The Irish Times
Annual rate of inflation falls to 4.3% in April
THE ANNUAL rate of inflation fell to 4.3 per cent in April from 5.0 per cent in March, according to the Consumer Price Index published yesterday by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). pRiver Media seeks to raise €10m for 20% stake
LOSS-MAKING regional newspaper publisher River Media is trying to raise €10 million through the sale of a 20 per cent stake in the business. pPensions ombudsman warns building firms' non-compliance will end in court
PENSIONS OMBUDSMAN Paul Kenny said yesterday that he had lost his patience with construction firms that do not comply with his office, which he said would "not be given the run-around". pPrivate-equity company SVG Capital raises £320m
PRIVATE-EQUITY and fund management firm SVG Capital, owner of a 25 per cent stake in Dublin corporate financier Key Capital, has raised £320 million (€405.75 million) through a bond issue and the sale of assets to make new investments as capital markets recover. pECB retains rate amid inflation, growth fears
THE EUROPEAN Central Bank kept benchmark interest rates unchanged at 4 per cent yesterday, as expected, as policymakers weigh the risk of high inflation against concerns about euro zone economic growth. pIrish inflation: what's up and what's down
A sample of rhe goods and services that affect the consumer most. pChinese firms may purchase overseas land to guarantee food supplies
CHINESE COMPANIES will be encouraged to buy farmland abroad, particularly in Africa and South America, to help guarantee food security, under a plan being considered by Beijing. pNTR takes 40% stake in merged US green energy firm
UTILITY GROUP NTR has completed a reorganisation of its major operating units by merging its US ethanol unit with Nasdaq-listed Green Plains Renewable Energy and taking a stake of more than 40 per cent in that business. pOireachtas issues tender to encrypt politicians' laptops
THE HOUSES of the Oireachtas have issued a tender for an encryption system after it emerged that one TD has had two laptops stolen since the general election last June. pAIB's Polish unit shows 6.7% fall in Q1 profits
BANK ZACHODNI WBK SA, the Polish unit of Allied Irish Banks, said first-quarter profit declined 6.7 per cent after costs and provisions increased. pEx-car dealer fined for fixing prices
A FORMER Citroen car dealer has been prosecuted for price fixing by the Competition Authority in a case at Dundalk Circuit Court yesterday. pBest Buy acquires 50% of Carphone Warehouse
US ELECTRONICS giant Best Buy is to open its first store in the Republic next year, following its purchase of a 50 per cent stake in Carphone Warehouse, which operates 70 outlets in the State, for £1.1 billion. p'Belfast Telegraph' subsidising losses of INM British operations, says NUJ
A trade union has accused the Sir Anthony O’Reilly-led Independent News Media (INM) group of subsidising losses from its British business with profits from its Belfast operation. pRevenues at UPC Ireland rise by 4.8% to €58.9m
REVENUES AT cable television and broadband provider UPC Ireland came to €58.9 million in the three months to the end of March, a rise of 4.8 per cent on the same period in 2007, according to results published yesterday. pComReg receives power to seek fines if An Post misses delivery targets
COMREG HAS been given additional powers to regulate An Post, including the ability to seek financial penalties if it does not meet delivery targets. pIn short
More news in brief. pCC brings some sparkle on day of flat markets
DUBLIN REPORT: Iseq: 6,482.66 (+ 19.74). IRISH STOCKS closed up 19 points yesterday on a flat day for the equity markets across Europe. p
