Virgin Media halts disposals November 15, 2009 Virgin Media is believed to have put plans to sell a basket of television channels on hold, as it looks at ways to secure the best price. The pay-TV broadcaster is thought to have been mulling a sale of the £160m-worth of assets, including Living, Bravo and Trouble, and to have narrowed potential buyers down [...]
Embark on an unforgettable winter journey January 17, 2010 SITTING under a palm tree on an idyllic beach starts to sound almost pedestrian when you consider what adventures lie in store for those willing to embrace snow and ice. It’s cold, but winter brings some of the most beautiful landscapes and thrilling activities on earth – from dog sledding in the Arctic Circle to [...]
Miners lend muscle to FTSE as banks shake off US blues January 18, 2010 BRITAIN’S leading share index took on 0.7 per cent yesterday, as heavyweight mining issues rallied with firmer metal prices, while banks moved higher awaiting further earnings news from US peers. At the close, the FTSE 100 index was 39.02 points higher at 5,494.39, albeit in subdued trade with US markets closed for Martin Luther King [...]
Abbey banks on double digit growth October 28, 2009 ABBEY, the UK arm of Spain’s Santander, posted a 37 per cent rise in nine-month profit yesterday, leaving it well on track to meet its target of double digit profit growth in 2009. The group – which includes the brands Abbey National, Bradford & Bingley and Alliance & Leicester – said profits totalled £1.16bn in [...]
Why the London Stock Exchange’s French boss is taking on the world February 14, 2010 L ONDON’s financial services community has a new champion: Xavier Rolet, the 50-year old French banker who took over as the London Stock Exchange’s CEO last year. Unlike many British commentators, who seem desperate to talk down one the UK’s most important industries, Rolet realises how important a prosperous City is to the UK and [...]
BSkyB results are expected to smash through analyst forecasts July 25, 2010 BSKYB is expected to smash the market consensus when it announces its results this week. A surge in demand for high definition (HD) services in the wake of the World Cup will drive the broadcasters profits higher than forecasts. Sky is understood to have netted an extra 320,000 new HD customers in the last three [...]
BSkyB results are expected to smash through analyst forecasts July 25, 2010 BSKYB is expected to smash the market consensus when it announces its results this week. A surge in demand for high definition (HD) services in the wake of the World Cup will drive the broadcasters profits higher than forecasts. Sky is understood to have netted an extra 320,000 new HD customers in the last three [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING December 2, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMES CIC IN €800M OFFER TO APAXChina Investment Corp, China’s sovereign wealth fund, is offering to invest as much as €800m (£723m) into Apax Partners’ €11.2bn private equity fund in a groundbreaking deal.The move, which would see CIC acquire a small stake in the management company of one of Europe’s biggest equity funds, shows [...]
Magnificent Strauss cuts out England middle men July 16, 2009 HERO captain Andrew Strauss insisted his England side were still in the hunt for a match-winning total despite missing out on an opportunity to put the Australians to the sword at Lord’s. The Middlesex opener smashed 22 fours in a magnificent 161no as England ended a rollercoaster opening day of the second Test on 364-6. [...]
The good times are rolling again February 17, 2010 IT’S been a rough couple of years for restaurants, many of whom – beginning life bright-eyed and bushy-tailed – were stopped in their tracks by the credit crunch. High-gloss French restaurant Ambassade de L’ile and swanky Japanese restaurant Aaya were two casualties, along with Nobu’s sister restaurant Ubon in Canary Wharf. But it’s a far cheerier [...]