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Utente:VioletteWaits725

2013-01-30T16:14:18Z

176.249.132.5: Nuova pagina: Blackberry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) has reported a quarterly loss, due in part to falling revenues on the back of weak smartphone shipments. The Canadian company made a n...

Blackberry manufacturer Research in Motion (RIM) has reported a quarterly loss, due in part to falling revenues on the back of weak smartphone shipments.

The Canadian company made a net loss for the three months to 3 March of $125m (�78m), compared with a profit of $934m a year earlier.

Revenues fell to $4.2bn from $5.2bn.

The firm also suggested it would refocus on the corporate market rather than on individual consumers.

It also announced the resignation of former co-chief executive Jim Balsillie.

Chief technology officer David Yacht will also be standing down.

Shares in the company fell as much as 9% in after-hours trading following the trading statement. They have fallen by 80% over the past year.

Shipments of BlackBerry smartphones in the quarter fell to 11.1 million, down 21% from the previous three-month period.

Shipments of the company's PlayBook tablets hit 500,000, largely due to substantial discounting.

For the full financial year, the company made a net profit of $1.2bn, down from $3.4bn in the previous year.

The results were worse than analysts had expected and RIM shares fell sharply in after-hours trading.
Corporate focus

RIM has struggled to keep up with rivals in the smartphone market, such as Apple's iPhone and handsets running on Google's Android operating system.

It has also struggled to gain a foothold in the tablet market.

Utente:SimontonHuebner813

2013-01-30T13:16:39Z

176.249.132.5: Nuova pagina: BT says it will pay �2bn into its pension fund to help cover the scheme's deficit. It is one of the biggest one-off payments yet made by a company into a pension fund. The payment ...

BT says it will pay �2bn into its pension fund to help cover the scheme's deficit.

It is one of the biggest one-off payments yet made by a company into a pension fund.

The payment is part of a nine year plan to bolster the scheme, which at the last valuation in June had a deficit of �4.1bn.

Supporting the pension fund has dragged down BT's performance. Back in 2008, the fund had a deficit of �9bn.

Under the latest plan, BT will make nine further annual payments of �325m.

BT's pension fund has 330,000 members, making it one of the biggest private sector schemes in the country.

"This agreement, under which the company makes an immediate contribution to the scheme of almost half of the deficit, reflects BT's financial strength and re-affirms our commitment to the scheme," said chief executive Ian Livingston.

BT, Royal Mail and Trinity Mirror - there is quite a lot going on in the fraught world of final salary pensions. �

"BT's long-term sustainable cash generation has improved significantly since the 2008 valuation and we remain focussed on improving BT's financial strength, investing in our future and enhancing shareholder returns."

Utente:JacquiWatts49

2013-01-30T11:32:21Z

Utente:KayHermann899

2013-01-30T07:32:39Z

176.249.132.5: Nuova pagina: The number of homes sold for more than �2m - now subject to a higher stamp duty rate - fell at the end of last year, new figures show. There were 103 �2m-plus homes sold in Decemb...

The number of homes sold for more than �2m - now subject to a higher stamp duty rate - fell at the end of last year, new figures show.

There were 103 �2m-plus homes sold in December in England and Wales - an 18% drop from the same month a year earlier, the Land Registry said.

Of these, 80 were sold in London, where prices have been rising the fastest.

The sales came before Chancellor George Osborne introduced a new 7% stamp duty rate in Wednesday's Budget.

There are various rates of stamp duty land tax - paid by the buyer of a property - already in place, depending on the cost of the home.

The chancellor said that those who bought the most expensive homes should contribute more. This will mean the buyer of a home at a cost of more than �2m must pay at least �140,000 in stamp duty.

The Treasury expects the measure to raise �150m in the next financial year, rising to �300m by 2016-17.
First-time buyers

The Land Registry provides the latest accurate data on the sales of homes at certain price bands.
Continue reading the main story
Current stamp duty thresholds

* 1%: Properties of �125,000 to �250,000, but first-time buyers are exempt until 24 March
* 3%: �250,000 to �500,000
* 4%: More than �500,000
* 5%: More than �1m, residential property only
* 7%: More than �2m, residential property only

In December, the biggest proportion of homes were sold for between �100,000 and �150,000, with a total of 14,385 sold.

Any first-time buyers who bought homes at this price would have been exempt from stamp duty at the time.

However, from Saturday, all buyers of homes sold for more than �125,000 will have to pay stamp duty because this exemption is coming to an end after two years. Mr Osborne said it had been "ineffective" in increasing first-time buyer numbers.

In the Budget, the chancellor also announced that the level of stamp duty on residential properties over �2m which were bought via a company would increase to 15% with immediate effect.

In addition, overseas companies that already own UK residential property worth more than �2m will be subject to capital gains tax from April 2013.

Overall, the Land Registry said house prices in England and Wales rose by 0.1% in February compared with the previous month.

However, prices were down 0.6% compared with February 2010. The average home cost �161,588.

Utente:SharpeSaul800

2013-01-30T03:38:56Z

176.249.132.5: Nuova pagina: Eurozone finance ministers have agreed a second bailout for Greece after marathon talks in Brussels. Greece is to receive loans worth more than 130bn euros (�110bn; $170bn). In ret...

Eurozone finance ministers have agreed a second bailout for Greece after marathon talks in Brussels.

Greece is to receive loans worth more than 130bn euros (�110bn; $170bn).

In return, Greece will undertake to reduce its debts to 120.5% of its GDP by 2020 and accept an "enhanced and permanent" presence of EU monitors to oversee economic management.

Greece needs the funds to avoid bankruptcy on 20 March, when maturing loans must be repaid.

After five straight years of recession, Greece's debt currently amounts to more than 160% of its Gross Domestic Product.

The euro immediately rose on reports of the deal, which was announced early on Tuesday, after 13 hours of talks.
Repayment takes priority

The deal also means that private holders of Greek debt will take losses of 53.5% on the value of their bonds.

When all the elements of the exchange are accounted for, the loss to investors is expected to be as much as 70%.

Eurozone leaders and the IMF said in October that Greek debt should be reduced to a more sustainable level of 120% of GDP by 2020.
Continue reading the main story
Analysis
image of Mark Lowen Mark Lowen BBC News, Athens

This is in effect uncharted territory for the eurozone - a managed Greek default, with over 50% of the country's private debt being written off. This was not even being considered as an option several months ago.

But the Greek people will be sceptical about this bailout. The deal that has been agreed will mean more austerity and spending cuts, and even more pain for Greeks. Many will be concerned that the new measures will kill off prospects of growth and lock the country into a spiral of recession.

Greeks say that the country's middle classes who have worked hard and pay their taxes are, unfairly, bearing the brunt of a crisis they did not create. They feel Greece's notorious corrupt politicans and wealthy Greeks who evaded tax are to blame.

The deal provides for the presence of EU monitors of Greece's economic management as some members doubt Greece's commitment to its spending pledges.

Within the next two months, Greece will also have to pass legislation giving priority to debt repayments over the funding of government services.