The late ticker

Legg it, Konrad

Nicholas Roditi looks likely to succeed in his efforts to install Rupert Pennant-Rea, former deputy governor of the Bank of England, as managing director of Plantation and General Investments, replacing current MD Konrad Legg at the AGM next week. A spokesman for the company confirmed that their biggest institutional shareholder, the Italian insurance company Codelouf, is "very much in opposition to Legg". "This will give Roditi a significant head start in the ballot," he said.

Not interested

A survey out tomorrow from Kingston University's Small Business Research Centre questions the wisdom of government plans to impose statutory interest payments on overdue bills.

While 37 per cent of business owners were in favour of the charges, slightly more - 38 per cent - would not exercise this right.

Construction companies were the most likely to enforce the scheme; larger firms were the least keen to do so.

Soros point

Malaysia's prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, has publicly accused US financier George Soros of driving down the value of the Malaysian ringgit and other Asian currencies in the past few weeks.

Correction

Last week we reported that the Royal Bank of Scotland's pay review is expected to include a 100 per cent rise for IT staff. The bank points out that its review of pay for IT staff has not yet been completed.