Total share price rises as it swings to profit in the first quarter April 27, 2016 French energy giant Total swung into profit in the first quarter of this year, partly due to an uptick in refining revenues. The firm's adjusted net income swelled from a loss of $1.8bn (£1.2bn) in the last three months of 2015, to a profit of $1.6bn in the first quarter of this year. While the [...]
Amec Foster Wheeler share price rises after it nabs Halliburton exec as new boss April 27, 2016 Amec Foster Wheeler said today that its interim boss will be replaced by an exec from US rival Halliburton. Jonathan Lewis will step into his new role on 1 June, when interim chief executive, Ian McHoul, will move into his previous position as chief financial officer. Mr Lewis is currently a senior vice president at Halliburton, where he's held a number of [...]
Conforama drops out of the race for Darty, paving the way for Fnac April 27, 2016 French furniture chain Conforama has dropped out of the race to buy Darty, leaving the track clear for rival bidder Fnac to takeover the electricals retailer. The company, which is owned by South African retail conglomerate Steinhoff, said would not improve on its third and final offer of 160p per share because "it would no longer create [...]
Ex-Shell economist warns world has much less oil than typically thought April 27, 2016 Royal Dutch Shell's former chief economist has warned that the world is seriously overestimating how much more oil can be squeezed out of the ground. In a scientific analysis published in Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy & Environment, Michael Jefferson says there's evidence global production of conventional oil plateaued and may have even started to decline from 2005. Read more: [...]
US Presidential Election 2016: Clinton vs Trump – whose economic policy is better for markets? April 27, 2016 It is a momentous time in terms of geopolitics. A plethora of major events with potentially significant investment consequences will take place this year. They range from the Brexit hurricane in the UK, to tectonic shifts in the oil economy abroad. Even ostensibly local conflagrations, such as political deadlock in Brazil, may impact wider markets. But [...]
Unions warn that tens of thousands of industry jobs are at risk in South Africa April 26, 2016 Tens of thousands of jobs in mining, metals and engineering are at risk in South Africa as firms cut costs due to the commodity rout. South Africa's Solidarity union said today that more than 29,000 jobs could go in the mining sector, as well as 8,000 in the metal and engineering industry. The union, which [...]
Renewables-focused E.On eyes profit of up to €1bn in 2016 April 26, 2016 E.On set its sights today on net income of up to €1bn (£775m) this year as Germany's largest utilities company pushed forward on plans to spin-off its power plant and trading businesses to focus on renewable energy and distribution grids. E.On will list 53.4 per cent of its power plant and trading business, Uniper, providing it secures enough shareholder support at [...]
Cobham shares plunge as it scrambles to secure emergency funding April 26, 2016 Cobham shares plunged as much as 21.5 per cent this morning after the engineering group issued a profit warning and launched a £500m emergency rights issue. Its push into the commercial market to offset slowing government defence spending on both sides of the Atlantic by snapping up US communications equipment maker Aeroflex two years ago has failed [...]
Oil prices start to climb on news of Saudi Arabia’s share offering in Aramco April 26, 2016 Oil prices started Tuesday morning on the front foot, climbing closer to the $45 a barrel mark, following Saudi Arabia's announcement that it will sell shares in state owned oil giant, Aramco. Brent Crude climbed by 0.67 per cent to $44.78 before the European stock markets opened. Yesterday, the commodity started the week on the slide as investors [...]
The end of the road for monetary policy? With a strong yen and negative interest rates doing little to boost Japan’s economy, could helicopter money be the answer? April 26, 2016 Since the financial crisis, developed economies have turned to central banks as their only hope for stimulating demand. Trillions have been spent buying government bonds, interest rates have been kept at record lows and credit remains cheap. And still, growth in GDP, prices and wages is elusive. When the Bank of Japan (BoJ) meets on Thursday to decide its next [...]
