WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING
FINANCIAL TIMES
THOMAS COOK SALE PLAN
A large part of Arcandor’s 53 per cent stake in Thomas Cook could be sold to institutional investors as early as next month as creditor banks of the insolvent German retailer try to claw back their loans. Two people close to the banking consortium said a share placing “theoretically still in September” was the more likely of options being considered by the group, led by Royal Bank of Scotland, Commerzbank and Bayern LB.
POTENTIAL OF THE SUN DAWNS ON THE US
Governments globally could finally be giving the solar panel industry the fresh impetus needed for it to fulfil its potential. In spite of record growth, rates over the past five years, high costs and the economic downturn mean solar has not become a mainstream energy source.
SONY LAUNCHES CHEAPER VERSION OF PLAYSTATION
Sony began a new round of console wars on Tuesday when it unveiled a cut-price version of its PlayStation3 games console, in an effort to stimulate sales. Speaking at the Gamescom trade show in Cologne, Germany, the Japanese consumer electronics company introduced the PS3 Slim, which will sell for €299 (£255), €100 less than current models. Sony is hoping this will help it make up ground against Nintendo, whose Wii console has dominated the market.
CREDIT LESS BULLISH THAN EQUITIES
As equity investors ponder whether the recent pullback in equities is just a brief pause for breath in an extended rally, fixed-income markets are signalling a less optimistic view of the economy and the consumer. Until late last week, equities had diverged from the bearish performance of corporate credit and steady decline in Treasury yields.
THE TIMES
HEADHUNTERS SUE NOMURA IN ROW OVER LEHMAN STAFF
The London division of Nomura is being sued for up to £90m by a City headhunting firm for allegedly failing to pay fees associated with attracting star talent from Lehman Brothers amid its collapse last year. Hogarth Davies Lloyd alleges that the Japanese bank has refused to pay for its work in identifying Lehman’s leading employees and persuading them to join the Japanese bank last summer.
BOSSES CRACK DOWN ON SOCIAL NETWORKS AMID LEAKS
Companies are cracking down on employees’ use of social networks and increasingly are tracking their e-mails in an attempt to stop secrets leaking out. The recession and resulting layoffs have increased the risk of departing employees leaking information in revenge or for cash.
The Daily Telegraph
GERMANY BRACES FOR SECOND WAVE OF CREDIT CRUNCH
Germany’s economics ministry is drawing up a raft of special measures with the Bundesbank to head off a fresh financial crisis, fearing that a loan squeeze by struggling banks will set off a serious credit crunch early next year. “The most difficult phase for financing is going to be in the first and second quarter of 2010,” said Hartmut Schauerte, the economic state secretary.
MORGAN STANLEY ISSUES ALERT ON CORPORATE BONDS
Corporate bonds have seen the most explosive rally in nearly a hundred years since the markets touched bottom last winter, but, according to a report by Morgan Stanley’s credit strategist Andrew Sheets, they look increasing vulnerable as they pull far ahead of equities.
WALL STREET JOURNAL
MORE BANKS IN EUROPE IDENTIFIED IN TAX PROBE
Wealthy US citizens using a tax-evasion amnesty program have identified nearly 10 Swiss and European banks where their accounts are held, opening new fronts in the Internal Revenue Service’s probe into potential tax crimes, according to people familiar with the situation. Among the banks named in the voluntary disclosures are Swiss banks Credit Suisse Group and Julius Baer Holding.
STOCKBRIDGE WEIGHS DEUTSCHE FUND
Stockbridge Real Estate Funds is considering a takeover bid for the management of a $2.6bn (£1.6bn) real-estate fund run by Deutsche Bank’s real-estate-investment unit. Such moves are rare partly because property funds often consist of scores of properties.