<!–
The Times
Lego plans overseas expansion, brick by brick: Lego plans to set up centres in London, Singapore and Shanghai in an attempt to make the Danish toy company more international.
Oriel Securities in takeover talks with U.S. rival: Oriel Securities, the private City stockbroker specialising in small and mid-cap companies, is in merger talks with the U.S. Owner of Keefe, Bruyette Woods.
Helphire uses new rules to buy personal-injury law firm: Helphire, the road accident support group, is buying a personal-injury law firm for £43 million after new rules that allow non-lawyers to purchase legal businesses.
Promethean World loses Chairman and Founder: Promethean World is to bid farewell to its Chairman, its Founder and its Chief financial officer nearly four years after the company’s disastrous flotation.
Three more years of pain predicted for RBS shareholders: Shareholders in Royal Bank of Scotland — including the taxpayer — face three more years of losses, City analysts have predicted.
Premier cuts back on North Sea oil as ‘finds too small’: The Chief Executive of Premier Oil has warned that the group is cutting back on North Sea exploration because new discoveries are too small and taxes too high.
Spring comes early for more than 150,000 Asda workers: Staff at Asda will start their shift with a spring in their step after the supermarket chain paid out £27.8 million in annual bonuses.
Arcadia opens HQ to pupils after fine over free interns: The Education Secretary has backed a work experience programme launched by Arcadia, the fashion chain penalised by the taxman for using unpaid interns.
The Independent
Standard Life set to move south if Scots vote ‘yes’ to independence: Standard Life sent a cannonball from its Edinburgh castle HQ into Scotland’s independence debate by becoming the first major Scottish business to publicly declare that it is registering new companies in England into which it could transfer chunks of its business in the wake of a “yes” vote.
Virgin to offer broadband twice as fast as its rivals: Virgin Media is to launch a new ultra-fast broadband service, which it claims is twice as fast as that offered by BT and the rest of the competition.
Hester taps investors at insurer RSA for £775 million: Stephen Hester announced his arrival at the insurance giant RSA by axeing its dividend and launching a £775 million rights issue.
Witty prospers despite GSK’s Chinese scandal: GlaxoSmithKline paid its Chief Executive, Sir Andrew Witty, £7.2 million for 2013, a year when Britain’s biggest drug maker was rocked by a bribery scandal in China.
The Daily Telegraph
RBS has lost all the £46 billion pumped in by the taxpayer: Royal Bank of Scotland has lost all the money invested in it by the taxpayer six years ago when the lender came close to collapse.
Scotland could ‘go it alone’: Standard Poor’s: The Scottish economy would face “significant, but not unsurpassable” challenges, if it were to separate from the rest of the U.K., according to analysis by Standard and Poor’s.
British American Tobacco threatens legal challenge to plain packaging proposals: British American Tobacco has threatened to take the U.K. government to court over proposals to enforce plain packaging on cigarette packages.
One Direction label Chief in shock exit: Sony Music UK., Britain’s second-biggest record label, was in turmoil following the sudden departure of its Chief Executive Nick Gatfield.
Britons buying new homes hits five-year high: The housebuilder Barratt Homes has attributed a surge in demand for new homes to the economic recovery, an increase in consumer confidence and the Government’s Help to Buy scheme – which has given first time buyers a leg up onto the property ladder.
Capita shares hit new high on £5.5 billion bid pipeline: Paul Pindar is bowing out as Chief Executive of Capita with the shares at an all-time, boosted by a record bid pipeline including potential new work for the probation service.
Japan investigates ailing Bitcoin exchange MtGox: Japanese authorities are conducting a high-level investigation into the stricken Bitcoin exchange MtGox after it dramatically ceased trading earlier this week.
The Guardian
Big six energy companies told to pay £400 million back to former customers: The big six energy companies will be ordered by the energy regulator to hand back an estimated £400 million held in closed customer accounts.
British manufacturers urge George Osborne to overhaul business rates: British manufacturers have urged George Osborne to overhaul the business rates regime, saying the tax is blocking investment.
Bank of England identifies need to shelter homeOwners from interest spike: The Bank of England’s base rate would peak close to 3% to protect mortgage payers from a big increase in monthly interest payments, a senior Bank of England official said.
RSA in £1.6 billion fundraising drive to repair holes in balance sheet: The troubled insurance group RSA has embarked on a £1.6 billion fundraising drive as it seeks to repair the holes in its balance sheet.
Strada and Café Rouge Owner almost doubles losses: The debt-laden Owner of the Strada and Café Rouge chains almost doubled its losses last year as a restaurant voucher war took its toll.
Lego builds yet another record profit to become world’s top toymaker: It is a brand name familiar to children around the world, but a decade ago Lego was in crisis. Sales were collapsing at a rate of 26% a year, it lost 1.4 billion Danish kroner (£150 million) in 2003 and private equity firms were circling the 82-year-old family-owned Danish company.
Daily Mail
Whitbread’s Costa Coffee enjoys a surge in sales as it gets the nod of approval from discerning Parisian coffee lovers: The FTSE100 firm – which also owns Premier Inn hotels and restaurants chains including Beefeater – said total sales rose 13.2% in the 50 weeks to February 13, or 4% stripping out new stores.
RBS to pay £576 million staff bonuses despite £8.2 billion of losses but Boss warns of job losses as part of £6 billion cost cutting plan: Royal Bank of Scotland will pay staff bonuses totalling £576 million despite slumping further into the red with annual losses of £8.2 billion.
Department store Liberty enjoys rising sales and profit thanks to strong trading during winter season: Upmarket department store Liberty reported rising sales and profit thanks to strong trading during the winter.
Daily Express
RBS on mission to rebuild public trust: Royal Bank of Scotland’s new Chief Executive Ross McEwan set out his strategy for restoring its battered reputation as heavy losses delayed its likely return to the private sector.
WPP takes £600 million hit: More than £600 million was wiped from the value of WPP as the impact of a strong pound and fierce price competition took the shine off a near 19% jump in annual profit to £1.3 billion.
Countrywide records best ever January sales figures: The U.K.’s resurgent housing market got a further boost as estate agent Countrywide said it had recorded its best-ever January sales figures.
Magic for Merlin as more opt to stay home for holidays: Alton Towers and Legoland Owner Merlin Entertainments said families shunning foreign holidays for short breaks at its theme parks had sent sales rocketing.
Premier Inn Owner Whitbread delights in business confidence: Budget hotel chain Premier Inn hailed the return of the travelling businessman as sales checked out higher.
Co-operative set to reap benefit of farm division sell-off: The Co-operative Group continued the revitalisation of its business by lining up the sale of its agricultural division and reviewing the future of hundreds of its chemist stores.
City A.M.
Queen Merkel stands firm on EU treaty deal: German Chancellor Angela Merkel failed to throw David Cameron the lifeline he needed over EU reform , warning in a speech that anyone looking for support for fundamental changes to the union would be “in for a disappointment.”
Russian retail chain Lenta raises $950 million to start trading in London: Russian hypermarket Lenta is set to announce a price of $10 per global depository receipt (GDR) for its forthcoming float in London, raising $952 million for its private equity Owners.
Man Group stops the rot after its buyback lifts investor sentiment: The world’s biggest listed hedge fund Man Group showed signs of a turnaround after unveiling a $115 million (£68.9 million) share buyback programme and $700 million of net inflows for the fourth quarter.
Carlyle Group Founders pick up $93 million each: The founders of private equity firm Carlyle Group each received $92.9 million in dividends and salaries in 2013, a regulatory filing showed, up from $57.6 million in 2012.
Societe Generale pays $122 million fine: Societe Generale agreed to pay $122 million (£73 million) to settle a lawsuit by a U.S. regulator The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) accusing the bank of misleading Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in the purchase of mortgage-backed securities.
Eurozone confidence sneaks up despite ongoing fall in lending: Sentiment about the Eurozone’s economies improved again during February, staying in positive territory for another month, according to a survey by the European Commission.
Countrywide eyes £1 billion rental fund: Countrywide said it was on the hunt for a partner to help it build a £1 billion fund to invest in rental property, as it posted its first profit since returning to the stock market.
O2 sees revenue plunge despite new customers: Britain’s second-largest mobile network, O2, has seen revenues decline despite now having over one million 4G users and signing up more customers than either of its two main rivals in the final quarter last year.
Costain to raise £75 million as plans acquisitions to drive growth: Engineering and construction firm Costain unveiled a £75.1 million capital raising, which it said it would use to accelerate its growth prospects.
In the papers: Big Six energy firms to be told to hand back £400mln; Lego ...
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét