The trials of Jobs August 25, 2011 Steve Jobs’ shock resignation was followed by the inevitable panic. Jumpy investors piled out of Apple stock, knocking $25bn from its market cap, most of which was soon recouped. But it will be months and years, not days and weeks, until the effects of his loss become clear. A man of his talent and vision [...]
STEVE JOBS QUITS AS APPLE’S CHIEF August 24, 2011 STEVE JOBS last night resigned as chief executive of Apple, telling the board he is no longer able to meet his duties. His shock departure heralds the end of an era for one of the world’s biggest firms and most colourful chief executives. The decision follows a seven month medical leave of absence, during which [...]
CITY MOVES | WHO’S SWITCHING JOBS August 24, 2011 Neuberger Berman The independent asset management firm has appointed Joseph Mukungu to the newly created role of senior vice president, head of client services for Europe and Middle East. Mukungu will manage the team based in Europe responsible for advising Neuberger Berman’s expanding client base outside the US. Mukungu joins from JO Hambro Capital Management, [...]
Make like Bond with an Aston in the Alps August 21, 2011 AMERICAN novelist Mark Twain wrote that rambling in Switzerland’s Bernese Oberland was incomparable to any opiate, legal or otherwise. Imagine the rush, then, to be booming an Aston Martin V8 Vantage S round the picturesque, vertiginous Alpine passes, past crystal-clear glacier lakes and verdant valleys where cow bells jangle for miles. I’ve been let loose [...]
Great title, great stars, bland result August 18, 2011 Film COWBOYS & ALIENS Cert: 12A IT’S the best film title since Snakes on a Plane, and this would-be blockbuster also has two huge stars – Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford – on good form. Craig is especially memorable, riding into the dusty town of Absolution with no name, a mysterious shackle on his wrist, [...]
Osborne must heed the Misery Index August 17, 2011 FOR years now, American elections have featured discussions of the Misery Index, a simple indicator which sums the unemployment and inflation rates. The higher the index, the angrier the electorate. In 1976, Jimmy Carter famously made a big deal of the index, arguing that Gerald Ford had no right even to seek the presidency given [...]
CAR TALK August 16, 2011 PRIUS PLUG-IN Toyota is introducing a plug-in version of its Prius hybrid electric car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The Prius Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) has an extended EV (electric power only) range – of up to 12.5 miles – and can achieve 128 mpg and has CO2 emissions of just 49g/km, [...]
A gritty kids’ adventure that isn’t quite great August 4, 2011 Films SUPER 8 Cert: 12A Sometimes it can be a pleasure to see a children’s movie with real grit and pathos (especially after you’ve watched Mr Popper’s Penguins – see the review below). Of course, Super 8 has an A-grade pedigree, having been produced by Steven Spielberg and written and directed by J.J. Abrams, the [...]
Strong pricing helps Ford hold up its earnings July 26, 2011 FORD Motor’s quarterly profit topped Wall Street expectations yesterday due to higher North American vehicle sales and the higher prices consumers are paying globally for cars such as the Focus and Fiesta. Ford, the only US automaker that did not accept a government bailout in 2009, has posted a net profit for eight straight quarters. [...]
Ford beats Wall Street expectations July 26, 2011 Ford’s quarterly profit beat Wall Street expectations, helped by higher prices and improved sales in North America. Ford, the only US carmaker that did not accept a government bailout, has posted a net profit for eight straight quarters. It had racked up net losses of $30bn(£18.3bn) from 2006 through 2008 when it cut jobs, sold [...]