U.K. & Ireland
BP to Pay $7 Billion for Devon's Assets in Gulf of Mexico, Brazil, Caspian BP Plc, Europe’s largest oil and
gas company, will pay Devon Energy Corp. $7 billion for assets
in Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico and Azerbaijan, adding fields that
may extend its production lead over Exxon Mobil Corp.
Brown Tries to `Perversely' Benefit From U.K. Relapse Risk Before Election Gordon Brown is trying to turn the
threat of a double-dip U.K. recession into an advantage.
Old Mutual Resumes Dividend Payment, Plans to Sell Unprofitable U.S. Unit Old Mutual Plc, the biggest
insurer in Africa, may sell some U.S. assets to reduce debt
after posting a loss for 2009.
U.K. Inflation Expectations Reach Highest Since 2008, Bank of England Says U.K. consumers' expectations on
price increases in the next 12 months rose to the highest since
November 2008, a quarterly Bank of England survey showed.
U.K. Stocks Erase Losses; Thomas Cook, Aggreko, BT Shares Rise in London The U.K.’s FTSE 100 Index was
little changed at 5,640.2 at 9:46 a.m. in London. The gauge
earlier fell as much as 0.5 percent.
HSBC Private Bank Suisse Says 15,000 Clients Are Affected by Theft of Data HSBC Holdings Plc’s Swiss private
bank said it suffered “serious data theft” affecting about
15,000 Swiss-based accounts.
El-Erian Says World Economy May Face Disruptive Sovereign Debt Imbalances Mohamed A. El-Erian, whose company
runs the world’s biggest mutual fund, said deteriorating public
finances may affect the global economy more than is currently
realized.
AstraZeneca Teams Up With India's Torrent in First Generic-Drug Alliance AstraZeneca Plc signed an agreement
with Torrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd. to brand and market 18 of the
Indian drugmaker medicines in 9 emerging economies, marking the
U.K. drugmaker’s first generic-drug partnership.
Ineos Shuts Unit at Lavera Refinery, Plans Work at U.K. Grangemouth Plant Ineos Group Holdings Plc, the
U.K.’s biggest chemicals company, halted a diesel unit at its
Lavera oil refinery in France for maintenance and plans work on
two processors at its U.K. plant.
Origin Enterprises First-Half Net Declines 27% in `Difficult' Environment Origin Enterprises Plc, the Irish
agribusiness and food company controlled by Aryzta AG, posted a
27 percent decline in first-half profit reflecting a
“difficult” trading environment.
British Airways Lurches Closer to Cabin Crew Strike as Union Talks Fail British Airways Plc’s 12,000 flight
attendants moved closer to a strike after talks with Europe’s
third-largest airline over pay cuts broke down.
Blaze in London's Financial District Still Being Tackled by Firefighters About 100 firefighters, 20 fire
engines and other vehicles are still tackling a fire at a
building housing offices and a restaurant on Tabernacle Street
in London’s financial district.
U.K. Would Broaden Foreign Relations Under Conservative Party, WSJ Reports Britain would strengthen ties with
other countries beyond the existing bonds with the U.S. and
Europe if the opposition Conservative Party wins the
forthcoming general election, the Wall Street Journal reported,
citing remarks made by the party’s foreign affairs spokesman,
William Hague.