Economy
BP Plc could permanently close well next Monday |
|
|
| Economy | |
| Written by Roberta Murray | |
| Thursday, 29 July 2010 | |
|
Morning Business News, Thursday 29 July: BP Plc, Royal Dutch Shell reports, AstraZeneca reports and Virgin Media outperforms.
BP Plc (LON:BP) may permanently shut the well that caused the worst off-shore oil spill in US history as early as Monday. In other BP Plc news, the US SEC is said to be probing trading in the companies shares from April 20 to late June, says CNBC’s Kelly. Royal Dutch ShellRoyal Dutch Shell (LON:RDSA) has announced a Q2 net income of USD 4.39bln vs previous USD 3.82bln. Shell says it exceeded targets for cost and staff reduction. The company expects USD 7-8bln of asset sales in 2010-11 as it accelerates its disposal plans, and says the outlook remains uncertain. AstrazenecaAnother earning update out this morning sees AstraZeneca (LON:AZN) reporting Q2 earnings per share, ex-items, at USD 1.79. This compares to an analyst consensus expectation of USD 1.58. Q2 revenue stood at USD 8.18bln compared to expectations at USD 8.08bln. AstraZeneca has raised its full year core EPS target to USD 6.35 – USD 6.65. Meanwhile the US FDA panel has backed AstraZeneca's drug Brilinta for certain heart patients who are candidates for Angioplasty, votes 7-1 to urge approval for drug. FDA panel says to weigh whether to also back co’s Brilinta for certain heart patients that will be managed with drug therapy. Google eyes Facebook game makersGoogle Inc is spoiling for a fight with Facebook over the fast-growing market for online games, part of the search engine giant's latest attempt to build a social networking business. Google is believed to have opened talks with several of the games developers that have come to prominence on Facebook, where millions of users play simple social games such as FarmVille and Mafia Wars, reports the Independent. Virgin MediaVirgin Media, the UK’s only big cable company, on Wednesay announced a share buy-back scheme of up to £375m ($585m) as its expanded high-definition television service and high-speed fibre optic broadband internet service drove an unexpected increase in customer numbers, says the FT. Electric car grant survives Govt cutsA promised grant of up to £5,000 towards the cost of an electric or ultra-low carbon car has survived Government cutbacks. The Transport Secretary Philip Hammond yesterday said the funding, first announced by the Labour government, will go ahead from January 2011. The grant will reduce the cost of new ultra-low carbon vehicles by 25 per cent, capped at £5,000, according to the Independent.
|
|
Digg it! 
del.icio.us 
Newsvine 
Reddit 
Stumble It! 
