Hollingsworth Daily Post

• U.S. slip on weak consumer sentiment, oil rises.


• Sugar nears 30-year high, soybeans rally.


• Oil tops $73 on positive econ data, weak U.S. dollar.

Reuters 31st August 2009.

• The Icelandic parliament has voted in favour of repaying more than $5bn (£3bn) to the governments of the UK and the Netherlands.


• General Motors has signed up to a 2bn yuan ($293m; £180m) joint venture with the Chinese state-owned carmaker FAW to make light trucks and vans.


• Japanese shares fell on Monday after rises to the yen and big stock falls in China overshadowed earlier optimism at the general election result.

BBC Business News 2009.

• Manchester United beat Arsenal 2-1 in a bad tempered match at Old Trafford.


• Kimi Raikkonen wins the Belgian Grand Prix for Ferrari.


• Andy Murray tipped by tennis legends to have a great chance of winning the US Open which starts today.
  

Hollingsworth Daily Post

• Anti-speculation push may topple oil prices.


• US stocks rebound on financial and oil rises.


• Dell has reported another decline in quarterly profits.

Reuters 28th August 2009.

• Japan's jobless rate hit a record 5.7% in July and consumer prices fell at a record pace, figures released days before a general election have shown.


• The number of problem US banks rose to the highest level in 15 years between April and June, the industry's regulator has revealed.


• The first flight of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner will take place by the end of 2009, the company has announced.

BBC Business News 28th August 2009.

• Aston Villa stumble out of Europe.


• Sergio Garcia in good start at the USPGA Barclays Championship.


• Andy Murray to play Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in the first round of the US Open.

Hollingsworth Daily Post

• World stocks, oil jump on housing data, Bernanke.


• Oil rises above $74, nears 10-mth high on recovery hopes.Russia's Putin backs gas tax breaks in Arctic.


• U.S. gas prices barely budge as retailers keep profits.

Reuters 24th August 2009.

• Asian shares have risen sharply, boosted by comments made by Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke that the US economy is approaching recovery.


• Confidence among business professionals has seen the biggest rise for two years, suggesting the UK recession is at an end, a survey has said.


• Telecoms giant BT has closed its graduate recruitment programme as it continues to cut costs in the downturn.


• Toyota, the world's biggest carmaker, is recalling almost 690,000 cars made in China because of faulty electrical window switches.

BBC Business News 24th August 2009.

• England win back the Ashes after a sensational match at the Oval, Team GB win 6 medals including 2 golds at the World Athletics Championships, USA retain the Solheim Cup in golf.

Due to our office summer shutdown this will be our last Daily News blog until I return on Monday 24th August.

• US economy still shaky; France, Germany show life.


• Germany, France report surprise GDP gains.


• US retail sales weak, jobless claims rise again.


• US hedge fund guru's stock purchases help market.


• Copper prices at highest levels for 2009.

Reuters 14th August 2009.

• Volkswagen (VW) and Porsche have agreed the details under which VW will merge with its German compatriot by 2011.


• South Africa's central bank has taken markets by surprise by cutting its lending rate from 7.5% to a four-year low of 7%.


• Entertainment group Chrysalis says its trading in the three months to June 30 saw an "extraordinary surge" in sales of Michael Jackson's recorded music.

BBC Business News 14th August 2009.

• Thunder and chance of rain here in Malta the day before the Santa Maria Public Holiday.
• Kim Clijsters rolls on in her return to tennis as both Williams sisters are beaten.
• Tiger Woods makes a strong start at the USPGA.

• Crude rises above $70/bbl after 1 pct gain.


• US government bonds fall after Fed statement.US trade gap widens in June on oil prices.


• U.S. crude stocks up more than expected.

Reuters 13th August 2009.

• The French and German economies both grew by 0.3% between April and June, bringing to an end year-long recessions in two of Europe's largest economies.


• The Federal Reserve has suggested that the worst of the US recession is over.


• China has said it "regretted" a World Trade Organisation decision against its system for the import of American media products.

BBC Business News 13th August 2009.

Warm and sunny in Malta as usual. Scotland lose 4-0 in their World Cup qualifier with Norway, Paul Radcliffe to test fitness in a half marathon on Sunday before the World Championships.

• U.S. economy still suffering, China on solid footing.


• US employee output, inventories show economy suffering.


• Bailout watchdog says U.S. banks still at risk.


• President Obama says economy not "out of the woods".


• Central banks in Japan, South Korea keep rates steady.


• Markets underwhelmed, await word from Fed and BoE.

Reuters 12th August 2009

• The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is to publish a code later setting out how banks will have to change their policies on pay and bonuses.


• Frank DiPascali, the former chief financial officer of Bernard Madoff, has pleaded guilty for his role in his boss's $65bn (£40bn) fraud.


• China has formally arrested and charged four employees of mining firm Rio Tinto with stealing trade secrets and taking bribes, Chinese state media reports.

BBC Business News 12th August 2009

Warm and sunny in Malta, Santa Maria holiday this weekend.

Andy Murray wins his first match since Wimbledon, Tiger Woods determined to will the USPGA.

• Dollar up for 3rd day; stocks slip after rally.


• Commods mostly soften ahead of USDA, Fed.


• Saudi keeps Sept oil supply steady to Asia, Europe.


• EIA may raise oil demand forecast on better economy.


• Reuters 11th August 2009.




• The price of raw sugar has increased to its highest level since 1981, as supply concerns grow.


• General Motors (GM) and eBay are launching a trial scheme in the US that will allow customers to buy new GM cars via the auction website.


• Japan's central bank has kept its key interest rate unchanged and underlined its cautious outlook for the economy.


• BBC Business News 11th August 2009.


• 
  Warm and sunny here in Malta. Kim Clijsters makes winning comeback after 2 years away from the tennis circuit, Schumacher steps up training before Formula 1 comeback.

Hollingsworth Daily Post

• Oil extends decline amid strength in U.S. dollar.


• Natural gas settles lower, weather, data support.


• Jobs data lifts most metals but oil, gold fall.


• US jobs data boosts stocks, dollar, yields.

Reuters 10th August 2009

• The Financial Services Authority (FSA) is to publish a code this week setting out how banks will have to change their policies on pay and bonuses.


• Celebrated US financier Warren Buffett's investment firm has reported a jump in profits after making a loss in the first three months of the year.


• Japan's core machinery orders climbed in June, figures show, but the country's manufacturers are downbeat about their prospects.

BBC Business News 10th August 2009

Warm and sunny again in Malta.

Tiger Woods wins as Harrington crumbles, England lose by an innings and 80 runs in the Ashes and Chelsea beat Man Utd on penalties to win the Community Shield.

Hollingsworth Daily Post

• Britain prints more money, ECB holds rates.


• BoE expands quantitative easing program by $84 bln.


• ECB holds interest rates at record low of 1.0 pct.


• U.S. jobless claims fall 38,000 to 550,000.


• German industrial orders rise at fastest pace in 2 yrs.Australian unemployment rate steady at 5.8 pct.

Reuters 7 August 2009

• Royal Bank of Scotland Group, which is 70%-owned by taxpayers, has reported a pre-tax profit of £15m for the first six months of the year.


• Japan Airlines - the largest carrier in Asia - has reported a significant loss in the three months to May, after ticket sales slumped during the period.


• US mortgage finance firm Fannie Mae has asked the Treasury for another $10.7bn, (£6.4bn) as it announced a loss for the second three months of 2009.

BBC Business News 7 August 2009

• Warm and sunny here in Malta,


• Andrew Flintoff doubtful for the 4th Ashes test a major blow to Englands chances of beating Australia.

Hollingsworth Daily Post

• Oil and copper up but analysts wary of a correction.


• Weak U.S data drags world stocks down.


• Reuters alone in reporting BP may alter stake in Iraq deal.US senate to vote today on "clunker" bill.

Reuters Daily News Thursday 6th August

• News Corp lost $3.4bn (£2bn) in the year to the end of June - which Chief executive Rupert Murdoch said had been "the most difficult in recent history".


• Germany's Commerzbank has reported further losses as it struggles to recover from the financial crisis.


• Shares in Lloyds Banking Group surged by 11% despite its announcement of a £4bn loss in the first half of 2009, due to mounting bad debts at HBOS.

BBC Business News 6 August 2009

• Warm and sunny here in Malta,


• Celtic beat Dynamo Moscow 2-0 to progress in the Champions League qualifying,


• Andy Roddick wins first match since defeat at Wimbledon.

Hollingsworth Daily Post

• China factory output surges, U.S. auto sales jump


• 'Clunkers' bolster July U.S. auto sales


• First rise for UK manufacturing activity since March '08


• Major British banks see profits affected by bad debt


• German retail sales down, Metro warns of more declines


• China's factory output surges, euro zone nears recovery

Reuters 4 August 2009

• UBS, Switzerland's biggest bank, has reported a loss of 1.4bn Swiss francs ($1.32bn; £790m) for the April to June quarter.


• Toyota, the world's biggest carmaker, made a loss of 77.8bn yen ($818m; £483m) for the three months to the end of June as global car sales slumped.


• World stocks have risen, boosted by encouraging manufacturing figures and solid earnings results.

BBC Business News 4 August 2009

• Warm and sunny here in Malta at 31 degrees,


• England and Australia play out a tame draw in the 3rd Ashes Test.