That meeting - part 3

Regular readers will remember my piece from a couple of weeks ago about The Times follow up to my original story from last year about who attended a British Bankers Association board meeting on April 2016, 2008 and what was discussed. In case you don't, here are the links:

http://betaville123.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/that-meeting.html

Retail titbits - part 4

Oh look - I see another one of little old Betaville's stories has been confirmed this morning with the announcement that Radley has been sold to Bregal Freshstream, a new (ish) private equity firm.

In case you don't recall, little old Betaville was the first global media outlet to "exclusively reveal" that Bregal Freshstream, which is backed by a wealthy Dutch family, was participating in the Radley auction.

That meeting - part 2

Today's business splash in The Times is rather intriguing.

Harry Wilson - City editor at The Times and a former colleague from time at The Daily Telegraph - reveals that Eric Daniels, former chief executive of Lloyds Banking Group, was told about Libor rigging at a BBA meeting in 2008.

Weekend review

There were a couple of pieces in the Saturday business sections that caught my eye.

In particular, I enjoyed Fletch's interview with Justin King, the former J Sainsbury boss who is now a top bod over at private equity firm Terra Firma. I would provide readers with a link to Fletch's article but The Times has done something weird to its website which means I can't find the link.

Sunday review; and Mike Ashley to save BHS? - part 2

It's been another tricky weekend for Sir Philip Green. In fact, the boisterous billionaire's reputation took a serious battering in the UK business press throughout the whole of last week following the confirmation of the BHS administration.

What must be particularly galling for Sir Philip is those newspapers that have up until now held back from critiquing the entrepreneur could no longer sit on the sidelines and it pretty much became open season on the pugnacious retailer.

Flag pole alert - part 8

Deal watchers looking for the next big FTSE 100 deal should read Ian King's excellent column in today's The Times.

According to the Sky News business supremo, high-level investment bankers have told the former The Times business editor that the next FTSE 100 takeover bid could be carried out by a Chinese bidder.

The acerbic commentator, the SFO and lingering investigations

The Serious Fraud Office took a bit of pasting yesterday in the British business press following it's move to close its criminal investigation into the $5 trillion-a-day global currency markets after two years of investigation.

Among the business commentariat, Alistair Osborne - a former boss and colleague during my time at The Daily Telegraph but now at the The Times - was being particularly acerbic towards the SFO, dubbing it the "seriously flawed office". Here is a link to Alistair's caustic column, which also raises some important points:

High Court sets aside default judgement obtained against Ryan Corp; claim expected to proceed before court, according to The Times

There is a good follow up in the The Times today about the Saudi Arabian diplomat who is suing Credit Suisse and Tom Ryan, the mystery Irish property developer, for the return of a £25 million investment in Hertsmere House, the scheme to develop a residential skyscraper in Canary Wharf.

Here is a link to the piece in The Times:

From predator to prey...

Most of today's coverage of ICE's confirmation of interest in the LSE focussed on how the owner of the New York Stock Exchange and rival Chicago Mercantile Exchange are weighing making counter offers for the London-listed company.

However, tucked away in the The Times splash is a line about how the Chicago Mercantile Exchange might go after Deutsche Borse, which is essentially trying to buy the LSE, instead of the UK exchange - yikes! Here is the link:

The Times diary predicts Dobson to retire from Schroders; Helge Lund to BP next?

I seem to praising lots of rival journalists today - but credit where credit is due.

This time, The Times diary section, that day edited by Patrick Hosking, deserves to take a bow after suggesting in early February Michael Dobson, the veteran Schroders chief executive, was considering stepping down.

Tesco for Home Retail Group, according to The Times and the Financial Times

Tucked away at the back of the The Times market report is a surprising snippet on the Home Retail Group takeover situation.

According to The Times market report, Tesco - yes, Tesco - was sold off yesterday amid fears it's "putting in a rival bid" for Home Retail Group. Here is a link to the excellent report, written by Tom Knowles:

In The Times today: acerbic Alistair on top form; Helge Lund to head BP

It's a bit late in the day but if you have a copy of the The Times and are planning on having a quiet Friday night in then Alistair's Osborne's business comment column is worth a read. Here is a link if you haven't got a copy:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/columnists/alistairosborne/article4688797.ece

Dobson to retire from FTSE 100-listed Schroders, according to The Times

It never ceases to amazes me how some of the juiciest City tales end up in the diary.

For example, the lead item in The Times City People diary reveals there is a "whisper" Michael Dobson, the veteran Schroders chief executive, is contemplating retirement and may to step down from the blue-chip, blue-blooded fund manager at the next set of figures.

Back on Tip TV talking about GlaxoSmithKline, Home Retail Group and General Growth Properties - part 2

There is an interesting piece in the The Times this morning about J Sainsbury's submitting a revised offer for Home Retail Group (I would paste the link but it doesn't seem to work).

The piece, written by my old boss Richard Fletcher, sort of echoes some of the things I talked about on Tip TV earlier in the week.

Top of the market? - part 4

The Times sports section had a great scoop this morning about a consortium of American investors closing in on a takeover of Everton Football Club. In case you missed it, here is a link to Rory Smith's story:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/football/article4648207.ece

Shell/BG Group worries - part 2

I guess merger arb funds don't need to worry after all about the Royal Dutch Shell / BG Group deal falling apart as the The Times business section has this morning revealed the Qataris (who have been selling out of both companies recently) are backing the deal.

In fact, the tale is the splash (UK journo parlance for main story on the front page) and appears to be well sourced. Here is a link to the piece:

Shell/BG Group worries

Risk arbitrageurs (otherwise known as the hedge funds that bet on takeover deals) have been getting increasingly nervous about Shell's £43 billion bid for BG Group following a series of bearish articles on the transaction by my old employer, The Telegraph Media Group, publisher of The Daily Telegraph and The Sunday Telegraph.

I expect those worries to transform into full scale paranoia after The Times decided to follow the Telegraph's lead and publish a news story (re?) quoting Ian McVeigh's opposition to the mega deal.
If you don't recall, McVeigh of Jupiter Fund Management wrote a piece in The Sunday Telegraph a few weeks ago likening the transaction to Royal Bank of Scotland's disastrous acquisition of ABN Amro.

The stock market report

I have to admit I relished reading the stock market report in the The Times today as it was written by the deputy city editor, Simon English. Here is a link:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/columnists/article4599006.ece

"flawed rugby tactic"

Simon English's business commentary column in The Times had me in stitches this morning, particularly the final item about "flawed rugby tactic".

English, deputy city editor of The Times, is almost as witty, acerbic and incisive as his colleague Alistair Osborne, a former boss of mine during my time at The Daily Telegraph, and currently chief business commentator of The Times.

Qatar sells Vinci stake; what next for the sovereign wealth fund? -part 2

The Times business section also thinks there is something afoot with the Qatar sovereign wealth fund and published an excellent double page spread in today's section.

In case you missed it, here is a link:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/industries/banking/article4578318.ece