The Business Matrix: Saturday 16 March 2013

Eurotunnel disputes ruling

Eurotunnel has hit back against an EU antitrust ruling that it should sell the ferries it bought from SeaFrance. Eurotunnel said a forced sale of its ferries business could be illegal, saying that the French court which auctioned SeaFrance assets "included a prohibition on the sale" of the ships to protect jobs.

Shell censured over Arctic drill

Shell's beleaguered campaign to produce oil in the Arctic has suffered a further setback after the US Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, said it "screwed up" its attempt to drill in Alaska last year. He also said Shell will not be allowed to drill in the area again until it demonstrates it can handle Arctic conditions.

Rentokil bosses closer to bonuses

More profitable rat-catching and pigeon-deterring saw shares in Rentokil Initial jump 9 per cent yesterday, taking the chief executive, chairman and finance director at the pest-control business closer to reaping £23m in bonuses. The shares, now 99p, need to be 131p for the trio to pocket a bonus this year.

£4.36m payout for ex-Rio Tinto chief

Rio Tinto's former chief executive Tom Albanese saw his total pay, bonus and benefits jump by nearly 10 per cent in 2012, despite a £9.5bn write-down which led to his resignation. Mr Albanese's total payout rose by 9.5 per cent to £4.36m last year as the value of his long-term bonus awards increased.