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Stocks Slide As Greece Rows Back On Austerity

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 29 Januari 2015 | 00.12

Greek stocks are nose-diving for a third day as the country's new prime minister sets a collision course with creditors by overturning spending cuts imposed under its bailout programme.

Investors have reacted with horror to the election of Alexis Tsipras, with Greek stocks on course for their worst week ever in the wake of his Syriza party's win in Sunday's poll.

Banking stocks have been hammered over growing worries about default as Mr Tsipras prepares for his first meeting with eurozone officials later this week.

The PM told the first meeting of his cabinet that the coalition government would deliver "radical" change by not backing down on its anti-austerity path.

He said that while he did not wish to antagonise creditors, the Greek people had demanded a new focus and he would not seek to build up "unrealistic surpluses" to service Greece's massive public debt - funds that are a condition of its €240bn (£179bn) rescue.

Mr Tsipras announced that pensions for low-paid public sector workers would rise and some job cuts would be reversed as part of his efforts to grow employment, with more than 25% of Greeks currently out of work.

"Our priority is also a new negotiation with our partners, seeking to reach a fair, viable and mutually beneficial solution so that the country exits the vicious circle of excessive debt and recession," he said.

Almost two-thirds of young people in Greece are without work and 32% of children are living below the poverty line according to recent estimates.

The country's international lenders have maintained they will not let the country off the hook but indicated they may be prepared to give Greece more time to pay back its loans.

It raises the prospect of showdown talks, with Germany particularly anxious that other eurozone nations are not encouraged to deviate from austerity and place the single-currency at greater risk.

Greece is yet to get its hands on a final €7.2bn (£5.4bn) - agreed in principle with the EU, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund - cash which is conditional on further reform.

Demands that Greece raises more funds were dealt a further blow when Mr Tsipras confirmed the planned sale of a 30% stake in Public Power Corporation of Greece - the country's biggest utility - had been halted.

Uncertainty over the outcome of the creditor negotiations since the election has sparked three days of sharp losses in top Greek stocks - with some banks losing half their value.

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  1. Gallery: Alexis Tsipras Celebrates Victory For His Anti-Austerity Party

    A young child supporting anti-austerity party Syriza takes part in celebrations after the first exit polls in Athens

Syriza supporters await the final result of the Greek election at the party tent

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Tesco Closures: Is Your Local Store To Go?

Tesco has revealed the locations of the 43 stores it is planning to close, placing 2,000 jobs at risk.

The supermarket chain, which has suffered a string of problems including falling sales and a £263m profits overstatement, announced the closures last month as it moved to save costs.

It has now confirmed the impact of the decision, with seven superstores and six Homeplus outlets among the sites to be shut.

The majority were either Express or Metro convenience operations.

Chief Executive Dave Lewis, who is currently running the UK business, said: "In January I announced that our performance as a business has fallen significantly short of where we would want it to be and that to protect the future of the business in the UK we would close 43 unprofitable stores.

"The decision to close the stores has been exceptionally difficult to take.  I recognise it will affect many hard-working colleagues, our customers and local communities. 

"Our priority is to explain what this announcement means for our colleagues and wherever possible, offer them alternative roles with Tesco.

"We will continue to serve our customers through other local stores and our dotcom service."

In addition to the shutting of shops, the group also previously announced it would shelve plans for 49 new UK stores.

They included its £22m Chatteris store in Cambridgeshire which had been earmarked to open its doors to customers two months ago.

Tesco has not been alone in efforts to save costs.

A supermarket price war - mostly driven by the challenge from hard discount chains Aldi and Lidl - has taken its toll on other major supermarket companies.

Sainsbury's has cut jobs while Morrisons' chief executive Dalton Philips paid the price for a woeful Christmas when his departure from the business was confirmed earlier this month.

:: Tesco Superstore Closures

Bedlington, Chatham, Connswater and Cregagh Road in Belfast, Doncaster, Kirkcaldy and Wrexham Dodds Lane.

:: Tesco Homeplus Closures

Bristol Cribbs Causeway, Chelmsford, Chester, Edinburgh, Southampton and Staines.

:: Tesco Metro Closures

Bicester, Bootle, Caerphilly, Crossgates, Devizes, Grangemouth, Mexborough, Morecambe, Ormskirk, Runcorn, Smethwick and Woodseats.

:: Tesco Express Closures

Bearwood; Belvedere; Church Street, Ballymena; Heaton Chapel; Heybridge, Essex; Houghton Regis; Liverpool Kensington; Longbridge Road, Barking; Northfield, Birmingham; Raymouth Lane, Worksop; Sheffield Manor; South Tottenham High Road; Tredegar; Troon; Walsall Wood; Wealdstone; Whitley Bay; and York Road, Hartlepool.


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US Gives $2bn To Ukraine As Fighting Continues

US Gives $2bn To Ukraine As Fighting Continues

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

By Sky News US Team

The US is providing Ukraine with $2bn (£1.3bn) to help with "near-term social spending" in the war-torn country.

The deal came as America and the European Union said they were considering further sanctions on Russia to stop its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

After signing the loan guarantees agreement with Ukrainian Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko, US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew criticised "Russian aggression" in the region.

"We remain prepared to do more (on sanctions) if necessary. To that end, we will continue to work with our allies to increase the pressure on Russia," he told reporters at the signing ceremony.

Sanctions could be eased if Moscow abides by the Minsk agreement signed last September, which called for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian fighters and military equipment from Ukraine, he said.

Moscow denies Western and Ukrainian claims it has sent forces into the country.

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  1. Gallery: At Least 30 Dead In Ukraine Rocket Attack

    At least 30 people have been killed and 83 wounded in an attack on a residential area in the port city of Mariupol.

Ukraine's Interior Ministry says long-range rockets were fired on homes, buildings and a busy open air market.

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The attack came after rebels promised to escalate their campaign of violence.

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Separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko has confirmed they launched the attack on Mariupol on Saturday morning.

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Mariupol, in the Donetsk region, is strategically important because it lies between the Russian mainland and Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in March.

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US Gives $2bn To Ukraine As Fighting Continues

We use cookies to give you the best experience. If you do nothing we'll assume that it's ok.

By Sky News US Team

The US is providing Ukraine with $2bn (£1.3bn) to help with "near-term social spending" in the war-torn country.

The deal came as America and the European Union said they were considering further sanctions on Russia to stop its support for separatists in eastern Ukraine.

After signing the loan guarantees agreement with Ukrainian Finance Minister Natalia Yaresko, US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew criticised "Russian aggression" in the region.

"We remain prepared to do more (on sanctions) if necessary. To that end, we will continue to work with our allies to increase the pressure on Russia," he told reporters at the signing ceremony.

Sanctions could be eased if Moscow abides by the Minsk agreement signed last September, which called for a ceasefire and the withdrawal of Russian fighters and military equipment from Ukraine, he said.

Moscow denies Western and Ukrainian claims it has sent forces into the country.

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  1. Gallery: At Least 30 Dead In Ukraine Rocket Attack

    At least 30 people have been killed and 83 wounded in an attack on a residential area in the port city of Mariupol.

Ukraine's Interior Ministry says long-range rockets were fired on homes, buildings and a busy open air market.

]]>

The attack came after rebels promised to escalate their campaign of violence.

]]>

Separatist leader Alexander Zakharchenko has confirmed they launched the attack on Mariupol on Saturday morning.

]]>

Mariupol, in the Donetsk region, is strategically important because it lies between the Russian mainland and Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in March.

]]>

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Alibaba Sells Shoddy Goods Says China Watchdog

A Chinese regulator has launched an extraordinary attack on e-marketplace Alibaba, accusing it of failures including bribery and selling fake goods.

The critical report was reportedly withheld to avoid disrupting its US stock market debut last year.

The State Administration for Industry and Commerce (SAIC) said it had found that many products on Alibaba's platforms infringed trademarks, were substandard, illegally imported, had been banned or even endangered public security.

"Illegal business exists on Alibaba Group's trading platforms, and for a long time the company has failed to pay adequate attention and failed to take measures to stop it," the report said.

"This not only is the biggest crisis of integrity faced by the company since its founding, but also has hurt other Internet companies that try to operate legally."

It said Alibaba allowed "illegal advertising" that misled consumers with false claims about low prices and other details, claimed  some employees took bribes and the company failed to deal effectively with commercial fraud.

Alibaba responded by saying it would take responsibility for cracking down on fake goods, but added it would file a complaint against an SAIC official for "procedural misconduct" in its investigation.

Its services include Taobao, a consumer-to-consumer platform, and Tmall for consumer brands.

The company went public in New York in September after raising a record $25bn in an initial public offering.

Investors bought into the surge in online shopping in China, alongside the expansion plans of its founder Jack Ma who wants to take Alibaba to other emerging markets, Europe and the United States.

Its last financial results showed that profits were hit by investment though revenue soared 54%.

Chinese shoppers are predicted to triple their online spending between 2011 and 2015 though the country's economy is currently slowing.

Yahoo! bought into Alibaba a decade ago and is reaping the benefits of that investment.

Its chief executive Marissa Mayer confirmed on Tuesday that she was to spin off the company's remaining stake, currently worth $39bn (£25.7bn), and create a new investment vehicle called SpinCo.

The move enables Yahoo! to avoid paying billions of dollars in future taxes as SpinCo's gains from the sale of Alibaba stock would be taxed at a lower rate than if Yahoo! had held on to it.

The move helped Yahoo! shares gain more than 7% in extended trading.


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Canary Wharf Owner's U-Turn On Qatar Sale

The owner of east London financial district Canary Wharf has dropped its oppostion to a £2.6bn bid for its sale to a Qatar-led consortium.

Songbird Estates changed its stance after the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and its bidding partner Brookfield Property Partners went directly to shareholders last month.

Songbird said the sale now had the backing of the holders of at least 86% of the shares but it still thought the offer undervalued the company.

The U-turn was seen as a result of its failure to secure any rival bids.

QIA already has a 29% stake in Songbird while Brookfield has 22% of Canary Wharf Group.

Songbird had already said that if one or more of the other three large shareholders - Glick, China Investment Corp and Morgan Stanley Investment Management, were to accept, the offer would become unconditional.

Combined, they own just over 50% and shareholders have until Thursday to accept the offer.

An original bid worth £2.2bn was made last year and raised in December though both approaches were rebuffed by Songbird on value grounds.

Qatar already has significant property interests in London including the Shard and Harrods.

It made its move as Canary Wharf expands its interests beyond commercial property to residential development, with its plans including a 60-storey apartment tower.


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Five Reasons For Apple's World Record Profit

Apple has reported the largest quarterly profits ever made by a public company - $18bn (£11.8bn). Here's why Apple fortunes are so rosy...

Apple Is Following The Crowd

Apple unashamedly followed the crowd by launching its big-screen iPhone 6 and 6 Plus devices.

For years Android users had big-screen options, but Apple users had to wait until 2014 for the large display experience.

It has paid off - technology reviewers loved it and so do the customers: Apple sold 34,000 iPhones in every hour of every day in final quarter of 2014.

It Has Finally Cracked The Chinese Market

A deal struck more than a year ago appears to have been key to Apple's record-breaking quarter.

In December 2013 it began to offer iPhones through China Mobile, the world's largest mobile network.

The deal followed months of meetings between executives at the two companies.

The move meant that the network's 700 million customers suddenly had the easy option of switching to Apple's flagship phone.

As a result, sales rose by 70%.

Apple Is Bringing New Customers On Board

Market trends show that when people pick a side - Apple, Android, Windows Phone, or BlackBerry - it's incredibly difficult to get them to change.

But the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus has seen the highest number of first-time Apple buyers since the original iPhone was released in 2007.

It may be because some reviewers believe it is the most complete iPhone to date - one called it the "perfect smartphone".

It No Longer Thinks It Knows Best

For years Apple executives balked at giving customers too much control over their devices; the app store's walled garden is a perfect example.

But that is starting to change - customers were given a choice of two different sizes of iPhones, the keyboards are finally customisable, and widgets can finally be added to the home screen.

There's more to come; the new Apple Watch will come in a variety of design combinations.

Customers appear to like having the extra control over their devices.

It's Putting People In The Picture

Commentators have started to suggest that while the phone itself is a great piece of design with slick software, the biggest plus of the iPhone is its camera.

Lens and camera specialists DxO Labs named the iPhone 6 as having the best camera of any smartphone.

Some rival phones have higher numbers of pixels, or better focusing technology, but as an overall package the consensus is that the iPhone camera is best.


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Hugo Boss Owner Faces Exodus Of Top Partners

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The majority-owner of the fashion labels Hugo Boss and Dr Martens is facing an exodus of top-level partners just months after it raised billions of pounds for new investments.

Sky News has learnt that Permira, one of the world's most prominent private equity groups, is to part company with Charles Sherwood and Veronica Eng, two of the firm's longest-serving and most successful partners.

Their departures were notified to investors in Permira's funds last week alongside that of Damon Buffini, who became the poster-child of the buyout industry during its most rapid growth spurt a decade ago.

Although little-known outside the City, Mr Sherwood and Ms Eng have been among the most important figures in the evolution of the UK private equity sector, deploying billions of pounds of investors' capital on household name companies such as Birds Eye, Valentino and New Look.

One of Mr Sherwood's most lucrative deals was the takeover in 2000 of Homebase, the DIY chain, which it acquired from J Sainsbury and sold two years later to GUS.

In an update sent to limited partners (LPs) last week and seen by Sky News, Permira confirmed the partnership changes, saying: "As discussed at the Annual Meeting last year and at our June and December Advisory Committee meetings, we have been reflecting in recent months on the composition of the Investment Committee for each fund.

"The process was completed at the end of the year and some changes have now been effected by the General Partners of the funds..

"Charles Sherwood has now stepped off the committee and Damon Buffini will be stepping down at the end of April.

"Veronica Eng has now stepped down as chairman and will be stepping down from the committee at the end of June.

"All three will also be retiring from the Partnership over the course of the year."

In a press release issued last week, Mr Buffini's exit was announced, but neither Mr Sherwood nor Ms Eng was mentioned.

The shake-up at the top of Permira has surprised some investors, who queried the timing of the departures following a £4bn fundraising which closed last year.

During the last decade, private equity has become one of the most important pools of capital, driving a significant chunk of mergers and acquisitions activity globally.

Mr Buffini said last week that he was departing with Permira established as "a global leader".

"With a strong management team, a €5.3bn global fund to invest and the continued good performance of our portfolio companies, Permira is in great shape today and the time is right for me to do something new," he said.

The firm's update to LPs forecast a "competitive environment" for investing money this year, and said "weak growth prospects" in the European economy and "financial market uncertainties" were likely to be accompanied by a volatile investment environment.


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Protesters Rally Against Fracking Proposals

By Mike McCarthy, North of England Correspondent

A council has delayed its decision on the future of fracking in Lancashire, as demonstrators from around the UK gathered in the county to oppose the process.

It is the first time that Cuadrilla, an exploration company, has applied to develop new fracking sites since being blamed for creating earth tremors in Blackpool three years ago.

The firm suspended test drilling and abandoned its site near the seaside resort following the quakes in 2011.

The Preese Hall site remains the only place in the UK where modern fracking techniques have been used so far.

And the new areas sit on the same massive reserve of shale gas which experts say could help revolutionise Britain's energy market.

But groups opposed to fracking say it would industrialise the countryside and pollute the environment.

Cuadrilla has applied to Lancashire County Council for permission to frack two sites in a rural area between Preston and Blackpool.

But following guidance from a legal adviser, councillors agreed to defer a decision for a minimum of two weeks.

Officers at the authority have recommended that the proposals be rejected because of concerns over noise and road safety.

But if the councillors accept the recommendations, it will be seen as a major blow to the efforts to kick-start Britain's shale gas industry.

Anti-fracking campaigner Tina Rothery said: "Like many people in the anti-fracking movement, we have completely put our own lives on hold for four years just to get this done - because how do you walk away from this?

"Every door I would look to walk out of would have my granddaughter's face on it. I can't walk away and go 'It's okay - they'll take care of it' because it's too big."

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the process of drilling a mile or more into the earth before water, chemicals and sand are injected under high pressure into rock, releasing the shale gas trapped inside.

In recent years, it has become one of the most divisive issues in the UK, leading to violent scenes between police and protesters at proposed sites in Manchester, Lancashire and Sussex.

Supporters such as Blackpool businessman Tony Raynor claim his interest in fracking was prompted by the local earth tremors several years ago.

"Like most people, I was ambivalent to shale gas, but the tremors made me want to find out more. Now I'm in favour," he said.

"There are fewer jobs here now than there were in 2004 and we all worry about the brain drain (from the area) and our children finding opportunities in this region. We need economic activity happening in Blackpool."

The anti-fracking movement has built up considerably over recent years. Its supporters say pollution in the US has shown the process is environmentally unsustainable.

However, supporters argue that it has considerably reduced America's dependence on imported energy supplies and helped to bolster the economy.

Cuadrilla had asked that the local authority allowed more time to consider its proposals for minimising the environmental impact at fracking sites. If Lancashire councillors had rejected Cuadrilla's plans, the company is expected to appeal.


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Apple $18bn Profit Is World Corporate Record

Apple has reported quarterly profits of $18bn (£11.8bn) for the final three months of 2014 - the largest ever made by a public company.

The technology giant's financial performance was driven by a new range of larger iPhones, with 74.5 million handsets sold between October and December.

Its net profit far exceeds the previous record-holder, ExxonMobil, who reported earnings of $15.9bn (£10.5bn) during the second quarter of 2012.

Experts had predicted that Apple's total revenues would be $53.6bn (£35bn) for the quarter - but Apple's CEO Tim Cook says this was closer to $74.6bn (£49bn).

According to technology analysts, it took Apple a long time to get to grips with the fact that the public wanted larger screens - causing their market share to plummet.

Gartner's Van Baker said: "They finally closed the gap on a feature they were missing, which their competition had capitalised on."

Some investors are concerned about how Apple will perform financially in the coming year, with iPad sales down 22% in the last quarter, and warnings that growth in the smartphone sector is beginning to slow.

The iPhone accounts for two-thirds of Apple's revenue and China sales rose 70% on the year, thanks to the larger screens of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

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  1. Gallery: A Legacy: Apple Products Timeline

    The Apple II was the first computer that Apple made in large numbers. It was released in 1977

The Macintosh was released in 1984 and was the first mass-produced personal computer to feature a mouse

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Bookies Urge Minister To Clamp Down On Rivals

By Mark Kleinman, City Editor

The bosses of Britain's biggest bookmakers have urged the Government to extend advertising curbs across the industry as they seek to avoid "an unlevel playing field" with smaller rivals.

Sky News has learnt that executives from Coral, Ladbrokes, Paddy Power and William Hill met Helen Grant, the Gambling Minister, on Wednesday to discuss recent progress on responsible gambling initiatives.

Sources close to the talks said that at least one of the companies had asked Ms Grant to examine whether measures adopted by those attending the meeting should in future encompass the rest of the sector.

As part of a series of voluntary restrictions announced last year, the four biggest bookmakers no longer run incentive-based advertisements before a 9pm watershed.

These ads involve the promotion of free bets or free money, and have become increasingly widespread in recent years as the industry has staged a land-grab for customers' loyalty.

Last autumn, the four biggest bookmakers formed an industry watchdog called the Senet Group to scrutinise their behaviour.

It is now headed by an independent chairwoman, Wanda Goldwag, a former marketing executive.

Among the restrictions to which the companies have signed up are abandoning the promotion of gaming machines in shop windows and devoting space to responsible gambling warnings.

An advertising campaign funded by the industry uses the tagline: 'When the fun stops, stop.'

Insiders said that Ms Grant appeared sympathetic to the idea that the voluntary restrictions should cover a wider range of gambling activities.

An ongoing review of industry advertising regulation is due to conclude in the coming weeks, and sources believe it will recommend that smaller companies such as Victor Chandler and Bet365 should also be subject to the same constraints as the big four.

Last year, Sky News revealed that Ladbrokes would become the first of the major bookmakers to tie executives' remuneration to the success of its efforts to address problem gambling.

Like those of rival William Hill, Ladbrokes' shares have fallen sharply since an escalation of political attacks on the industry, with the leaders of the main political parties vowing crackdowns on the industry prior to the Senet Group's establishment.

Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, has argued that betting shops have been turned into "mini-casinos" because of the proliferation of gaming machines, and has promised legislation to give local authorities powers to restrict the number of Fixed-Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs).

In total, FOBTs generate annual revenues of more than £1.5bn, prompting David Cameron to pledge that he would "get to grips" with the issue.

One source said the meeting with Ms Grant had been "very positive", although the companies declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said it did not discuss private meetings.


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