CAR TALK May 1, 2012 Audi Q5 SUV with Google and online radio Details on the latest Audi Q5 SUV have been released. The popular 4×4 has undergone styling tweaks and chassis improvements and has a new electro-mechanical power steering system. Engine efficiency is up by 15 per cent. You can now also choose Audi’s in-car internet service which includes [...]
A family car with a hell of a punch April 24, 2012 A wolf in sheep’s clothing is an overused adage in the car industry. Sometimes, though, it is justified: Audi’s new S6 doesn’t look much different to a regular A6 but is the hottest new A6 your money can buy. Equipped with a new twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8 engine – good for 414bhp – the Audi S6 [...]
FTSE in modest rise as investors eye Fed April 24, 2012 The FTSE 100 saw a modest rally this morning led by banking and commodity stocks as investors looked for signs that the Federal Reserve will inject more liquidity into markets. London’s blue chip index was dented yesterday by uncertainty over who will be the next president of France, the collapse of the Dutch government and [...]
FTSE hit by Eurozone jitters April 23, 2012 The FTSE 100 slipped this morning as investors reacted badly to uncertainty in France as Nicolas Sarkozy lost the first round of the country’s presidential election. Sarkozy was narrowly beaten by socialist Francois Hollande who has said that he favours spending to boost growth rather than austerity. Meanwhile Spain’s economy probably contracted 0.4 per cent [...]
Anglo buoyed by copper lift April 19, 2012 MINER Anglo American posted a jump in quarterly production of iron ore and copper yesterday. Iron ore production, a key plank of the miner’s growth strategy, was up 17 per cent to 11.7m tonnes in the three months to the end of March, compared with the same quarter last year when heavy rains in the [...]
BHP Billiton sees coal and iron figures hit by rain and strikes April 18, 2012 BHP Billiton yesterday reported a fall in iron ore output after bad weather took its toll. Like rival Rio Tinto, the FTSE 100 miner saw production dip in the first quarter of 2012. Iron ore production was 37.9m tonnes – eight per cent lower compared to the previous quarter. Coal output fell 14 per cent [...]
Rio Tinto blow as copper and iron production disappoints April 17, 2012 RIO Tinto yesterday reported worse-than-expected falls in iron ore, copper and coal production in the first quarter after it was hit by bad weather. The world’s second biggest producer of iron ore said output dropped 11 per cent in the March quarter from the previous three months, with cyclones hampering production and shipments in the [...]
The 911 Cabriolet is a roaring hit April 17, 2012 Conventional opinion among hardcore 911 fans is that the 911 Cabriolet is a lesser car than the 911 coupe. If the 911 is the world’s most accomplished sports car, why monkey around with it, especially when you know that taking off a car’s roof removes much of its strength. Without a roof a car becomes [...]
CAR TALK April 17, 2012 Volvo stays at the head of the safety queue Volvo has announced prices for its all-new Volvo V40, the first car in the world to feature an innovative pedestrian airbag to help protect pedestrians in an impact. The five-door, five-seat premium hatchback will cost from £19,745 on the road. The D2 version of the new [...]
FTSE edges up thanks to banks April 17, 2012 London’s blue chip index edged up this morning but the Eurozone debt crisis continued to cast a shadow. Spain’s borrowing costs have jumped and the country is grappling to get back on track with a tough set of austerity measures. The FTSE 100 built on limited gains in yesterday’s session as investors took cover in [...]