EDFplays down talk of asset swap plans September 21, 2009 FRENCH energy firm EDF yesterday said it was not close to securing an asset swap deal with its German rival E.ON, and denied that it had plans to sell a further 20 per cent stake in British Energy. In May, EDF sold a 20 per cent stake in British Energy to Centrica for €2.5bn (£2.1bn), [...]
EDFplays down talk of asset swap plans September 21, 2009 FRENCH energy firm EDF yesterday said it was not close to securing an asset swap deal with its German rival E.ON, and denied that it had plans to sell a further 20 per cent stake in British Energy. In May, EDF sold a 20 per cent stake in British Energy to Centrica for €2.5bn (£2.1bn), [...]
Venture eyes up acquisitions August 19, 2009 Oil company Venture Production touted the possibility of launching a field buying spree yesterday, as it fights off a $2bn (£1.6bn) hostile takeover bid from Centrica, as it announced a one per cent drop in first-half profits. Venture said that “large asset packages” may come onto the market in the coming year as the international [...]
Venture eyes up acquisitions August 19, 2009 Oil company Venture Production touted the possibility of launching a field buying spree yesterday, as it fights off a $2bn (£1.6bn) hostile takeover bid from Centrica, as it announced a one per cent drop in first-half profits. Venture said that “large asset packages” may come onto the market in the coming year as the international [...]
FTSEcloses at one-year high as energy and mining rally October 12, 2009 RALLYING energy stocks and miners, spurred by firmer commodity prices and growing optimism on the corporate outlook and global economy, helped the top share index to its highest close in over a year yesterday. Global equity markets were given a shot in the arm by forecast-beating results from Philips ahead of earnings from other major [...]
THE LONDON REPORT September 23, 2009 THE leading share index closed lower yesterday as falling commodity prices stung oil firms and miners while investors stayed cautious ahead of the conclusion of a US Federal Reserve policy meeting. The FTSE 100 ended 0.1 per cent, or 3.23 points, lower at 5,139.37, erasing gains from earlier in the session as shares on Wall [...]
UK dominates deal rankings July 19, 2009 LONDON dominated the global mergers & acquisitions (M&A) scene last week, with deals by buyout vehicle Resolution and gas giant Centrica pushing up UK volumes by 39 per cent compared to last year. Resolution’s talk of a $2.7bn (£1.65bn) buyout of insurer Friends Provident was the top announced deal and Centrica’s $1.7bn plans to take [...]
UK dominates deal rankings July 19, 2009 LONDON dominated the global mergers & acquisitions (M&A) scene last week, with deals by buyout vehicle Resolution and gas giant Centrica pushing up UK volumes by 39 per cent compared to last year. Resolution’s talk of a $2.7bn (£1.65bn) buyout of insurer Friends Provident was the top announced deal and Centrica’s $1.7bn plans to take [...]
Brown to hire Royal spin doctor June 15, 2009 Prime Minster Gordon Brown is set to appoint the man responsible for the turnaround of the Queen’s public image after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales as his new spin doctor. Simon Lewis, whose clients include Buckingham Palace, Centrica and Vodafone, will try to restore Brown’s dogged reputation. Lewis is an old acquaintance of [...]
Time to call a halt to the reporting season pile-up August 5, 2009 THE blizzard of blue chip companies reporting major results in the past fortnight has turned into an avalanche. Yesterday marked the last of the overwhelming diary days – at least for a while. The respite is a relief for the analysts tasked with producing research notes based on the results, not to mention shareholders and [...]