Analysis: Air Products feels the heat from Ackman’s Pershing Square
NEW YORK (Reuters) – In June 2011, Air Products and Chemicals Inc Chief Executive John McGlade unveiled an ambitious plan to achieve $15 billion in annual sales by 2015, with a 20 percent operating margin.
RBS may create its own ‘bad bank’ if UK rejects breakup: sources
LONDON (Reuters) – Royal Bank of Scotland could create an internal “bad bank” to house more of its problem loans, even if Britain decides not to enforce a breakup of the part-nationalized lender, banking industry and political sources say.
U.S. durable goods edge higher, fiscal uncertainty weighs
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods barely grew in August in a possible sign that companies are holding back on investments due to uncertainty over government spending.
Insight: Wal-Mart ‘Made in America’ drive follows suppliers’ lead
(Reuters) – Wal-Mart Stores Inc, whose focus on low-cost sourcing helped to fuel the offshoring of U.S. manufacturing, has been promoting a patriotic new image in recent months.
Monte dei Paschi hopes to buy time on $3.4 billion fundraising: sources
ROME/MILAN (Reuters) – Italy’s Monte dei Paschi di Siena has delayed approval of a restructuring plan because it is hoping the European Commission will give it more time to raise a planned 2.5 billion euros ($3.4 billion), two sources close to the situ…
U.S. durable goods edge higher, boosted by car demand
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods edged higher in August and gave a signal that the factory sector gained a step midway through the third quarter.
Samsung dazzles phablet followers with more girth, size
SEOUL (Reuters) – Samsung Electronics Co Ltd is seeking to dazzle followers of the phablet with bigger screens, and even possibly with a curved one, in its attempt to fence off a segment of smartphones once mocked for their girth and size.
Monte Paschi chief says ready to change restructuring plan
ROME (Reuters) – The chairman of Italy’s Monte dei Paschi di Siena said on Wednesday the bank was ready to make all necessary changes to a restructuring plan aimed at winning a greenlight from the European Union for a state bailout.
Amazon unveils new tablets with live video helpdesk
SEATTLE (Reuters) – Amazon.com Inc unveiled two new high-definition tablets on Tuesday with a unique on-screen helpdesk feature it hopes will give it an advantage over devices from rivals Apple Inc and Google Inc.
Top banks have $155 billion capital shortfall, most in Europe
LONDON (Reuters) – The world’s biggest banks would need to boost their capital by 115 billion euros ($155 billion) to comply with tougher rules and more than 60 percent of that shortfall is in Europe, where lenders have been slower to strengthen.