Scrapped: Guy Hands ‘pulls out of takeover plans’ for German Cartonplast August 8, 2019 Private equity magnate Guy Hands is said to have abandoned takeover plans for a European packaging business. His firm, Terra Firma Capital Partners, has withdrawn from negotiations to buy German packaging company Cartonplast, according to Sky News. The withdrawal raises questions about the ability of one of the most prominent British financiers to land fresh [...]
British Steel preferred buyer will be decided in coming days August 8, 2019 Business secretary Andrea Leadsom is poised to announce the government’s entrance into exclusive talks with its preferred buyer of stricken industrial firm British Steel. Leadsom held a conference call with the three potential buyers still in the race earlier today, telling them one would be chosen in the coming days. Read more: British Steel’s collapse [...]
Thyssenkrupp issues another profit warning amid manufacturing slump August 8, 2019 Thyssenkrupp, the German steel making giant, today gave its fourth profit warning under chief executive Guido Kerkhoff, who faces mounting pressure to turn the company around. The firm announced it expects to make around €800m (£738m) profit this year, a significant downgrade on its previous forecast for a figure between €1.1bn and €1.2bn. Read more: [...]
Boeing crisis: 737 Max grounding cuts global airline seats by 40m August 7, 2019 The grounding of Boeing’s 737 Max means at least 40m fewer aircraft seats will be available this summer. Aviation regulators across the globe grounded the jet in March after two crashes triggered by a faulty anti-stall system killed 346 people. Read more: Boeing takes $4.9bn hit on 737 Max groundings to compensate airlines Boeing hopes [...]
Rolls-Royce boss still cannot call time on Trent 1000 engine issue August 6, 2019 Rolls-Royce’s chief executive Warren East was today unable to predict when he will draw a line under a long-running engine problem which has grounded hundreds of passenger jets and already cost the firm billions of pounds. The blue-chip engineer today announced a further £100m loss on the Trent 1000 engine, which powers the popular long-haul [...]
Meggitt rides wave of US defence spending spree to defy Boeing 737 Max woes August 6, 2019 Engineering firm Meggitt enjoyed a five per cent spike in its share price this morning after upping prediction for annual revenue growth to between four per cent and six per cent. The FTSE 250 defence contractor has taken a significant hit in recent months, after Boeing grounded its 737 Max jet earlier this year in [...]
Titanic shipyard Harland and Wolff sinks into administration August 5, 2019 Historic Belfast shipyard Harland and Wolff is expected to enter administration later today, putting 130 jobs at risk. The company’s owner, Norwegian firm Dolphin Drilling, had filed for bankruptcy in June and put the yard up for sale, but no buyer has been found. Read more: UK manufacturing sector records worst month in six years [...]
BBA Aviation profits down amid aerospace industry struggles August 5, 2019 Aerospace services firm BBA Aviation shares fell this morning as it announced a slight deterioration in first half profits. The firm, which provides the global aviation industry with fuelling, ground handling and passenger services, said a cooling sector was partly to blame for the results. Read more: Cobham founding family says takeover ‘against national interest’ [...]
Car sales stagnate again in July but electric vehicle market share surges August 5, 2019 New car sales were hampered last month by confusion over Brexit uncertainty and the government’s future policies over plug-in hybrid electric cars. The British new car market shrunk 4.1 per cent in July, its fifth straight month of decline, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Read more: Car industry investment grinds [...]
British Airways to fight data breach fine as parent company profits stay flat August 2, 2019 British Airways will “vigorously defend itself” against its £183m fine by authorities for a data breach in which more than 400,000 customers’ information was stolen. The airline this morning said it would use all means at its disposal to avoid the record-breaking penalty. Read more: British Airways owner set for record £183m fine after 2018 [...]