The Business Matrix: Thursday 9 August 2012

Avengers reaps a record for Disney

The huge global success of the movie Avengers Assemble helped Disney to report its biggest-ever quarterly profit yesterday. Pre-tax profits hit $3.03bn (£1.94bn) in the three months to June. The film, starring Scarlett Johansson, left, Jeremy Renner, Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo, smashed US box-office records.

Euro architect warns of exodus

One of the founding fathers of the single currency has warned some nations may have to quit the euro. Otmar Issing said: "How many countries will be part of it [the eurozone] remains to be seen." Issing added that funds could not be channelled indefinitely to nations that did not reform their economies.

Rio Tinto pins its hopes on China

Rio Tinto tried to look on the bright side yesterday when it said China's economy would soon zoom ahead again. The FTSE 100-listed miner's first-half underlying earnings fell to $5.2bn (£3.3bn) from $7.7bn a year earlier, as sales dipped by 13 per cent to $253 bn.

Aer Lingus stake blow to Ryanair

Ryanair's chief Michael O'Leary suffered a setback after his attempt to block an inquiry into his minority stake in rival Aer Lingus was thrown out. Mr O'Leary, argues the issue of Ryanair's 30 per cent stake was not in the UK Competition Commission's jurisdiction.