WHAT THE OTHER PAPER SAY THIS MORNING
THE SUNDAYS
The Sunday Telegraph
ODEY CASHES IN ON BARCLAYS SHARES OVER EU “UNCERTAINTY”
Crispin Odey, the hedge fund manager who has made millions of pounds calling the fate of British banks, has sold part of his stake in Barclays. The boss of London-based Odey Asset Management, who built a 1.5 per cent stake in Barclays shortly after the bank hit lows of 51p in March, said he was cashing in on an investment that has soared by nearly 550 per cent.
GLAXO-PFIZER TIE-UP OPENS NEW ERA IN AIDS BATTLE
GlaxoSmithKline will herald the beginning of a new era in the fight against HIV and Aids this week when it launches a new company with Pfizer. The historic tie-up with its American rival involves 11 products with global sales of £1.6bn pooled into one London-based company.
THE SUNDAY TIMES
BP CHIEF TONY HAYWARD SAYS OIL INDUSTRY MEGA MERGERS ARE DEAD
The era of the oil industry mega merger is over, according to the chief executive of BP. Tony Hayward said that there is “no industrial logic at all” to the type of big-ticket takeovers that transformed the industry a decade ago.
AMBASSADOR THEATRE GROUP IN £100M DEAL WITH LIVE NATION
A cast of property magnates, stage impresarios and media executives are putting their hands in their pockets to fund the creation of Britain’s largest theatre operator. Ambassador Theatre Group is this weekend finalising the acquisition of most of the 17-strong theatre estate owned by the concert organiser Live Nation. The deal brings together ATG’s historic London theatres with Live Nation’s Lyceum and Apollo Victoria.
TODAY
FINANCIALTIMES
RYANAIR SIGNALS HALT IN GROWTH
Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary has given the strongest indication yet that the airline may stop growing after 2012, when it is due to hit its target of flying 90m passengers a year. Speaking ahead of today’s interim results, he said Ryanair did not need to secure a deal with Boeing for more aircraft – and could instead shift to a strategy of rationalising routes, building up cash and paying dividends to shareholders.
LEAP IN “DARK POOLS” TRADING
The value of shares traded through independently owned “dark pools” of liquidity in Europe has jumped almost fivefold since the start of the year in a sign that investors are shrugging off increasing regulatory scrutiny of these trading venues, according to Thomson Reuters.
The Daily Telegraph
UK ALONE IN PENSION FUND SLUMP
Britain is the only country in the Western world to have seen an increase in the deficits faced by its biggest pension funds. Sharp increases in share prices have improved the outlook for pension funds in every major developed nation apart from the UK, according to research from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
LOSS OF BRITISH GRAND PRIX COULD COST ECONOMY $1BN
As the Formula One season drew to a close yesterday at a new $250m (£152m) circuit in Abu Dhabi, research revealed that the UK economy could lose $1bn if, as looks likely, the British Grand Prix is cancelled. According to new research by F1’s industry monitor Formula Money, the British Grand Prix generates an economic impact of $60m annually.
THE TIMES
WATER COMPANIES BRACED FOR BATTLE WITH REGULATOR
Ofwat is expected to order tough new price controls that could trigger a round of rights issues and a challenge from the Competition Commission. The regulator is set to publish a final ruling this month that will dictate the amount firms can spend on upgrades to water and sewerage network and how much they are allowed to charge households.
TAXMAN TARGETS PRE-PACK OFFSPRING WITH VAT DEMAND
The government was accused last night of “thwarting” enterprise with demands from the owners of collapsed businesses of up to six months of VAT for the right to start again. Some are facing bills of up to £100,000 after a move targeting companies risen from the ashes of businesses that have gone under.