Economic cheer sees FTSE break through 4,500 barrier June 1, 2009 THE FTSE 100 ended 2 per cent, or 88.25 points, higher yesterday at 4,506.19 as some unusually upbeat data saw optimism about the global economy rise. Mining stocks led the charge, as metal prices firmed, bolstered by hopes for increased demand particularly following bullish Chinese data. China’s official purchasing managers index for May stayed above [...]
Old Mutual in China U-turn May 27, 2009 INSURER Old Mutual pulled out of buying a 49 per cent stake in China’s ABN Amro Teda Fund Management yesterday as part of a drive to streamline its businesses. Old Mutual, South Africa’s largest insurer, said in March it would scale back its expansion in Asia following a review of the company instigated by chief [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING May 20, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMESCANNES HIT BY CUTBACKS AND CAUTIONThere are still outward signs of glamour on the Croisette in Cannes, but economic reality has gripped the film market at this year’s 62nd film festival. Some of the biggest parties have been cancelled and, for the first time in years, it is easy to get a hotel room. [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING May 14, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMESQINETIQ TO SELL UK UNDERWATER SYSTEMS ARM Qinetiq, the defence research group, has agreed to sell its UK underwater systems business for £23.5m as it continues to restructure its European division. Atlas Elektronik will take over the business, which makes sonar acoustic counter measures for customers such as the Royal Navy, protecting about 220 [...]
THE DECLINE OF ING May 13, 2009 08 October 08ING Direct, the online banking arm of ING Group, said it was to acquire more than €3bn (£2.7bn) of British deposits from Icelandic online savings providers Icesave and Kaupthing Edge. 19 October 08The Dutch government announces it is preparing to inject €10bn into the group. 20 October 08The group says it will sell [...]
Lehman Bros locked in new equity talks September 1, 2008 Lehman Brothers, the troubled Wall Street investment bank, was holding intensive talks this weekend over a much-needed injection of billions of dollars in new equity capital. Korea Development Bank (KDB), the South Korean government-backed institution, which last week appeared to have lost its appetite for Lehman, is thought to have returned to the table to [...]
Profits at Rio Tinto jump on high demand August 27, 2008 Bid target miner Rio Tinto posted a better-than-expected 55 per cent rise in first-half profit yesterday, boosted by its takeover of aluminium producer Alcan and strong Asian demand for commodities. The company, which bought Canada’s Alcan, for $38bn (£19bn) just over a year ago, said its pre-tax profit to the end of June rose to [...]
Imperial sells out to Indian rival for £1bn August 27, 2008 Oil explorer Imperial Energy recommended a £1.4bn takeover offer from Indian state-controlled rival ONGC yesterday. A bid battle had broken out between ONGC and China’s biggest state-owned oil company, Sinopec, which conducted due diligence on the London-listed firm but has not yet submitted a formal offer. But a counterbid from the Chinese firm cannot be [...]
China’s PBC builds stake in Prudential August 26, 2008 Prudential has poured cold water on suggestions that it should spin off its Asian arm into a separate company, as it emerged that the People’s Bank of China has built up a one per cent stake in the UK’s second-largest insurer. Chief executive Mark Tucker has fought an ongoing battle on two fronts to convince [...]
Don’t be spooked by inflation: there are ways to protect your portfolio August 15, 2008 Clever investors can protect themselves from the worst effects of rising prices, says Esther Shaw Figures out last week showed that inflation in the UK, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), jumped to 4.4 per cent in July, more than double the Government’s 2 per cent target. On other measures, the figure is [...]