Unilever beats forecasts thanks to price increases August 4, 2011 CONSUMER goods giant Unilever raised its prices sharply in the second-quarter to offset a hike in commodity costs, helping to beat forecasts with 7.1 per cent rise in quarterly sales. The firm behind Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Dove soaps said growth was driven by the group’s big emerging market presence in Asia, Africa [...]
FTSE crashes to lowest level in 11 months on Euro turmoil August 4, 2011 BRITAIN’S top share index tumbled and closed lower for the fifth consecutive trading day yesterday, depressed by global growth concerns and sovereign debt worries ahead of key US jobs data. Inmarsat shares plunged 19.3 per cent, hitting their lowest level in more than two and a half years after the satellite operator abandoned growth forecasts [...]
FTSE fightback foiled by bank weakness August 4, 2011 The banking sector put the brakes on potential gains on the FTSE 100 in early trading after poor results from Lloyds. The index was expected to be given new impetus today as hopes of a new package to breathe life into the US economy encouraged investors elsewhere. Former Federal Reserve vice chairman Donald Kohn said [...]
Price hikes fuel Unilever growth August 4, 2011 Consumer goods giant Unilever raised its prices sharply in the second-quarter to offset a hike in commodity costs helping it on Thursday to beat forecasts with 7.1 per cent rise in quarterly sales growth. The Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and Dove soaps group suffered a fall in margins due to the time lag between [...]
Working abroad has huge career benefits August 3, 2011 PEOPLE often describe international travel as “eye opening,” but rarely do they say it is good for your career. But research published in the Harvard Business Review shows that people who have international experience or identify with more than one nationality are better problem solvers and display more creativity. Better still, it seems that they [...]
THE WEEK AHEAD in association with GFT July 31, 2011 COMPANY NEWS ● It’s a busy week for results. Today, Hiscox, HSBC, Intertek and Ultra Electronics Holdings announce. ● Barclays, Capital Shopping Centres, Cookson, Drax, Fresnillo, GKN, Meggitt, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels, Rotork, Weir and Xstrata all announce tomorrow. ● Announcing on Wednesday are Capital & Counties Properties, Ferrexpo, Legal & General, Rexam, Rightmove, Standard [...]
Nestlé spends $1bn to buy stake in Chinese candymaker July 11, 2011 NESTLÉ, the world’s largest food company, is paying a hefty $1.7bn (£1.1bn) for a 60 per cent stake in candymaker Hsu Fu Chi International to move deeper into fast-growing markets in China. Nestlé’s biggest deal in China so far will take it closer to its target of 45 per cent of sales from emerging markets [...]
KEEP THE FAITH: TONY BLAIR PRAYS FOR GLOBALISATION WITH VALUES July 5, 2011 NEVER mind the JP Morgan advisory gig, Tony Blair’s real focus post-politics is his religious faith – despite being warned by former aide Alastair Campbell not to make a feature of his Christian beliefs. “We don’t do God,” Campbell growled to Blair, after the former Prime Minister’s Christian faith became the headline in one of [...]
FTSE digs in after gains July 5, 2011 The FTSE started solidly today after breaking the 6,000 barrier yesterday but bleak service sector data cast a shadow across European markets. Growth in the eurozone’s service sector slowed for a third straight month in June — sending negative signals to investors. The UK Markit/CIPS services PMI came in at 53.9 for June, down from [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING July 3, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES JLR IN 50 PER CENT BOOST TO SPENDING Jaguar Land Rover is to boost its spending on products by 50 per cent from about £1bn to £1.5bn as the UK’s largest premium carmaker prepares to launch the most important vehicle since Tata Motors bought the group from Ford Motor three years ago. CHI-X [...]