Commons urged to view Virgin rail decision
The decision to strip Sir Richard Branson of the West Coast rail franchise looks set to be debated in the House of Commons after an online petition against the decision…
Permira snaps up $1bn Japan sushi chain
Permira, the London-based private equity firm, has paid about Y40bn ($500m) for Akindo Sushiro, Japan’s top-selling revolving sushi chain, in the latest exchange of assets between buyout firms in the…
Cameron pressed to replace Greening
©AFP Justine Greening made her name as a campaigning backbencher in her Putney constituency through her resistance to a third runway at Heathrow airport David Cameron is coming under increasing…
Kuoni tumbles on disappointing results
Shares in Kuoni fell 8.1 per cent, as the Swiss holiday operator reported larger-than-expected losses for the first half of 2012. Switzerland’s biggest holiday operator by sales, best known for…
Baidu to take on Google on travel info
Baidu, China’s largest search engine company by market share, has signed a deal with Skyscanner, the UK-based flight search company, as it seeks to rival Google in providing travel information…
Goals shareholders reject offer
A bid from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan to buy Goals Soccer Centres, the UK five-a-side football pitch company, has fallen through after it failed to gain enough support from…
Soros boosts Man United’s prospects
Manchester United, one of the world’s leading sporting brands, has attracted an unlikely new supporter in George Soros, the billionaire hedge fund manager best-known for “breaking the Bank of England”…
BAA’s regional hubs up in the air
Industry experts expect Stansted to be the first of several disposals by BAA in the next few years as the company that spent decades running an empire of airports considers…
S Korean household debt hits critical point
Since their restaurant closed, Oh Jin-suk and his wife have made a living gardening and cleaning streets in Seoul, which earns them about 1m won ($880) a month. Supporting a…
Soros is one of Man Utd’s top investors
George Soros, the billionaire hedge fund manager, has bought a near 8 per cent stake in the listed shares of Premier League football club Manchester United. The move makes Mr…
UK to probe Rank casino deal
Britain’s Competition Commission will review gaming operator Rank’s proposed acquisition of a rival casino business after a referral by the consumer watchdog, the Office of Fair Trading, which is concerned…
Lonmin ultimatums strike unseemly note
Lonmin has been driven by events rather than controlling them recently. Last Thursday it set a “final ultimatum” for striking rock drill operators to return to work the following day.…
UK airports
Would those interested in buying Stansted please go to the gate, where boarding will commence shortly. BAA has given up its attempt to keep control of two London airports; on…
Virgin enters short haul market
Virgin Atlantic is embarking on a significant change to its business strategy by starting to operate short haul flights in the UK. Some analysts expressed doubts about Virgin’s decision to…
The job: Coin washer
Rob Holsen, Westin St Francis Hotel I wash coins at the Westin St Francis Hotel in San Francisco. I believe it’s the only hotel in the world that offers this…