Gulf Keystone to seek main market listing September 14, 2011 GULF Keystone Petroleum, the Kurdistan-focused oil explorer listed on the alternative investment market, said yesterday it is targeting a move up to the main listing in the first half of next year. “As at 12 September 2011, the company had a market capitalisation of £1.2bn which would place it comfortably in the higher echelons of [...]
Time to be tougher towards the EU May 9, 2011 IT was Europe Day yesterday – and no, I wasn’t celebrating. The EU is shockingly badly managed. It wastes vast amounts, its single currency is in crisis (with bailout-hungry Greece’s credit rating downgraded again), it is bureaucratic and its massive regulatory apparatus is crippling, rather than liberating, Europe’s economies. Take two all too typical anecdotes: [...]
ABI warns on bonus payouts February 6, 2011 THE Association of British Insurers (ABI) has warned the UK’s top 350 public firms against offering executive pay deals with unlimited bonuses. An ABI letter sent to all FTSE 350 firms warns that its institutional voting information service (IVIS) would issue a “red top” alert on uncapped pay deals where there was no proof of [...]
ABI warns on bonus payouts February 6, 2011 THE Association of British Insurers (ABI) has warned the UK’s top 350 public firms against offering executive pay deals with unlimited bonuses. An ABI letter sent to all FTSE 350 firms warns that its institutional voting information service (IVIS) would issue a “red top” alert on uncapped pay deals where there was no proof of [...]
Pharma’s mega-trends should unlock returns April 18, 2011 STAGNATING product development, a tough regulatory climate and pressures from generic producers have seen the profits of the pharmaceutical industry take a hit in the last decade. However, the next chapter in the story should see a reversal, as big pharma takes advantage of ageing populations, the growth of emerging markets and a biotech revolution. [...]
Don’t let builders be the only beneficiaries March 28, 2011 Housebuilding companies have rallied since news in last week’s budget that £250m would be made available to help first time buyers get onto the property ladder. Dubbed Firstbuy Direct, the scheme will give those below a certain income threshold access to a 25 per cent equity loan to cover the deposit on a new home. [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING May 3, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES BUSINESSES FEAR £90BN HIT IN COSTS BOOMERANG The UK’s main quoted companies fear that £90bn of annual costs will return to their books as they recover, washing away savings made during the recession and squeezing profit margins, according to a survey by a leading accountancy firm. Businesses believe that 95 per cent of [...]
Essar shares hit by fears over red tape August 22, 2011 INDIA-FOCUSED refiner and power generator Essar Energy said three projects would be delayed as it continues to battle hold-ups from regulators, hurting its shares. The company said yesterday there would be “minor delays” to three power projects and that it is still awaiting forest clearance from the Indian government for its three coal blocks which [...]
Essar shares hit by fears over red tape August 22, 2011 INDIA-FOCUSED refiner and power generator Essar Energy said three projects would be delayed as it continues to battle hold-ups from regulators, hurting its shares. The company said yesterday there would be “minor delays” to three power projects and that it is still awaiting forest clearance from the Indian government for its three coal blocks which [...]
FTSE rises but Eurozone still weighs on some bank stocks August 15, 2011 ARALLY by commodity issues on a brighter demand picture pulled Britain’s top share index higher yesterday, though weakness in banks dented some sentiment as investors looked cautiously ahead towards a key meeting today on the Eurozone debt crisis. French President Nicolas Sarkozy will meet German chancellor Angela Merkel in Paris to discuss further steps to [...]