Ryanair’s new touchy-feely O’Leary hits turbulence but sees clearer air ahead; Controversial airline’s chief admits mistakes but says firm had to change after ‘running like lunatics’ for 20 years

Ryanair’s new touchy-feely O’Leary hits turbulence but sees clearer air ahead

Controversial airline’s chief admits mistakes but says firm had to change after ‘running like lunatics’ for 20 years

Gwyn Topham

The Guardian, Tuesday 5 November 2013 21.09 GMT

Michael O’Leary is relaxing baggage policy, toning down onboard selling and softening penalties for customer errors. Photograph: Frank Leonhardt/EPA

Strange things are afoot at Ryanair. Shareholders have complained about the airline’s image. Profits are set to dip for the first time in five years. The ever-rising share price has finally tumbled. And chief executive Michael O’Leary, the man the flying public most loves to hate, has embraced customer service. Investors have been posing a previously unthinkable question. Has O’Leary screwed up? Read more of this post

New York Is Investigating Advisers to Pension Funds; Benjamin Lawsky, the state’s financial services regulator, wants to know if any advice is clouded by incentives or conflicts of interest

NOVEMBER 5, 2013, 9:02 PM

New York Is Investigating Advisers to Pension Funds

By MARY WILLIAMS WALSH

Public pensions in New York State have some of the most reliable funding in the country, but what happens to the money once it is in the pension system can be less clear-cut. Now, state financial regulators have subpoenaed about 20 companies that help New York’s pension trustees decide how to invest the billions of dollars under their control to determine whether any outside advice is clouded by undisclosed financial incentives or other conflicts of interest. Read more of this post

Half of the UK’s top flight FTSE 100 companies are to be hit by new rules designed to prevent a repeat of the stock market scandals at companies like ENRC and Bumi, where controlling shareholders rode roughshod over ordinary investors; Regulator to give new powers to minority investors in large companies where a shareholder has 30pc or more of equity

Half of FTSE 100 to be hit by new listing rules

Regulator to give new powers to minority investors in large companies where a shareholder has 30pc or more of equity

The City regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has outlined a series of drastic new measures designed to protect minority investors by giving them a greater voice. Photo: Reuters

By James Quinn, Financial Editor

1:55PM GMT 05 Nov 2013

Half of the UK’s top flight FTSE 100 companies are to be hit by new rules designed to prevent a repeat of the stock market scandals at companies like ENRC and Bumi, where controlling shareholders rode roughshod over ordinary investors. The City regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has outlined a series of drastic new measures designed to protect minority investors by giving them a greater voice. Read more of this post

Montreal: Where the Churches Convert; Religious Buildings Finding an Afterlife as Condos, Galleries and Spas

Montreal: Where the Churches Convert

Buildings Finding an Afterlife as Condos, Galleries and Spas

KAREN JOHNSON

Nov. 5, 2013 7:13 p.m. ET

Inside the former Saint-Jude Church in Montreal, personal trainers mill about where priests once did and hot-stone massages have replaced baptisms. In this city, a former Roman Catholic stronghold where Mark Twain once said you couldn’t throw a brick without breaking a church window, questions about what to do with all those churches have lingered for years.

Read more of this post

Developers Brace for End of Montreal’s Condo Boom

Developers Brace for End of Montreal’s Condo Boom

Sales Are Well off the Pace of Previous Years

DAVID GEORGE-COSH

Nov. 5, 2013 6:12 p.m. ET

With signs that Montreal’s more than decadelong condominium boom could be fading, some local developers are repositioning or even pulling projects due to waning demand. In the downtown core, quarterly presales of new condos have averaged nine units per project this year, according to Altus Group Ltd. AIF.T -0.07% , a real-estate consultancy. That is well below the pace of such sales in both 2012 and 2011, when the average was 16 units. Read more of this post

Canadian Investor Bets on a Montreal Revival; For more than two decades, Montreal was one of the sleepiest office markets in Canada

Canadian Investor Bets on a Montreal Revival

Cadillac Fairview Wants to Expand City’s Business Center to the South

DAVID GEORGE-COSH

Nov. 5, 2013 6:11 p.m. ET

For more than two decades, Montreal was one of the sleepiest office markets in Canada, seeing no new private development as cities such as Toronto and energy-rich Calgary added millions of square feet of new space. Now, as Canadian investors step up real-estate investment throughout the world, a company owned by one of Canada’s largest pension funds is looking to shake things up. Read more of this post

The creative strength of Hong Kong’s artistic community has declined and now lags behind the mainland, media entrepreneur Li Ruigang warns

Warning over HK’s slipping creative strength
Grace Cao
Tuesday, November 05, 2013
The creative strength of Hong Kong’s artistic community has declined and now lags behind the mainland, media entrepreneur Li Ruigang warns. “Hong Kong should have done better as there is no dearth of talent and media industry professionals,” said Li, the former president of Shanghai Media Group – an arm of the municipal government. Li worked for SMG before starting his private equity fund in 2009. Read more of this post

Some Food Companies Ditch ‘Natural’ Label; Amid Lawsuits Over the Claim, More Producers Drop the Word

Some Food Companies Ditch ‘Natural’ Label

Amid Lawsuits Over the Claim, More Producers Drop the Word

A growing number of food and drink companies are quietly removing “all natural” claims from packages amid lawsuits challenging the “naturalness” of everything. Mike Esterl reports on the News Hub.

MIKE ESTERL

Updated Nov. 6, 2013 12:07 a.m. ET

Now you see them. Now you don’t. Food products labeled as “natural” are starting to disappear. “Natural” Goldfish crackers will soon be just Goldfish. “All Natural” Naked juice is going stark Naked. “All Natural” Puffins cereal is turning into plain old Puffins. A growing number of food and drink companies including PepsiCo Inc.PEP +0.30% and Campbell Soup Co.CPB +0.07% are quietly removing these claims from packages amid lawsuits challenging the “naturalness” of everything from potato chips to ice cream to granola bars. Read more of this post

Chains of pain: FMCG remains one of business’ toughest segments

Phil Ruthven Columnist

Chains of pain: FMCG remains one of business’ toughest segments

Published 06 November 2013 11:37

Acronyms abound these days and FMCG is one of them; standing for fast-moving consumer goods. Marketers define this category of spending as consisting of high-volume goods, low margins, wide distribution networks and high stock turns. While the consumers do not readily relate to the term FMCG, their behaviour identifies with these products through frequent purchase, low prices, and low involvement in choosing items other than those with strong brand loyalty. It is a sector worth about $200 billion in 2013. That expenditure represents about a sixth of household income and virtually half all retail sales. Read more of this post

Shale revolution boosts US Gulf refiners; Record discount to Brent global benchmark highlights impact

November 5, 2013 1:11 pm

Shale revolution boosts US Gulf refiners

By Ajay Makan in London

Crude oil prices in the Gulf of Mexico have been pushed to record discount levels against the Brent global benchmark, boosting profits for refiners in America’s principal oil processing hub. The moves are the latest sign of the impact of the shale revolution on the US refining industry and promise to further accelerate already booming US exports of petroleum products. Read more of this post

This Is Why Bitcoin Is Fundamentally Broken

This Is Why Bitcoin Is Fundamentally Broken

 ITTAY EYAL AND EMIN GÜN SIRER, CORNELL UNIVERSITY NOV. 5, 2013, 11:21 AM 5,244 21

Bitcoin is broken. And not just superficially so, but fundamentally, at the core protocol level. We’re not talking about a simple buffer overflow here, or even a badly designed API that can be easily patched; instead, the problem is intrinsic to the entire way Bitcoin works. All other cryptocurrencies and schemes based on the same Bitcoin idea, including Litecoin, Namecoin, and any of the other few dozen Bitcoin-inspired currencies, are broken as well. Read more of this post

India’s bitter land battles set to roll on

November 5, 2013 7:57 am

India’s bitter land battles set to roll on

By Amy Kazmin in Meerut, India

India’s new land law was designed to resolve one of the most vexing problems of its sputtering economy: bitter stand-offs over state acquisition of agricultural land for industry, infrastructure and urban development. But the ruling Congress party’s attempt to ensure fair treatment for farmers – and protect them as India industrialises and urbanises – has left landowners awaiting windfall profits, companies fearing projects will be unaffordable, and experts warning of an abdication of state powers to take land for economically desirable projects. Read more of this post

Cargill to change beef labeling in wake of ‘pink slime’ furor

Cargill to change beef labeling in wake of ‘pink slime’ furor

1:06pm EST

By P.J. Huffstutter

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Cargill Inc, one of the world’s largest beef processors, will begin labeling when its finely textured beef is used in the making of its U.S. ground beef products, the company told Reuters on Tuesday. The move by the U.S. meat manufacturer comes as consumers increasingly demand more transparency in how agribusiness companies make the food they eat and how these products are disclosed on the packaging. Read more of this post

China May Phase Out Sugar Stockpiling Program, NDRC Says

China May Phase Out Sugar Stockpiling Program, NDRC Says

China, the second-biggest sugar consumer, may phase out a stockpiling program that boosted inventories to a record while failing to lift domestic prices, according to an official at the country’s top planning agency. The effort cost the government almost $3 billion in the past two years, according to an estimate by Xinhu Futures Co. It may be partially replaced by direct subsidies to cane and beet farmers as early as the crop year beginning October 2014, said Zhao Lihua, a director at the economy and trade division of the National Development and Reform Commission. Read more of this post

Whitney Tilson: Observations From My Trip To China

Observations From My Trip To China

I got back on Friday afternoon from a fascinating 10-day trip to China – the first time I’ve been to mainland China in 21 years. I spent the first half of my trip in Shanghai, China’s most populous, modern, wealthy, capitalistic city, and the second half in Tengchong, in remote, rural, south-central China, bordering Burma, attending a conference of Teach for All, a growing network of Teach for America-like organizations in 32 countries (see this op ed in the NY Times, Meet the Makers, by Tom Friedman about it). I’ve posted pictures and comments from each part of my triphere and here.

I want to share a few observations about China – with the caveat that I am very emphatically not holding myself out as an expert on the country. I’m just endlessly fascinated by China on many levels, most importantly as an investor. Though I’m primarily U.S. focused, China has become such a large and rapidly growing part of the world economy that I can’t ignore it – if China sneezes, the world (and my portfolio) will catch a cold. Read more of this post

Insuring a Path to Chinese Reform; Deposit Insurance Would Be an Important First Step in China’s Big Financial Reforms

Insuring a Path to Chinese Reform

Deposit Insurance Would Be an Important First Step in China’s Big Financial Reforms

AARON BACK

Nov. 5, 2013 7:28 a.m. ET

China’s reformers are banking on deposit insurance. As Communist Party leaders meet this weekend for the secretive “third plenum,” there are high hopes the parley will lead to big bang changes to the financial system. Deposit insurance for savers would be an important first step. Investors should expect movement on this soon. The U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. recently extended a memorandum of understanding with China’s central bank, a signal that momentum is building. Read more of this post

Chinese Premier Warns over Money Printing as Deficit Enlarges

Chinese Premier Warns over Money Printing as Deficit Enlarges

11-05 16:08 Caijing

Short-term stimulus to prop up economic growth by enlarging fiscal deficits and money supply is not sustainable, Li said.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has recently warned that printing more money is likely to push up inflation in the world’s second largest economy as the government’s deficit accumulates fast. “M2, the broader measure of money supply in our country has exceeded CNY100trillion by the end of March, that is already twice of the GDP,” Li said in a speech at the 16th national congress of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU) on October 21st.   Read more of this post

China eyes adopting international law to spark life into trade zones

China eyes adopting international law to spark life into trade zones

4:09pm EST

By Saikat Chatterjee and Michelle Chen

HONG KONG (Reuters) – China is considering the use of international law in a big push to get free trade zones up and running to promote the use of the yuan in global trade, which could challenge Hong Kong longer term as the main offshore center for the currency. Sources said Chinese leaders have been discussing the adoption of an international legal system in the free trade zones (FTZs) for the first time to help lure foreign companies, although views are varied. Read more of this post

China army says roots out “illicit” apartments in graft fight

China army says roots out “illicit” apartments in graft fight

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 – 18:19

Ben Blanchard

Reuters

BEIJING – China’s People’s Liberation Army has discovered in a corruption probe that its troops “illicitly kept” more than 8,000 apartments and 25,000 vehicles, state media said on Tuesday. But those who benefitted will apparently escape punishment and only have to give them up. President Xi Jinping, who as chairman of the Central Military Commission is also China’s top military official, has called corruption a threat to the Communist Party’s very survival, and vowed pursue powerful “tigers” as well as lowly”flies”. Read more of this post

Aging China Draws Bets on Senior Housing

Aging China Draws Bets on Senior Housing

Global Property Firms Partnering With Chinese Developers

ESTHER FUNG

Nov. 5, 2013 7:17 p.m. ET

SHANGHAI—China has long doted on its elders. Now they are getting attention from another group: foreign investors. A number of global property firms are joining domestic developers in banking on a boom in elderly housing as China’s population ages. Merrill Gardens Related, a joint venture between real-estate developer Related Cos. and senior-housing operator Merrill Gardens of the U.S., is working with local developers to build facilities for the elderly in Shanghai, Harbin and Suzhou. The venture doesn’t have equity stakes in the projects but it plans to acquire majority stakes in several next year. Read more of this post

Privatization Raises Billions in Australia, New Zealand

Privatization Raises Billions in Australia, New Zealand

State Governments Join the Action in Australia

GILLIAN TAN

Nov. 5, 2013 8:10 a.m. ET

Australia and New Zealand rank among the global leaders in privatizations this year, raising billions of dollars as lawmakers seek to cut debt and plug budget deficits. Their privatization sprees have injected needed cash into government coffers and freed the governments to focus on their core missions while injecting life into both nations’ markets. Last week’s listing of New Zealand’s Meridian Energy MELCA.NZ 0.00% , which raised US$1.56 billion in the country’s biggest-ever initial public offering, followed Z Energy’s US$678 million IPO in August and Mighty River Power‘s MYT.AU +1.05% US$1.4 billion offering in May. Read more of this post