The Agenda Column:
*This year’s boom in mergers and acquisitions will continue in 2007.
*Lakshmi Mittal is Sunday Times’ business person of the year 2006.
The Inside the City Column:
*Mixed signals cloud pension funds crisis. Corporate pension picture has become slightly rosier, but tough decisions still lie ahead.
Further news:
*Cash-strapped Sea Containers paid bosses £1 million.
*Harrods figures shrink on restated accounts.
*Make or break year ahead for Ford with chief exec Mulally at helm.
*Tesco (TSCO.L) have snapped up half of all new shopping space in Britain this year.
The Year Ahead:
*If Asia’s bicycle stops peddling so furiously we all risk falling down.
*A new wave of takeovers funded with shares may replace debt driven buy outs as the main centre of attention.
*In absence of global turmoil, the long arm of the state will loom large for British business.
The Economic Agenda Column:
*The Brown boom runs out of steam. Chancellor doesn’t expect consumer slowdown, but economists do.
Further news:
*EBRD set to deny loan to Sakhalin, a blow to Putin’s renationalisation policy.
*HSBC’s (HSBA.L) top brass lose bonuses as shares go nowhere.
*Moneysupermarket ponders £1 billion flotation.
Investment Panel’s Tips for 2007:
*Robert Talbut, CIO at Royal London Asset Management: Misys (MSY.L).
*John Hatherly, consultant to Seven Investment Management: GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L).
*Lesley Duncan, investment director UK equities at Standard Life: Compass Group (CPG.L).
*Colin McLean, SVM Asset Management: Compass Group (CPG.L).
*Jim Wood-Smith, head of research at Williams de Broe: Partygaming (PRTY.L).
*Bill Barker, Threadneedle UK Smaller Companies fund manager: Detica (DCA.L).
*Max Ward, IIT: Telford Homes (TEF.L).
*Patrick Edwardson, Baillie Gifford: Highway Insurance (HWY.L).
*Mike Felton, head of UK retail equities, M&G: Ladbrokes (LAD.L).
Further news:
*As predators, politicians and regulators get stuck in, chief execs will have to rise to the challenge in order to keep their jobs.
*US housing wobbles and a high oil price could rain on Britain’s parade.
Independent on Sunday Share Tips:
*Salamander Energy (SMDR.L), Vodafone (VOD.L), Ceres Power (CWR.L), Wolverhampton and Dudley Breweries (WOLV.L), Inchcape (INCH.L).
*Vodafone (VOD.L) to fire off new Indian bid.
*Possible increased offer for Corus (CS.L) from New Delhi based steel giant Tata.
*City beats Wall Street to cement position as world’s financial capital.
*Qantas takeover plan by overseas private equity firms sparks fury in Australia.
*Thomas Cook hire Citigroup (CGP.L) to advise on £500 million bid for package holiday business of First Choice (FCD.L).
*Little Chef set to put its property arm into administration.
*Sales help to bail out UK retailers, after poor figures for December.
*Gucci’s owner Pinault (PPP.L) eyeing up audacious $70 billion hostile bid for Suez (SUE.L).
*Vodafone (VOD.L) become embroiled in takeover scrum in India.
*Private equity firm in offer for hoteliers Intercontinental (IHG.L).
*Nasdaq threaten to set up rival London exchange if bid for LSE (LSE.L) fails.
*Carlsberg is looking for takeover targets to strengthen its position in UK.
SOME ITEMS THAT COULD INFLUENCE SHARE PRICES
*Bishops and MP’s condemn hanging of former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein.
*Car bombs kill 70 in Iraqi cities.
*Half of Royal Navy’s ships in mothballs as defence.
*Internet retailers ring up record sales to smash the £7 billion barrier.
*Storm and flood threat to New Year celebrations.
*Birth of the first global super union as Amicus, IG-Metall and two US labour groups join forces to confront power of multinationals.
*Britain ‘wasting talent of its brightest kids’.
*Smoking ban is £10 billion drag for employers.
*‘Shun domestic flights’, Branson urges Britons.
Compiled in association with HB PLC and WH Ireland Ltd
