China

Shares in Burberry were down on the FTSE 100 in morning trading, despite the group reporting a strong rise in revenue and pre-tax profit in the half year ended 30 September.

Maybe because they were heading in that direction for the G20 Summit in Seoul, unusually, someone in the Government must have hit upon the bright idea of taking along a fairly large business delegation for a stopover in Beijing. With the G20 conference widely expected beforehand to dissolve into a G2 summit between the world's two largest economies, Britain and America - sorry, a hundred year slip - China and America. With the UK playing a somewhat marginal role at best, this was splendid f...

The European Union, a body of which I am no fan, has shown today that it is capable of being of some use to people and businesses in Europe.

Shares in InterContinental Hotels were down on the FTSE 100 after the group reported falling operating profit and higher net debt in the third quarter ended 30 September.

Shares in Vodafone were up on the FTSE 100 in afternoon trading ahead of the telecom giant's half year results due out tomorrow.

Shares in Invensys were up on the FTSE 100 after the engineering and IT company reported a rise in revenue in the half year period ended 30 September 2010.

The Confederation of British Industry has said that Britain faces increasing competition as a destination for business investment and has already fallen behind India and China in its attractiveness to investors.

Mobile phone company Sony Ericsson has reported a return to profit in the third quarter of 2010, despite a slight drop in sales.

Shares in Diageo were up on the FTSE 100 in afternoon trading ahead of an interim management statement from the brewer, due out tomorrow.

In a small corner of the Financial Times on Wednesday, 14 July 2010, Eamon Quinn reported that the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Ireland's leading economics think-tank, was urging the Irish Government to pursue a firm austerity budget. In order to maintain the confidence of the sovereign debt markets, the Government needed to cut the deficits "rather than loosening spending to boost economic growth". At about the same time in July, Dan Boyle, Chairman of the Green Par...

Shares in Kingfisher were up on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the retailer reported a rise in pre-tax profit of over twenty per cent in the half year ended 31 July.

Shares in Associated British Foods were down on the FTSE 100 in morning trading despite the company saying it expected its earnings for the full year ended 18 September to "show very good progress".

Shares in British banks were mixed on the FTSE 100 in morning trading ahead of key data on unemployment in the USA.

Shares in BHP Billiton were up on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the mining giant reported a doubling of its profit in the full year ended 30 June.

Potash (Potassium Carbonate) and phosphate company PotashCorp is fending off a bid from BHP today driving stocks and shares on the FTSE higher after Marius Kloppers, the chief executive of the mining company said that he would take his bid for the fertiliser maker to its shareholders.

Kenny Huang and the consortium of sovereign wealth including CIC - have reportedly dropped their bid in to become Liverpool football club's new owners.

Shares in Essar were up on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the company reported a drop in it's a pre-tax profit in the half year period ended 30 June, despite a significant rise in revenue in the period.

Chinese consortium Kenny Huang appears to be a frontrunner in the bid for Liverpool FC as the club looks to tie-down a credible number of bids before the transfer deadline.

Intercontinental Hotels Group has delivered profits ahead of expectations after Revenue per available room - a key measure of a hotels' performance - increased globally at 3.9 pct at constant currency.

Chinese businessman Kenny Huang and CIC - the country's largest sovereign wealth fund - appear not to be bidding for Liverpool FC.

Unilever, the consumer goods giant and,maker of Dove soap and Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream has outperformed itself after improving margins and sales up by 3.8 pct.

RIM, who have recently been embroiled in a privacy battle with United Arab Emirates are in the midst of a smartphone launch which could see it earn back some users after market share was lost to Apple and Google Android's OS recently.

Shares in Xstrata were up on the FTSE 100 after the Swiss mining company said it had doubled its operating profit in the half year ended 30 June.

Shares in Kingfisher, owner of B&Q, were down on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the company said it was cautious about the near future, after delivering a statement for the second quarter ended 10 July.

Shares in Kingfisher were up on the FTSE 100 and are a recommended buy ahead of tomorrow's statement on Q2 trading from the company.

Shares in IG Group Holdings were down on the FTSE 250 in afternoon trading despite posting a rise in adjusted pre-tax profit of 25 per cent to £157.6 million in the full year ended 31 May.

Farmborough's International Airshow is well underway today as Exhibitors and Trade Partners meet to discuss the latest in aeroplace technology and engines.

A swing from surplus to deficit has shocked economists as the imports to the Eurozone jumped 4.6 pct leading the trade deficit to -£3.4 billion down from +£500 million in the last month.

Shares in fashion retailer Burberry were up on the FTSE 100 in morning trading after the company said it would be buying out 50 franchise stores in China for £70 million.

Shares in British banks were down on the FTSE 100 in morning trading as fears of a weaker global economic recovery once more entered the front of investor's minds.