Today's letter from the Editor
Today's Matrices
iJobs Job Widget
iJobs General

PHP/ Drupal Developer - £35k - WC

£30000 - £40000 per annum + BENS: Progressive Recruitment: Drupal Developer A ...

C# WEB DEVELOPER

£45000 - £50000 per annum + bens: Progressive Recruitment: C# WEB DEVELOPER Le...

WPF Developer (C#, VB.Net) - North East - 6 Months

£240 - £260 per day: Progressive Recruitment: WPF Developer (C#, VB.Net) North...

KS2 PPA teacher

£85 - £120 per day: Randstad Education Cheshire: KS2 teacher needed to do PPA ...

The Business Matrix: Tuesday 22 May 2012

Graff sales sparkle ahead of $1bn IPO

Graff Diamonds, headed by Francois Graff, has launched its roadshow to attract investors to its $1bn IPO in Hong Kong. The London-based jeweller also revealed its profits rose 15 per cent to $120m last year as sales climbed to $624m from $454m, with Britain accounting for more than half of them. Sales in Asia more than doubled to $120m.

Chinese takeover of US cinema chain

A Chinese conglomerate has bought the American cinema chain AMC in a deal worth $2.6bn (£1.6bn), making it the biggest Chinese takeover ever of a US company. Wanda Group, controlled by the Chinese property billionaire Wang Jianlin, already owns cinemas throughout Asia, and will become the world's biggest cinema operator.

FSA upholds UBS fines and bans

The Financial Services Authority's decision to fine and ban two former UBS advisers has been upheld by a higher tribunal. The City regulator is fining Sachin Karpe £1.25m and Laila Karan £75,000, after finding that Mr Karpe carried out substantial unauthorised trading, mostly in foreign exchange instruments.

Mitie order book grows by 26%

The outsourcing firm Mitie posted a 9 per cent rise in annual profits to £94.5m as its order book grew 26 per cent to £8.6bn. Contracts include facilities management work for Lloyds worth £775m over five years and deals with the Ministry of Justice and Essex County Council.

BTG's books are healthy again

The specialist healthcare company BTG posted annual profits of £23m, compared with losses of £10.8m a year ago, after expanding its commercial operations in the United States and seeing strong sales of CroFab, a snakebite antidote.

C&WW urges investors to sell

Cable & Wireless Worldwide urged its shareholders to seek shelter from "challenging" conditions in rival Vodafone's £1bn offer yesterday after it posted a disappointing 14 per cent slide in annual profits to £378m. The telecoms group, which has issued a string of profit warnings, recommended Vodafone's 38p-a-share offer in April.

Fund star in the money after sale

The leading London hedge-fund player Blaine Tomlinson was considerably better off yesterday after the firm he founded 21 years ago was bought by Man Group for up to £52m. FRM (Financial Risk Management) is a fund of hedge funds business which runs assets worth $8bn. It was started by the South African Mr Tomlinson in 1991.

Irn-Bru maker sees rise in sales

The Irn-Bru maker AG Barr shrugged off this year's rain-sodden April to post a 4.3 per cent rise in sales in the 14 weeks to 5 May against the same period last year. The company said that it had invested in marketing across its core brands, including a television campaign for the Rubicon brand it bought in 2008.

Rolls-Royce wins Turkish order

The engines giant Rolls-Royce has won an order to supply propulsion equipment for three new ships commissioned by the Turkish Navy. It is the first order for thrusters that Rolls-Royce has received from the Turkish Navy, which is planning a significant ship building programme.

BigHand in £49m MBO

BigHand, the largest provider of voice productivity software to the legal, healthcare and professional services market in the UK, has been acquired by Bridgepoint Development Capital in conjunction with management for £49m.

Career Services

Day In a Page

The price of pacifism: Refusing to go to war is finally being recognised as a brave act

The price of pacifism

From the Second World War refusenik to the 19-year-old Israeli, Holly Williams talks to five people who risked shame and suffering to take a stand as conscientious objector.
'It was mass hysteria': Jason Isaacs on groupies, theatre bores and snogging James Bond

Jason Isaacs: Groupies, theatre bores and James Bond

To millions, Jason Isaacs is one of Harry Potter's arch enemies – but his wife prefers him as a Scottish TV detective.
Notes from a small island: Is Sealand an independent 'micronation' or an illegal fortress?

Sealand: 'Micronation' or illegal fortress?

Thomas Hodgkinson spent a week at the tiny platform off the Suffolk coast to find out.
Not a bad bone: Mark Hix cooks with cutlets and ribs

Mark Hix cooks with cutlets and ribs

If you ignore cutlets and ribs, you'll risk missing out on some delicious and easy meals, says our chef.
Sir James Dyson’s latest project: Cleaning up hospitals

Sir James Dyson’s latest project: Cleaning up hospitals

Doctors are hailing the revamp of a Bath neonatal unit, where babies sleep more and feed better, as the model for patient care
One man returns to Argentina's town that drowned

One man returns to Argentina's town that drowned

Epecuen was submerged under 10 metres of water in 1985. Now the floods have gone – and 83-year-old Pablo Novak has moved back in
The real thing? Historian publishes Coca Cola's 'secret formula'

The real thing?

Historian publishes Coca Cola's 'secret formula'
Gordon Ramsey's worst nightmare: A restaurant he cannot save

Gordon Ramsay's worst nightmare: A restaurant he cannot save

The pugnacious chef finally met a shambolic restaurant he couldn't save. John Walsh on when TV makover refuseniks fight back
Join Ryanair! See the world! But we're only paying you for nine months a year

Join Ryanair! See the world! But we're only paying you for nine months a year

Glamorous myth of the flight attendant lifestyle undermined by angry employee's claims of 'exploitation'
Braising saddles: Did the recent furore scupper sales of horse meat? Neigh, far from it!

Braising saddles: How to cook horse meat

Did the recent furore scupper sales of horse meat? Neigh, far from it! Will Coldwell hoofs it to the kitchen.
Why bitters are back on the bar: A few little drops pack a big punch in cocktails

Why bitters are back on the bar

A few little drops pack a big punch in cocktails. No wonder we're learning to love them again...
The 10 Best barbecues

The 10 Best barbecues

Whether you're cooking on gas or are a convert to charcoal we've got the perfect way to cook when the sun is out.
Style icon David Beckham calls time on his long retirement

Style icon calls time on his long retirement

David Beckham never disgraced himself but former England captain ceased to be a major player years ago. Remember him at his United peak
Steve Harper: My darkest times

Steve Harper: My darkest times

As the popular Newcastle goalkeeper bows out after 20 years at the club, he tells Martin Hardy about the private battle with depression that threatened his career
Sir Torquil Norman has designed a flat-pack OX truck for the developing world

The flat-pack truck with big ambitions

After making a fortune from Polly Pocket and a doll's house shaped like a teapot, the entrepreneur has turned his creativity to a transporter truck for the developing world. Simon Usborne meets him.