Dresdner in German deal talks July 2, 2008 Talks between German banks Commerzbank and Dresdner Bank about a potential merger have intensified, fuelling speculation that the two will soon finally confirm concrete merger talks. Teams from both Commerzbank and Allianz, the insurance group that owns Dresdner, have been locked in almost daily discussions on the valuation of each other’s assets. A deal is [...]
Six-star hotel in City July 2, 2008 Russian oligarch Vladimir Chernukhin is set to transform a landmark City building into London’s first six-star hotel. Chernukhin, a former Russian Deputy Finance Minister, was yesterday granted planning permission to redevelop the former Midland Bank headquarters – the imposing Grade 1 listed building situated on Poultry behind the Bank of England – into a luxury [...]
Markets engulfed by turmoil July 2, 2008 The FTSE 100 is now facing a critical point as it teeters dangerously close to plummeting below its March 17th low, a leading strategist warned yesterday. “It is now at a critical point. If it retests these lows then it could go a good deal lower to the 5000 level. This would mark a 50 [...]
City warns: economy to slow further July 2, 2008 The UK economy, already in its weakest state since the early 1990s recession, is set to slow further, top City economists warned yesterday as the UK was hit by a triple whammy of bad economic news. Data released yesterday revealed that the manufacturing sector contracted at its fastest rate in seven years last month, the [...]
How to create a new Microsoft and dominate the marketplace July 1, 2008 Bill Gates left Microsoft last week after 33 years dominating the age of PC computing. He got a couple of things right. First of all, when a contemporary, said there would only ever be a couple of computers in the world, Gates saw that in fact it would be a high-volume, low-margin business. Secondly, he [...]
NHS told to refocus on quality of care July 1, 2008 The quality of a patient’s care will become the central focus of the National Health Service in England, with hospitals and careteams rewarded for achieving high standards. Patients will be given a new legal right to choose their GP practice and the kind of treatment they will receive under a draft NHS constitution, launched on [...]
Profits crash at Southern Cross nursing July 1, 2008 Southern Cross Healthcare Group, the nursing home operator, shocked the City yesterday with a profits warning along with the departure of its finance director. Southern Cross, whose shares closed down 58.5 per cent at 130p, said occupancy levels at its homes had not grown by as much as it originally expected and trading was unlikely [...]
Manitowoc wins Endois auction July 1, 2008 Manitowoc last night snapped up British kitchen appliance maker Endois, fending off fierce competition from rival Illinois Tool Works. Both firms went head to head in an auction to take over Endois, but USbased Manitowoc’s offer of 328p a share won through. “Throughout this process, we reaffirmed our belief in the opportunities that Enodis provides. [...]
Setanta’s £125m bet July 1, 2008 Setanta Sports has upped its multimillion-pound gamble to take on the dominant Sky Sports by paying a record £125m for the rights to the Scottish Premier League. The new four-year deal is the largest in Scottish football history and will go through to 2014. It is more than double the £54m Setanta paid for its [...]
Emergency share issue on the cards for Taylor Wimpey July 1, 2008 Confirmation from the UK’s largest housebuilder, Taylor Wimpey, that it is seeking to shore up its balance sheet will start a wave of refinancing across the sector, analysts warned yesterday. The housing company said it expects to write down the value of its land bank by around £660m, and revealed it was in talks with [...]