Hollingsworth Daily Post

• Second-quarter profits at oil giant Royal Dutch Shell have almost doubled after the firm completed a year-long corporate restructuring programme.The firm reported profits of $4.5bn (£2.9bn) on a current cost of supplies basis, up from $2.3bn a year ago.But it marked a drop from the $4.9bn it made in the first three months of the year as it continued to see "mixed signals" in the world economy.


• The Greek government has used a rare emergency order to force lorry drivers back to work after a three-day strike.The drivers have until later on Thursday to return to the roads or face arrest and the loss of their licenses.Most petrol stations in Athens are out of fuel and shops and factories are running low on supplies.


• Satellite TV group BSkyB has reported a sharp jump in annual profits, driven by new subscriptions, particularly for high definition (HD) services.Profit for the year to the end of June came in at £878m, up more than threefold on the £259m the broadcaster made in the previous 12 months.Revenue also rose to £5.9bn, up more than 10% on the £5.4bn recorded a year earlier.The company said it had doubled the number of HD customers over the year.


• Aircraft giant Boeing has reported a sharp drop in profits between April and June amid falling plane deliveries.Net profit for the quarter was $787m (£504m), higher than analysts had expected but down 21% on the $998m the firm made in the same period last year.
  Group revenue also fell, to $15.6bn from $17.2bn a year earlier.


• Russia has announced plans to sell minority stakes in 11 state-run firms which it says could raise about one trillion roubles ($30bn; £19.2bn).The part-privatisation scheme, its biggest since the 1990s, is set to begin next year and will include Sberbank and its oil firm Rosneft.But state railways operator RZhD will not be included, said Alexei Uvarov of the economic development ministry.


• Consumer products giant Procter & Gamble has signed up as a global Olympics sponsor.
  The deal with the International Olympics Committee (IOC) makes Procter & Gamble the 11th global sponsor of the London 2012 Olympics.It joins other 2012 sponsor companies, such as Coca-Cola and McDonalds.

BBC Business News 29th July 2010