Alliance Boots buying stake in Chinese firm September 16, 2012 ALLIANCE Boots, the owner of Europe’s largest pharmacy chain, announced yesterday it will buy a 12 per cent stake in China’s Nanjing Pharmaceutical at a cost of around £56m. The deal, initially announced more than a year ago, will strengthen Alliance Boots’ ties with China’s government and regulators. Alliance Boots executive chairman Stefano Pessina, who [...]
London warned it may struggle with China’s currency strategy September 16, 2012 LONDON’s bid to become an offshore centre for renminbi looks set to fail as the City is more suited to private sector action and market systems than the highly politicised Chinese currency, a think-tank warns in a report published today. Chatham House also notes that Hong Kong’s position as part of China but with a [...]
What the other papers say this morning September 13, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES Deutsche Bank urges rivals to share Deutsche Bank is seeking to convince rival investment banks to share markets and trading software in an effort collectively to lower costs for the financial industry. Law firms queue up for FSA panel City law and accountancy firms are jostling for the opportunity to earn bumper fees [...]
The CFA is forging a rapid path into Asia September 12, 2012 ASIA is rising. Even as economists downgrade Chinese growth prospects, emerging markets (and developed economies) in Asia-Pacific are still racing ahead in the development of their human capital. India and China are famously churning out MBA graduates in record numbers – and increasingly using their own business schools to do so. But in other areas [...]
China Falters September 11, 2012 ■ Growth forecasts slashed on weak global economy ■ Burberry shares slump on falling Chinese demand ■ Leader-in-waiting goes missing for key meetings ECONOMISTS have slashed China’s GDP growth forecasts as the emerging giant stumbles on the twin pressures of the global economic slump and bad domestic investments. Premier Wen Jiabao was forced to hint [...]
Huawei to put £1.3bn into UK September 11, 2012 CHINESE telecoms company Huawei yesterday confirmed a £1.3bn expansion in Britain that will create around 700 jobs, following talks between the company and the UK government. David Cameron hailed the move, saying it “demonstrates once again that the UK is open for business”, while Huawei’s chief executive Ren Zhengfei said Britain is “one of the [...]
Luxury loses some sparkle but the champagne should flow on September 11, 2012 LUXURY has looked East in its hunger for growth lately, but as the Chinese miracle takes a big fat bite of the reality sandwich, is it time to pack up the Fortnum’s picnic basket and head home? It is certainly true that Burberry was not the only one taking a beating in the market yesterday. [...]
Markets dip on Wall Street as tech stock falls September 10, 2012 WALL Street stocks fell yesterday as investors locked in gains on a recent rally ahead of possible policy action from the Federal Reserve later this week, while weakness in Intel shares weighed on the Nasdaq. The benchmark S&P 500 index closed at highs last week not seen in nearly five years, motivating some investors to [...]
The Tipster | Raise your glass to JD Wetherspoon September 10, 2012 TRADERS have been questioning JD Wetherspoon, after the company’s share price stumbled over the last few weeks. However, there is optimism about the full-year results, due this week, as the European football championships are expected to have helped the pub chain. Shares hit year-highs above 480p in August, and the firm is expected to report [...]
The City is poised to take advantage of Chinese currency liberalisation September 9, 2012 OFFSHORE renminbi (RMB) – or dim sum bonds, as they have affectionately come to be known in the West – have more in common with their culinary counterparts than meets the eye. Traditionally enjoyed at yum cha – the Chinese equivalent of afternoon tea – by farmers after a hard day’s work, dim sum have [...]