Saab now in Spyker’s web January 24, 2010 THE long-anticipated sale of Saab could finally be completed this week. Financial terms are believed to have been reached between General Motors and Dutch luxury car maker Spyker. The two sides are now thrashing out production and management issues before they can finalise the deal. One possible stumbling block is the role Vladimir Antonov, Spyker’s [...]
From Russia with love – and money January 24, 2010 THE OLIGARCH’S WIFE By ANNA BLUNDY Preface, £12.99 Anna Blundy, an impossibly glamorous-looking journalist and daughter of the late foreign correspondent Peter Blundy, knows her subject well. A graduate of a Russian at Oxford, she lived in Russia first as a translator, then a blues singer and then as foreign correspondent for a national newspaper. [...]
Murray sets up Nadal clash January 24, 2010 BRITAIN’S No1 Andy Murray set up a mouth-watering quarter-final clash with defending champion Rafael Nadal after outwitting American giant John Isner in the Australian Open. The 22-year-old fifth seed displayed an impressive combination of brains and brawn to overcome the threat of 6ft 9in Isner and win through 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 6-2 in a little [...]
Rusal raises $2.2bn with Hong Kong listing January 21, 2010 RUSSIAN aluminium giant Rusal has sold $2.2bn (£1.36bn) of shares in a public listing in Hong Kong. Rusal sold 1.61bn shares at 10.80 Hong Kong dollars (86 pence) each. Shares in the company will start trading on 27 January. Rusal, which is the first Russian company to list in Hong Kong, is controlled by the [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING January 21, 2010 FINANCIAL TIMES MUSIC INDUSTRY CLAIMS 95 PER CENT OF DOWNLOADS ILLEGAL AS CD SALES FALL A quarter of all recorded music industry revenues come from digital channels but online file-sharing continues to undermine the global music industry, with sales of physical and digital music falling last year, according to trade body the International Federation of [...]
SSL Russian venture lifts expectation January 21, 2010 THE owner of the Durex and Scholl Footwear brands SSL yesterday said the recent acquisition of Russia’s most popular condom brand has continued to perform ahead of expectations, boosted by strong sales of core consumer brands and continued investment in advertising and promotion. Despite a difficult trading environment in some countries, the company has seen [...]
Redknapp ponders van Nistelrooy bid January 19, 2010 TOTTENHAM boss Harry Redknapp admits he is interested in signing striker Ruud van Nistelrooy on loan. The former Manchester United hitman, 33, has been linked with a return to the Premier League after falling out of favour at Real Madrid. But while Redknapp heads the queue for the free-scoring Dutchman, the deal would only hinge [...]
Federer finds his feet after surviving an early scare January 19, 2010 WORLD No1 Roger Federer came through a shaky start to open his Australian Open account with a stuttering victory over Igor Andreev at Melbourne Park. The Swiss star, seeking a fourth Australian Open title, dropped the opening set before coming back to win 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7-2) 6-0 against the Russian. “I knew it was [...]
BROKER WILLS & CO OPENS FIRE ON FSA’S REGULATORY CRACKDOWN January 18, 2010 WHEREAS most City firms are content to whinge ineffectually about the Financial Services Authority’s new heavy-handed approach to regulation, it seems that others are starting to put their money where their mouth is. Rumours have been busy swirling in the Square Mile over the regulatory status of private client stockbroker Wills & Co, which can [...]
Strand Hanson strikes a pact with Russia’s Renaissance January 18, 2010 CORPORATE finance boutique Strand Hanson has forged a strategic advisory alliance with Renaissance Capital, under which the Russian emerging markets investment bank is to take a 9.9 per cent stake in the business. The deal comes after a busy year for Strand, which was bought out by a management team led by chief executive Simon [...]