Japan’s election is likely to bring weakness in yen November 20, 2012 WHEN a stagnant economy meets a turbulent political environment, expect volatility. Traders spying an opportunity might want to cast their eyes to the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan. Over the last two decades, yen bears have been brutally battered as the currency has soared. Since 2007, dollar-yen has fallen by over 60 per cent. [...]
HSBC in talks to sell $9bn China insurance stake November 19, 2012 HSBC yesterday revealed it was in talks to sell its 16 per cent stake in China’s second largest insurer Ping An in a move that would bolster the bank’s capital balance sheet. The firm said in a joint statement to the London and Hong Kong stock market it was in “discussions” with buyers over a [...]
Cable says trade with emerging markets is not a zero sum game November 19, 2012 FAST GROWTH in developing countries represents an opportunity as well as a challenge, claimed Dr. Vince Cable yesterday. “Global growth is undeniably good news,” he told the Confederation of British Industry’s annual conference. “We should welcome the fact that vast swathes of humanity…are now clawing their way out of poverty – they will expand the [...]
Boris says Starbucks must do more for UK November 18, 2012 BORIS Johnson has said that multinational firms like Starbucks, who have not paid much UK corporation tax in recent years, need to do more for UK society or change their tax arrangements. Speaking to City A.M. ahead of his speech at the Confederation of British Industry’s (CBI) annual conference today, the Mayor of London said: [...]
Jaguar Land Rover strikes £1bn China deal November 18, 2012 ICONIC British car maker Jaguar Land Rover yesterday said it will start making cars in China for the first time after striking a deal with Chery Automobile Company for a new factory near Shanghai. The two firms will build the factory in Changshu, in the province of Jiangsu, at a cost of 10.9bn renminbi (£1bn), [...]
What the other papers say this morning November 15, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES France Telecom open to EE listing France Telecom has opened the door for a flotation next year of EE, the UK’s largest mobile phone group by customer numbers that it owns with Deutsche Telekom. Gervais Pellissier, deputy chief of France Telecom, said that there “could be some space at the end of next [...]
Three says no thanks to 4G as customers rise November 15, 2012 THE UK’S fourth-largest mobile operator, Three, signed up a million extra customers in the last year, putting a dent in its rivals’ numbers. Announcing the figures yesterday, Three outlined a plan to bolster its current network rather than focus on the 4G technology that others are pursuing. This raises the possibility that a January auction [...]
Retailers slam tax on crockery from China November 15, 2012 AN EU tax on imports of Chinese crockery has been condemned by retailers as pointless and harmful to the poor. The European Commission yesterday announced the tax in response to claims by an anonymous EU manufacturer that Chinese producers are pushing their products onto the European market at artificially low prices. The taxes will add [...]
World gold demand slides on slowdown in Chinese economy November 15, 2012 GLOBAL gold demand dropped 11 per cent in the three months to September from record levels seen in the same period last year, dampened mainly by fading Chinese fervour as its economy slowed, with stronger Indian demand stemming a larger fall, the World Gold Council said yesterday. Chinese gold consumption fell eight per cent in [...]
Revenue jumps at Lonrho November 13, 2012 Revenue at African conglomerate Lonrho jumped 14.4 per cent to £43.6m in the third quarter, up from £38m over the same period last year. Export demand from Europe was weaker over the period, but was offset by stronger volumes to the US, ASEAN and Chinese markets. The agribusiness division contributed 65 per cent of the [...]