Ineos is reportedly in talks with Fairfield Energy over its holdings in the North Sea October 27, 2015 Chemicals firm Ineos is reported to be looking at extending its presence in the North Sea oil and gas business. The group is in advanced talks with Fairfield Energy to buy a stake in the Clipper South gasfield, according to Sky News. The deal bring Ineos' holding in the field up to 75 per cent, [...]
West End retailers poised for £2.3bn Christmas and Black Friday 2015 shopping bonanza October 27, 2015 West End retailers are bracing themselves for a £2.3bn shopping bonanza this Christmas, with spending set to reach its highest level since 2007, as higher disposable incomes and lower prices help boost consumer confidence. London’s main shopping streets – Oxford Street, Bond Street and Regent Street – are expecting a 1.2 per cent uplift in sales [...]
Hug or handshake? A social guide to touching – and what’s socially acceptable when you’re with a partner, friend, stranger and sibling October 27, 2015 A handshake or a hug? Or even a kiss on the cheek? You may never have that awkward moment again, thanks to researchers at Oxford University. If in doubt, side with caution. The largest ever study into physical conduct suggests that people really don't like being touched anywhere by a stranger other than on their [...]
London house prices: This is who the capital’s prime rental tenants are, what they do, where they live and how much they pay for the privilege October 26, 2015 Ever wondered who those people are that are paying upwards of £8,000 a week to live in one of the capital's swankiest pads? Well, fellow nosy neighbours, wonder no more. In prime central London, a number of tribes have been identified by lettings agent EJ Harris, showing an increase in international tenants across the board [...]
Low oil prices mean Saudi Arabia could run out of money in five years October 25, 2015 Saudi Arabia could run out of cash in the next five years if oil prices stay as low as $50 a barrel. The painful effects of the tumbling oil price are starting to be felt in one of the world’s major oil producers, which is also the leader of Opec, Saudi Arabia, along with Oman and [...]
After Assad’s surprise visit to Moscow, is Russia Syria’s best chance of reaching a political solution? October 22, 2015 Kamal Alam, a fellow at RUSI and a military analyst advising the British Army on Syrian affairs, says Yes It is quite clear that Vladimir Putin has shown decisive leadership – not just in Syria but also in the wider Middle East. He has outsmarted Nato by forging close ties with Egypt, Algeria and even Saudi [...]
London-listed Russian hypermarket chain Lenta raises $150m for expansion October 21, 2015 Russia's second biggest hypermarket chain Lenta has raised $150m (£97m) through the sale of new shares to fund its expansion, despite a tough economic backdrop at home. The London-listed company, which has 122 hypermarkets in 63 cities across Russia and 27 supermarkets around Moscow, said it sold 21.1m new global depositary receipts (GDRs) through an accelerated [...]
FTSE ends day steady as hotel stocks surge – London Report October 21, 2015 Arally in InterContinental Hotels Group and Whitbread shares yesterday following their well-received results helped to keep the FTSE 100 steady. The blue-chip FTSE 100 ended 0.1 per cent lower at 6,345.13 points, outperforming a 0.4 per cent fall in the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300. The FTSE 100 index still trades about 11 per cent below its [...]
AstraZeneca ramps up business in Russia with new £145m drugs factory October 20, 2015 AstraZeneca opened a $224m (£145m) drugs factory near Moscow today, strengthening its long-term commitment to building business in Russia. The British pharmaceutical firm will use the facility to manufacture and package medicines, allowing it to domestically manufacture over 60 per cent of the drugs it sells In Russia. In an attempt to encourage local industry, [...]
Azerbaijan’s majestic scenery is refreshingly untouched by global tourism October 19, 2015 ‘Azerbaijan border – Good luck,” read the sign at the Georgian frontier town. I gulped, hoisted my backpack and reached for my passport. Ominous cautions from its neighbours notwithstanding, Azerbaijan is trying to court people like me. It’s not, on the face of it, an easy sell. Human Rights Watch recently noted “Azerbaijan’s government has [...]