Market research
The European Commission's antitrust investigation into major Hollywood film studios, including Universal Studios, MGM, Walt Disney, Columbia Pictures, Paramount, Twentieth Century Fox, and Warner Bros, has stalled. The studios have managed to prevent the Commission from serving them with formal charges, which could take months to resolve. The
Market research
Industry leaders have successfully lobbied ministers to set a sales ceiling of 1.5 per cent for the government's proposed range of "Sandler-style" stakeholder investment products, which are designed to help plug the £27 billion retirement savings gap. The move marks a significant victory for the
Market research
Carlos Ghosn, once credited with reviving Nissan Motor, is now turning his attention to Mitsubishi Motors. Renault's acquisition of both companies has yielded impressive results for Nissan, with net profits reaching $4.5 billion and operating margins hitting 11%. In contrast, Mitsubishi Motors has been met with rejection,
Markets (Economics)
Japan's economy experienced a significant boom in the last quarter of 2003, with its gross domestic product (GDP) growing at an annualized rate of 7 percent, the fastest pace of expansion since 1990. This growth has sparked concerns that the Bank of Japan's demand for US
Markets (Economics)
Global markets experienced a significant boost yesterday, with the US and UK markets recording their best daily gains in months. The surge in asset prices was driven by encouraging economic data, including better-than-expected earnings and positive jobs numbers. The pan-European FTSE Eurotop 300 rose to a 19-month high, its best
Stocks
Standard Life, Europe's largest mutual insurer, has sold £7.5bn worth of equities over the past six weeks to meet new solvency requirements set by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The company has also reduced its proportion of the £31bn with-profit fund held in equities from 77% at
Stocks
Mexico City's IPC stock index has continued its upward trend, closing above the 10,000-mark for the first time yesterday. Analysts attribute the record-breaking high to signs of economic recovery in Mexico, stimulated by the uptick in the US economy and investment shifts from other Latin American countries.
Markets (Economics)
Britain's long-suffering army of savers are celebrating the second rise in three months in the Bank of England's main interest rate, which has climbed to 4 per cent. The quarter-point increase on Thursday could bring benefits to savers in the form of higher interest rates on
Stocks
Eurex's newly approved US Futures Exchange is set to launch in Chicago this Sunday, offering US Treasury futures contracts in direct competition with the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). This regulatory approval allows Eurex to take advantage of its deep-pocketed parents, Deutsche Borse and the Swiss Exchange, to
Markets (Economics)
Invensys, a distressed engineering group, is poised to unveil a major refinancing package, aimed at addressing its debt obligations and stabilizing its financial position. The three-part package, which involves a share placing, a high-yield bond issue, and bank debt restructuring, is expected to total £2.5 billion. The equity component
Stocks
As the UK-based electronic equipment servicing and repair company CRC Group continues its upward trend, adding 4.4 per cent to its share price yesterday, investors are becoming increasingly optimistic about the company's prospects. Despite a challenging 2003, marked by a 50% drop in sales due to Nokia&
Market research
The UK private finance initiative debt market experienced a significant surge in 2003, with the total debt rising by 67% to Pounds 8.2bn. This growth was driven by the increase in PFI and public-private partnership deals coming to fruition. According to figures from Thomson Financial Project Finance International, the
