Universal movie deal keeps Sky in the front row November 5, 2012 BSKYB has signed an exclusivity deal with the company behind Hollywood giant Universal Studios, maintaining its lead in movie channels as it fends off increasing competition from the likes of Netflix and BT. The renewed agreement with NBCUniversal (NBCU), due to be announced today, allows Sky’s movie channels to screen films including recent hits Anna [...]
HSBC to face up to $1.5bn in US fines November 5, 2012 BANKING giant HSBC will today announce that it is having to put aside another half a billion pounds to pay fines for breaking anti-money laundering regulations. The bank’s lax security controls failed to stop drug dealers laundering money through the bank’s Mexican operations. In July it set aside $700m (£437m) to pay the anticipated fines, [...]
Thrill seekers put one foot in La Grave November 4, 2012 I am teetering on the edge of a cliff at the top station of Les Deux Alpes. I normally feel confident on my carving skis but this feels like no ordinary black run. Around me are some of the most spectacular views of the French Alps known to man, but all I can do is [...]
Comet’s passing brings a brief celebration for rivals’ shares but the challenges they face haven’t gone away November 1, 2012 COMETS are said to burn across the sky on the death of a prince. The passing of this Comet was marked instead by the rise of its rivals’ share prices, with Dixons Retail Group doing especially well on the assumption that its chains will pick up business. But no one can pretend that kind of [...]
James Murdoch eases through BSkyB meeting November 1, 2012 JAMES Murdoch sailed through a shareholder vote over his future on BSkyB’s board at the broadcaster’s annual meeting yesterday, on the same day that it posted results above expectations thanks to moving more customers onto its “triple-play” contracts. BSkyB said it now has a third of its 10.7m customers taking pay-TV, broadband and home phone [...]
Analyst Views | Have Bskyb’s results affected your outlook for the company? November 1, 2012 THOMAS SINGLEHURST CITI We expect full-year dividends up three to five per cent based on these numbers. This reinforces our fundamentally positive view on BSkyB which is predicated on the view that growth is much more solid/predictable than investors might expect. We are buyers with an 850p target. PATRICK YAU PEEL HUNT BSkyB’s numbers were [...]
BT savings plan offsets blows from recession November 1, 2012 A COST-CUTTING drive boosted BT’s profits in its second quarter, despite regulation and the economic downturn hitting sales. The telecoms giant put the fall in turnover down to “regulation, recession and rain” after a wet summer meant more engineers repairing infrastructure instead of rolling out new services. It also booked an £85m payment due to [...]
Mucho Macho Man ready to flex his muscles in the Breeders’ Cup Classic November 1, 2012 WITH its monster purses the Breeders’ Cup has never struggled to attract the top horses from around the globe and a strong European challenge has arrived in Santa Anita for the 29th annual championship. Considering Europe’s poor record in the Classic (12.35am), the $5 million (£3.1m) highlight of the two-day meeting on Sunday, it’s no [...]
Di Matteo: United win won’t tire us out October 31, 2012 CHELSEA 5 MANCHESTER UNITED 4 CHELSEA manager Roberto Di Matteo insisted their extra-time victory would help ease his players’ fatigue for the weekend after last night’s comeback set up a grudge quarter-final against Leeds United. Goals from Daniel Sturridge and Ramires finished off Manchester United after Chelsea had drawn level three times in 90 minutes, [...]
Bank’s Paul Tucker stumbles upon a Barclays bonus truce October 31, 2012 IT has become the City’s most wearyingly familiar formula: bank floats pay proposals with investors; investors cry foul; bank showers its largesse on employees regardless; bank suffers revolt at annual meeting. Repeat, year after year. The 2013 bonus round should, at last, provide an antidote to the toxic relationship between Britain’s biggest lenders and the [...]