Google puts pressure on Sochi games with anti-discrimination logo February 7, 2014 Search giant Google has joined the ranks of those hitting out at Russia's dire record on civil liberties. Russian rules against "gay propaganda" have been widely critiscised for promoting hatred against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender groups. Google's move to change its homepage logo follows comments from US Olympic team sponsor AT&T, who made clear [...]
Inside Track: Supermarket set to repair Russian reputation in London February 6, 2014 THERE’S been many a well-known company, from the likes of retailer Harvey Nichols to the property website Zoopla or even the restaurant website Just Eat, tipped to float on the reviving London new issues market, but it looks likely one of the first companies to make it across the line will be Lenta, which is [...]
Letters to the Editor – 06/02 – Quango bonfire, Global growth, Best of Twitter February 5, 2014 Quango bonfire [Re: How charities lavish millions of taxpayer money on left-wing campaigns, yesterday] The government should consider revisiting its “bonfire of the quangos”, although they should see it through properly this time. Over 200 have been axed, with impressive savings upwards of £2bn quoted, but far too many of the roles have been rehashed, [...]
Jamaican bobsleigh team lose luggage on way to Olympics February 5, 2014 JAMAICA’S bobsleigh team missed their first Winter Olympics training session yesterday after arriving in Sochi without their luggage. With the Games due to begin this morning, Jamaica’s two-man team of Winston Watts, 46, and Marvin Dixon, 28, are without the blades that attach to their sled, or their competition clothing. Such is the popularity of [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 05 February 2014 February 4, 2014 FINANCIAL TIMES Deutsche aims to regain lost ground Deutsche Bank has appointed a new New York-based co-head of fixed income trading as the lender adds senior staff and billions in capital to its US business to regain lost ground in the largest investment banking market in the world. Rich Herman has been elevated to the [...]
Russian retail giant Lenta set for London float February 3, 2014 RUSSIA’S second biggest hypermarket chain Lenta has become the latest retailer to take part in this year’s IPO revival after announcing plans to float on the London Stock Exchange as early as next month. Lenta, which has 77 hypermarkets and 10 supermarkets in 45 cities across Russia, is aiming to raise finance as it looks [...]
Real emerging market risk is not repeat of 1997 Asian crisis February 3, 2014 Don’t prepare for a reversal in market’s appetite for risk anytime soon TO SOME analysts, the bloodbath in emerging markets over the past fortnight bears uneasy similarities to the early stages of previous full-blown emerging market crises. As a recent note by Brewin Dolphin pointed out, such episodes have historically recurred every 15 years or [...]
Here’s how Goldman is gambling on Russian fitness February 3, 2014 Gym investment is seeing Goldman Sachs raise the bar when it comes to deals it makes in Russia. The bank has upped its investment in an upmarket chain of fitness clubs, World Class, which was founded by a Russian former fencer, reports Reuters. It’s Special Situations Group (SSG) has been bagging modest deals in the [...]
Waterstones’ new owner cuts full-year losses February 2, 2014 HIGH street bookseller Waterstones has narrowed its losses by more than a third in its first financial year since being snapped up by Russian billionaire Alexander Mamut. Accounts filed last week on Companies House show that pre-tax losses fell to £23m in the year to 27 April from £37.3m the previous year. This includes £5.4m [...]
More interest rate hikes in store for troubled emerging markets February 2, 2014 REPEATED foreign exchange shocks may push emerging markets to keep raising interest rates, despite weak prospects for growth, economists have claimed. Despite several central banks in developing economies raising interest rates and intervening in markets last week, researchers from Oxford Economics suggest that the round of tightening may continue. The economists compare the situation in [...]