BHP awaits Potash study September 29, 2010 BHP BILLITON’S efforts to take over Potash Corp endured another twist yesterday, as rival bidder Sinochem struggled to find partners for a counterbid while a Canadian report on BHP’s suitability as a bidder was delayed. Chinese firm Sinochem has failed to team up with Russian fertiliser group UralKali, according to reports last night, leaving it [...]
There is nowhere to hide: the Gamepocalypse is nigh September 29, 2010 IT MIGHT seem unlikely that the same technology that lets you blow up zombies in an ultra-realistic fashion will also one day help send astronauts to Mars. But that is precisely graphics company NVIDIA’s line of work. The California-based firm manufactures 3D graphics chips both for games companies and the Russian federal space agency in [...]
Rangers break European spell as Barca held at Rubin September 29, 2010 RANGERS striker Steven Naismith played the hero as Walter Smith’s men beat Bursaspor 1-0 at Ibrox to record their first Champions League victory in 14 attempts. Naismith reacted first to poke home a clever volley in the 18th minute after Kirk Broadfoot had headed a Steven Whittaker cross back across the penalty box. The win, [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS September 27, 2010 LUKOIL UBS sees Lukoil as cheap stock with a number of positive short-medium term catalysts not yet priced in. The broker, which reiterates a “buy” rating for the Russian energy group, says on a relative basis, Lukoil is starting to receive tax breaks and is probably set to acquire the most desired upstream assets at [...]
Severstal plans London float September 21, 2010 RUSSIAN steel group Severstal is expected to launch a float of its gold mining division in London later this year. Severstal, which owns a portfolio of gold assets in Russia and west Africa, is likely to sell off around 30-35 per cent of the company, retaining a large controlling stake for itself. The float is [...]
China is sowing the seeds of a bull market in wheat and corn September 19, 2010 SHARP rises in food prices over the summer raised the ugly spectre of riots and civil unrest across the developing world and rampant inflation in Western countries. In August a Russian ban on wheat exports caused the price to spike, prompting some countries like Egypt to aim for self-sufficiency. The surge was short-lived but the [...]
Wenger hails captain Cesc as awesome Arsenal hit six September 15, 2010 ARSENAL (6) vs BRAGA (0) ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger singled out Cesc Fabregas for praise after his captain orchestrated a Champions League demolition of Braga, scoring twice and setting up two more in a victory of embarrassing ease. Substitute Carlos Vela had time to register a brace of his own, while Andrei Arshavin and Marouane [...]
Spies and?Russians in classic le Carré London September 15, 2010 OUR KIND OF TRAITOR by john le carré Viking, £18.99 A LE Carré book is an event whether you’re a fan or not. He is the last great British thriller writer, a former spy for MI5 and MI6, and a man with an intellectually political core. He also manages to provide page-turners in a way [...]
Unloved European equities are cheap and attractive September 14, 2010 IT WAS not so long ago that European equities were underloved and underowned. A combination of the sovereign debt crisis and fears of a patchy economic recovery saw investors dumping European-listed stocks in favour of almost anything else. Global fund allocations to European equities languish at around 13 per cent, close to the lows of [...]
OECD sees signs of fresh slump September 13, 2010 A SLOWDOWN in economic growth in the world’s developed countries looks increasingly likely, a leading think-tank said yesterday, highlighting signs the recovery may now have peaked in the United States, Japan and Brazil. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said yesterday that its July composite leading indicator for the 32-nation OECD area fell [...]