Russian telecoms giant Euroset plans to raise £600m through London flotation March 22, 2011 RUSSIAN telecoms giant Euroset plans to raise up to $1bn (£600m) through a London initial public offering (IPO) later this year. The firm, which is part-owned by Russian telecoms group Vimpelcom, said billionaire Russian businessman Alexander Mamut will sell down his 50.1 per cent controlling stake, as well as offering ordinary shares in the form [...]
Porridge helps Pret a Manger stay hot March 29, 2011 Sandwich chain Pret a Manger has said sales of hot food such as porridge were helping it to thrive in tough consumer environment as it posted a 37 per cent rise in its 2010 core earnings. The chain, majority owned by private equity firm Bridgepoint , said it planned to open more than 30 shops [...]
EasyJet in VisitBritain deal March 28, 2011 BUDGET airline easyJet has launched an £18m licensing deal with VisitBritain to promote tourism into the UK over the Royal Wedding, the 2012 London Olympics and beyond. The four-year deal will see the government pay the airline £9m to bring in foreign passengers to the UK. EasyJet will provide the rest of the funding in [...]
FTSE 100 sinks below 6,000 as banks and miners tumble May 11, 2011 COMMODITY and banking stocks dragged the FTSE 100 back below the 6,000 level yesterday, with these sectors pressured by Greece’s debt problems and uncertainty over global economic growth. London’s blue chip index closed down 42.89 points, or 0.7 per cent, at 5,976.00, having hit a one-week closing high on Tuesday. Atif Latif, director of trading [...]
HMV in talks with Russian billionaire over sale of bookseller Waterstone’s February 27, 2011 HIGH street bookseller Waterstone’s could be sold to a Russian billionaire by its owner HMV. The retailer is said to be holding talks over a potential sale to oligarch Alexander Mamut, a wealthy businessmen best known in Britain as the backer of blogging website LiveJournal. Mamut has already built a 6.1 per cent stake in [...]
AB Foods profit to rise but Primark stalls February 28, 2011 Associated British Foods said it expects a rise in half-year operating profits despite a slowdown at its discount fashion retailer Primark and flat profits at its UK sugar operations. The London-based company said Primark’s like-for-like sales will be three per cent ahead while its operating profit margins will be lower reflecting a tax hike in [...]
London architect finds record height March 6, 2011 LONDON-based architect group Farrells has hit a new record-breaking high with the topping of the Kingkey Finance Tower in China. The 100-storey skyscraper stands at 441 metres (1,440ft) and is the tallest building designed by a British architect to date towering over any construction in the UK. The Kingkey tower is twice the height of [...]
WHY BICK’S CHILEAN MINOR HAS X APPEAL April 10, 2011 CHARLIE Bick, the teenage son of Square1 Consulting’s chairman David Bick, looks set to follow in the footsteps of fellow Old Harrovian James Blunt, as his appearances on the Chilean X Factor are winning him an army of female fans. Charlie, 19, entered Chile’s first X Factor contest after his host family in Santiago – [...]
Targetfollow administrators ready to finish last round of asset sales February 20, 2011 ADMINISTRATORS of two Targetfollow portfolios put into administration last autumn are set to wrap up the final asset disposals, City A.M. can confirm. Deloitte last week appointed agents to sell Targetfollow’s residential and retail buildings on Prince of Wales Road, Norwich. In a separate sale, Deloitte is considering options and offers for nearby Harford Place, [...]
Lloyds must pay £500m in refunds February 21, 2011 BRITISH bank Lloyds will take a £500m provision after reaching a deal with the Financial Services Authority which will see it give partial refunds to 300,000 mortgage customers. Lloyds, the UK’s biggest retail bank, said it had reached a voluntary agreement with the FSA over initiating a customer review and contact programme with regard to [...]