll on Britain’s top share index, knocking it back from its highest closing level in nearly two months. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Russian forces had entered his country and the military conflict was worsening after Moscow-backed separatists swept into an eastern town. The blue-chip [...]
Scottish independence is “a one way ticket to uncertainty” says CBI chief Sir Mike Rake August 28, 2014 In a fresh blow for Yes Scotland, the president of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has told an audience of business leaders that a vote for independence would be "a one way ticket to uncertainty with no return". Speaking at the CBI Scotland Annual Dinner at the Hilton Hotel, Sir Mike Rake emphasised that [...]