The Lex Column:
*Alternative reality - A $100-billion leveraged buy-out no longer seems unthinkable. But what about a $100-billion exit?
*Private equity regulation - As private equity firms have snapped up swathes of corporate Europe and America they were bound to find their activities under the microscope. But is the industry focused on the wrong area of regulatory risk?
*Hedge fund fees - Warren Buffett describes how the Gotrocks family members can fritter away their fortunes by hiring “Helpers” to invest for them. He notes that Helpers – hedge funds, say – share in winnings, but their clients take the losses.
The John Plender on Monday Column:
*Oh, what a lovely year - prizes for almost all – Risk is on the back burner, gravity asleep.
*Credit binge? Too bad.
*Corruption awakes.
Interview:
*Franck Petitgas, head of Europoean investment banking at Morgan Stanley.
FT FM Section:
*Face to face with Henderson's (HGI.L) Andrew Formica.
Further news:
*Currency traders overlook Japan’s recovery.
*Unilever (ULVR.L) set to select outsider as non-executive chairman.
*How accidents in Alaska forced BP (BP.L) on the defensive.
*AstraZeneca's (AZN.L) medicine man breaks 'small molecule' spell.
*Citywire's fund manager profile Raphael Kassin, of ABN Amro Global Emerging Markets.
The Economic View Column:
*Eurozone has overcome an array of woes – The year has been an annus mirabilis for global business.
Smaller Stock to Watch:
*Boat International.
Further news:
*AstraZeneca (AZN.L) chief David Brennan casts new doubt on future of AGI-1067, an experimental treatment for hardening of the arteries.
*Boots (AB.L) plans to redevelop historic Nottingham City site.
Market Profile:
*Ian Blackburn, Chief Executive of Zetar (ZTR.L).
Further news:
*Private equity ‘facing default mayhem’.
*Debt-driven private equity houses face a tenfold increase in corporate defaults, warns Jon Moulton, founder of Alchemy Partners.
*Scottish & Newcastle (SCTN.L) hit wholesalers with beer and cider price rises.
*UK investors leave the rest... but junior still lures foreigners (Salamander Energy (SMDR.L), Imperial Energy (IEC.L), First Quantum Minerals (FQM.L)).
The Stephen King Column:
*Beware false dawns: Germany’s renaissance has boosted Europe, but a US slowdown could hurt.
The Small Talk Column:
*Hopes high as MeDaVinci (MVC.L) gets a new Dutch master.
*Hanover's chain reaction (Renold (RNO.L)).
*Telecom Plus (TEP.L) firing on all cylinders.
Further news:
*Hanson (HNS.L) looks to demonstrate material growth.
*Euronext investors set to back tie-up with NYSE.
*Foreign banks are eyeing up opportunities in the UK area are set to swoop in the new year, according to Deloitte.
*Westinghouse wins $8-billion China nuclear deal.
*Alexon (AXN.L) sells its struggling shoe chain Dolcis for £3 million to Scottish entrepreneur John Kinnaird.
*Today BT (BT.L) is expected to publish findings of its triennial pension review.
*Diageo (DGE.L) is planning to make acquisitions in the wine business, according to chief executive.
*Satellite Information Services believed to be considering a move for the Racing Post.
*Royal & Sun Alliance's (RSA.L) attempt to offload its ailing US business by the year-end could be dealt a blow in the American courts.
*A stark indictment of BP's (BP.L) leadership style, corporate cutlure and cost-cutting has been delivered by one of the frontrunners to succeed Lord Browne as chief executive, Tony Hayward.
*Guy Hands' Terra Firma private equity vehicle is putting the finishing touches to a buy-out fund that will close early next year at over £3.5-billion.
*Restaurant group Yo! Sushi unveils £17.5-million of new funding today.
*Clean Energy Brazil to list on AIM today.
*Polyus, Russia's largest gold miner, will today list on the London Stock Exchange.
SOME ITEMS THAT COULD INFLUENCE SHARE PRICES
*Gaza strip suffers one of its heaviest days of violence as street battles erupt between the ruling Islamic movement Hamas and supporters of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.
*Tony Blair's message dashes hopes of an early troop withdrawal from Iraq.
*Saudi Arabia threatened to withdraw all co-operation on security, including intelligence sharing on al-Qaeda, and downgrade its embassy in London, unless Tony Blair scrapped a fraud inquiry into its dealings with BAE (BA.L).
*President Ahmadi-Nejad suffers setback in Iran elections.
*Police likely to quiz Lord Levy for third time in cash for honours inquiry.
*Retailers cheered by rise in festive activity, according to SPSL, the research company.
*Royal Dutch Shell (RDSA.L) believes it could reach a deal to bring Gazprom into the £11.3-billion Sakhalin-2 project by the end of the week.
*Company profits cut by new accounting methods on share plans, according to survey.
*Profitability among the country's banks is expected to remain strong, despite rising bad debts, according to Standard & Poor's.
*Hong Kong overtakes London Stock Exchange (LSE.L) in value of flotations.
*Vodafone (VOD.L) has won 800,000 new subscribers in Germany.
*Skype founders to launch global broadband television.
*Sony to offer downloaded video content on its Playstation Portable early next year.
*Japan's is undergoing its longest economic recovery since the end of the 19th century.
Compiled in association with HB PLC and WH Ireland Ltd
