The Business Matrix: Friday 6 December 2013

Container giants in merger talks

Two of the biggest container shipping lines are in merger talks to try to overcome a slump that has hit the industry. Shares in Chile's CSAV jumped 15 per cent after it said it was talking to Germany's Hapag-Lloyd, which has 152 vessels. Hapag-Lloyd is owned by investors including TUI AG, HSH Nordbank and the city of Hamburg.

Scardino joins board of Twitter

Marjorie Scardino, the former chief executive of Pearson, has become the first women to join the board of US social media giant Twitter. In a comment on, appropriately enough, Twitter, the 66-year-old, who left Pearson in 2012 after 16 years in charge, said: "There couldn't be a more exciting time in Twitter's history to join!"

IRN-Bru maker recovers its fizz

The Scottish drinks firm AG Barr, whose brands include IRN-Bru, bounced back from its failed merger with Britvic last summer by growing third-quarter sales by 8 per cent. Buoyed by hot weather, the company said its brands had performed well during the 18 weeks to 1 December, with volumes also up 6.4 per cent.

Hollande's pledge on jobs at risk

President François Hollande's woes deepened as French unemployment hit its highest level for 16 years, despite his pledge to help reduce it by the end of this year. The jobless rate edged up to 10.9 per in the three months to September from 10.8 cent in the previous quarter and is closing in on the all-time high of 11.2 per cent reached in 1997.

More Blockbuster shops will close

Blockbuster is closing a further 62 video rental stores with the loss of 427 more jobs. Adminstrator Moorfields Corporate Recovery said it had not found a buyer for the last 91 stores, which could cost a further 808 jobs. It said business rates had cost it £3.8m on turnover of £40m last year.

UK box-makers cash in on boom

The fast-growing manufacturing sector is also boosting profits at Britain's corrugated box makers. DS Smith unveiled pre-tax profits of £85m for the first half, up 52 per cent on 2012. The booming sector means that German companies need more boxes to transport their products.

Apax names two to replace one

Private equity giant Apax Partners has named Andrew Sillitoe and Mitch Truwit as co-chief executives. They will replace Martin Halusa, who will its become chairman next month before retiring once the firm completes investing the €5.8bn (£4.8bn) fund it raised this year.

Helphire raises £60m war chest

The accident management group Helphire has raised £60m through a cash call to finance expansion. The Bath-based firm wants to build a personal injury legal services business and is looking to buy firms for a presence in this market. It has already drawn up a shortlist.

Sportech tries its luck in America

Football pools owner Sportech has teamed up with Las Vegas-based NYX Gaming Group to provide online gaming in the US. The joint venture will offer bingo, casino, poker, slots and other games to potential licensees using the NYX platform.

Britain's 'sukuk' will be a one-off

Britain's plan to issue a £200m Islamic bond, or sukuk, is unlikely to be repeated, said Robert Stheeman, head of the Debt Management Office. Selling the first sovereign sukuk outside the Muslim world will act as a beacon, he said.