(SPD.L) Sports Direct International PLC Buy/Sell

The Times

JD SPORTS SELLS STAKE

JD Sports Fashion is to offload its 10 percent holding in competitor JJB Sports, in a move that is expected to further loosen the web of cross-shareholdings in the sportswear sector. The news about the sale comes just two weeks after Sports Direct sold its holding in JJB. Sports Direct keeps hold of a 13 percent stake in JD, which in turn retains a small holding in its bigger competitor.

I'LL PROVE MYSELF AT BOOTS, HORNBY TELLS CRITICS

Alliance Boots, the international healthcare group, has confirmed it will appoint Andy Hornby, the former HBOS chief executive, as its new head. The 42-year-old executive, who will join the group on July 1, vowed on Monday to confound his critics. "I just want to get out and prove myself. I just want to crack on," he said. Alliance Boots cited his "wealth of retail and marketing experience", while Stefano Pessina, the group's biggest single shareholder praised his "integrity." Hornby is believed to have rejected at least two other job offers.

IBERDROLA TO LEAD FIELD IN RACE FOR SELLAFIELD SITE

Iberdrola, owner of ScottishPower, has emerged as one of the potential bidders for Sellafield, Europe's most heavily contaminated industrial site. The sale of the world's first commercial nuclear power plant, where about 10,000 people are employed, follows April's auction of three other government-owned sites for new nuclear plants to European utilities for a total of 387 million pounds. It is still unclear whether Sellafield will attract sufficient interest to ensure a formal auction. Meanwhile, shareholders in Centrica, owner of British Gas, supported overwhelmingly on Monday an acquisition of a 20 percent stake in British Energy from EDF .

The Daily Telegraph

EDUCATION GROUP BPP ACCEPTS APOLLO BID

A U.S. joint venture backed by Apollo Group and Carlyle has agreed to buy BPP, the legal and financial training group, in a deal worth 303.5 million pounds. David Sugden, BPP's chairman, said the 620 pence-a-share bid, 70 percent higher than where shares were trading ahead of the offer, was good for investors. A number of shareholders have been holding out for a potential counter offer from Pearson, the education and media group, which is speculated to have been interested. Shares in BPP, which is Europe's biggest accountancy training group, rose 50.5 pence to 617.50 pence.

AMERY'S SHOE-IN

Amery Capital has announced the acquisition of Oliver Sweeney, the footwear and accessories group. The retail investment business, which was founded by Maurice Helfgott, a former Marks & Spencer director, has reached an agreement to buy the business from administrator PricewaterhouseCoopers.

ONLINE LENDER NETS 14 MILLION POUNDS FROM FACEBOOK BACKERS

Online short-term lender Wonga.com has netted 14 million pounds from the venture capitalists who provided early funding for Facebook for a "significant minority" equity stake. The British group claims to have created technology which instantly assesses clients' creditworthiness, resulting in an industry-beating default rate of less than 10 percent. Wonga, which received most of the new cash from Accel Partners and Greylock Partners, expects to secure about 15 million pounds in revenue in 2009, and is already turning a profit.

The Independent

THRESHERS' OWNER ISSUES TRADING WARNING

First Quench Group, owner of the off-licence chain Threshers, has issued a trading warning, highlighting a "material uncertainty" that raises concerns about its ability to carry on as a going concern. The company, which has been hit by challenging trading conditions and the withdrawal of credit cover for a number of its suppliers, slumped to a pre-tax loss of 30 million pounds for the period from May 16, 2007 to June 28, 2008. A spokesperson for the private equity-backed First Quench Group, which also operates The Local and Wine Rack fascias, said: "Cashflow reductions and credit lines have been withdrawn in our sector because of the economic downturn."

NISSAN TO HIRE 100 NEW STAFF AT NORTHEAST PLANT

Nissan has unveiled plans to take on as many as 100 new employees at its plant in Sunderland after it said that the introduction of the car scrappage scheme had led to increasing demand.

E2V'S TECHNOLOGIES SCRAPS FINAL DIVIDEND

Shares in e2v Technologies dropped 15 percent to 73 pence on Monday after the electronic component maker reported a 13 percent fall in its underlying full-year profits to 20.4 million pounds. The company, which said 40 people had left in the current financial year, also forecast a tough first-half and scrapped its final dividend. It said it would continue to reduce costs, including cutting working hours. Sales jumped 14 percent to 233.2 million pounds in the year to March 31 due to acquisitions and foreign exchange rates.

The Guardian

PRET A MANGER CHANGES ITS TUNA

Pret a Manger has unveiled plans to start using a more sustainable tuna variety in its sandwiches from August, in a move that is expected to put similar food retailers under pressure to follow suit. Founder Julian Metcalfe said the company will sell only skipjack tuna caught by the pole and line method rather than nets. He said he had decided on the change after watching "The End of the Line", a new documentary that predicts the end of most seafood by 2048 if current global intensive fishing methods do not change. Metcalfe said the extra cost would not be passed on to the customer.

LLOYDS SAVES 480 MILLION POUNDS INTEREST BY PAYING BACK

TAXPAYER BAILOUT

Lloyds Banking Group has paid back 2.3 billion pounds of the lifeline thrown to it by the taxpayer after shareholders backed a four billion pounds fund-raising. The company said 87 percent of investors supported the cash call. They were allowed to buy shares at 38.45 pence, a substantial discount compared to the 66.2 pence at which the shares closed on Friday. The move would save more than 480 million pounds a year in interest payments and would make Lloyds more appealing to investors as it would remove a government-imposed block on paying dividends.

CALL FOR CHEAP TWEAK TO EXTEND FAST BROADBAND

BT has told the communications minister it can extend high-speed broadband connections to 93 percent of the population through cheap improvements to its existing network. The company, which is in talks with Lord Carter ahead of his Digital Britain report next week, is also believed to have warned that the plan to rely on Britain's five mobile phone networks could harm competition and would only be a stop-gap move. A BT insider argued on Monday that "investment needs to be directed towards the most efficient solution and away from giving the mobile operators an unjustified subsidy".

Prepared for Reuters by Durrants
Keywords: PRESS DIGEST British business June 9

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The Times

HEINEKEN GETS ON ITS BIKE FOR A VIGOROUS SHAKE-UP OF ITS

BRITISH BEER HOLDINGS

Heineken, the owner of Scottish & Newcastle's UK operations, acquired on Thursday 49 percent of the debt of the Globe Pub Company. The move aimed to protect its position should the beleaguered group, which is part of Robert Tchenguiz's ailing business empire, collapse. Globe, which has about 425 pubs in the UK, breached its banking covenants in April after suffering a dramatic drop in trading following the introduction of the smoking ban in 2007. The drinks giant, which commands about 28 percent of the UK beer market, announced last week the departure of Jeremy Blood, the S&N UK managing director, a move described as being for "personal reasons" and not related to performance.

FAO SCHWARZ SOLD

Toys 'R' Us has announced the acquisition of iconic American group FAO Schwarz for an undisclosed sum. The group plans to keep using the name of the US toy retailer, its products catalogue as well as outlets on Fifth Avenue in New York and at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. An agreement that put FAO Schwarz stores in 600 Macy's outlets across the US will be terminated in November. The American retailer has struggled for years to compete with Wal-Mart.

ASHLEY SELLS OFF JJB STAKE AFTER FUTURE IS SECURED

Sports Direct, which is more than 70 percent owned by Mike Ashley, is thought to have made about one million pounds after selling its 4.9 percent stake in JJB Sports , its embattled rival. The move came after JJB secured its immediate future by signing a groundbreaking deal with landlords. A market insider said that the disposal represented an "orderly retreat" for Mr Ashley, who had attempted to scupper JJB's agreement with landlords by disrupting the critical sale of its health clubs to Dave Whelan, the founder of JJB.

The Daily Telegraph

TRAVEL CUTS HURT HOGG ROBINSON

Business travel company Hogg Robinson saw its revenues drop 8.5 percent in the second half of last year, hit by a decline in corporate travel budgets amid the downturn. The company, whose clients include Barclays, Conde Nast and Deutsche Bank, said it would suspend its final dividend payment, after suffering a 39 percent plunge in pre-tax profits to 15.4 million pounds in the year to the end of March. "People haven't stopped travelling but they are trying to reduce the amount they spend. With the majority of our revenue from client management and advisory fees, these changes were not as damaging as many might have thought," said chief executive David Radcliffe. The group's UK operations were boosted by contracts with the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign Office.

YOUNG'S SALES HOLD UP AS LONDON RIVER PUBS THRIVE

Pub operator Young's has managed to weather the financial storm as its London riverside sites and food and wine deals attracted customers. The company, which also brews Courage, Bombardier and Young's Bitter in a joint venture with Wells, posted a 3.2 percent revenue increase to 126.1 million pounds in the year to the end of March, while like-for-like sales at managed pubs remained at the same levels as the year before. The owner of 221 pubs said that its pre-tax profit dropped 64 percent to 4.2 million pounds after it wrote down the value of its sites by 10.7 million pounds to take account of declining property prices over the last year.

CALEDONIA BRINGS INVESTORS GOOD NEWS

Caledonia Investments shares rose 13 pence to 14.46 pounds after it raised its annual dividend pay-out by four percent to 33.8 pence, despite a 27.7 percent drop in net asset value last year. The move by the investment trust, which has stakes in Close Brothers and AG Barr, came as NAV declined to 15.59 pounds in the year to March 31, a development described by Caledonia's chairman James Loudon as "very disappointing". He added however that the figure outperformed the FTSE All-Share Total Return index by 4.5 percent.

The Independent

ITN'S FUTURE UNDER THREAT AS PENSION DEFICITS SPIRAL BY 75

PERCENT

Concerns are mounting over the future of Independent Television News as the production company announced a 75 percent jump in its pension deficit for 2008. The group, which produces ITV's News At Ten, said in its annual report that the drop in the global equity and debt markets was responsible for the black hole in its pension fund. The ITN board said the spiralling deficits, which climbed to 39.9 million pounds from 22.8 million pounds the year before, put "significant doubt upon the group's and company's abilities to continue as a going concern." The company was in May the focus of takeover speculation, with the Getty Images photographic agency named as a potential bidder.

MOSS BROS CHIEF NETS 330,000 POUNDS PAY-OFF

The former chief executive of Moss Bros, the branded suit specialist, pocketed a 330,000 pound pay-off after quitting in January, despite the company suffering a full-year loss of 9.3 million pounds. Philip Mountford also netted a salary, bonuses and fees of 643,000 pounds, a pension contribution of 67,000 pounds and benefits of 3,000 pounds for the 53 weeks to 31 January. Finance director Michael Hitchcock received a total package of 271,000 pounds, including pension contributions. In the year to January 31, Moss Bros's total sales dropped by 0.4 percent to 129.7 million pounds, while its like-for-like sales declined 3.2 percent lower.

SPEEDY HIRE TAPS INVESTORS FOR 100 MILLION POUNDS

Speedy Hire, the supplier of equipment and support services to the construction, manufacturing, industrial, rail and other industries, is planning a 105 million pounds cash call to shore up its finances and cut its debt pile. The Merseyside-based firm, which has cancelled bonuses and frozen the payments of its executives, said it expected net proceeds of nearly 100 million pounds from the sale of 458.7 million new shares at 23 pence each. This week, Speedy warned that trading remained challenging as it announced a 29.5 percent slump in full-year profits.
The Guardian

BSKYB TO OFFER GAMERS LIVE TV WITHOUT A DISH THROUGH XBOX

Satellite broadcaster BSkyB has joined forces with Microsoft to give video gamers in Britain the option of watching live TV through their Xbox 360 consoles without the need for a satellite dish. To be launched in autumn, the service, which will use the console's internet connection, will also include on-demand films and other content to help Sky extend its reach and meet its goal of 10 million customers by next year. The two companies are still debating the details of the new service, which will offer at least 18 channels, including Sky News and Sky Sports 1 and 2, which can be found on the Sky Player.

HEWLETT-PACKARD TO CUT 710 JOBS AT SCOTTISH PLANT

More than 700 jobs are to be lost at Hewlett Packard's factory in Scotland as part of a restructuring drive affecting 5,700 positions across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The company has decided to shift work from a site in Erskine, Renfrewshire, to a lower-cost plant in the Czech Republic. Staff consultations will commence in June with the transfer of posts due to begin in 2010. Of the 710 jobs to go, around 80 are HP staff and the rest agency workers.

NEWSPAPER DISTRIBUTOR DAWSON SEES CHIEF QUIT

Dawson Holdings, the newspaper distributor, announced a pre-tax slump of 17.4 million pounds to 28 March and said it would scrap dividend payments. Chief executive Peter Harris is to quit the company following the news that Dawson was likely to have to terminate the operations of its magazine and newspaper distribution division after losing seven major contracts in the next 18 months worth 463 million pounds. Stripping out these one-off charges, the group saw its underlying profit rise 10 percent on a year-on-year basis to 6.8 million pounds.

Prepared for Reuters by Durrants
Keywords: PRESS DIGEST BRITISH BUSINESS MAY 29

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Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.

RNS Number : 9389S JJB Sports PLC 28 May 2009

For filings with the FSA include the annex For filings with issuer exclude the annex

TR-1: Notifications of Major Interests in Shares

1. Identity of the issuer or the underlying issuer of JJB SPORTS PLC

existing shares to which voting rights are attached:

2. Reason for notification (yes/no)

An acquisition or disposal of voting rights An acquisition or disposal of financial instruments which may result in the acquisition of shares already issued to which voting rights are attached An event changing the breakdown of voting rights Other (please specify):______________

3. Full name of person(s) subject to SPORTS DIRECT
notification obligation: INTERNATIONAL PLC

4. Full name of shareholder(s) (if different from 3):
5. Date of transaction (and date on which 27 MAY 2009

the threshold is crossed or reached if different):
6. Date on which issuer notified: 27 MAY 2009

7. Threshold(s) that is/are crossed or 3%

reached:

8: Notified Details A: Voting rights attached to shares

Class/type of shares Situation previous to the triggering Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

If possible use ISIN code transaction
Number of shares Number of voting Number of shares Number of voting rights Percentage of voting
rights rights
Direct Indirect Direct Indirect
ORDINARY 5P 11,944,360 11,944,360 BELOW 3% BELOW 3% BELOW 3%

B: Financial Instruments Resulting situation after the triggering transaction

Type of financial instrument Expiration date Exercise/ conversion No. of voting rights Percentage of voting
period/date that may be acquired rights
(if the instrument
exercised/converted)

Total (A+B)

Number of voting rights Percentage of voting rights
BELOW 3% BELOW 3%

9. Chain of controlled undertakings through which the voting rights and /or the financial instruments are effectively held, if applicable:

Proxy Voting:

10. Name of proxy holder: N/A

11. Number of voting rights proxy holder will cease to hold:

12. Date on which proxy holder will cease to hold voting rights:

13. Additional information:

14 Contact name: M J OLIVER, COMPANY SECRETARY
15. Contact telephone number: 0870 838 7370

For notes on how to complete form TR-1 please see the FSA website.

This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange

HOLKVLBLKEBLBBE

Financial Times

LEADING EXPERTS URGED TO UNIFY VOICE

According to consultancy firm Spada, professions in the UK are "mis-categorised, understudied and their contribution comprehensively undervalued". Accountants, lawyers, surveyors and others make up 11.5 percent of employment, as well as eight percent of gross domestic product. However, the report sponsored by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors says the professions are not making enough of a mark in official debate. It also warns they are losing out to groups representing other parts of business such as the CBI.

SLUMPING PROPERTY PRICES LURE CASH-RICH INVESTORS

Cash-rich UK investors are being lured back to the continental mainland because of steep declines in European hotspots and a gradual strengthening of the pound. Estate agents and foreign exchange providers are reporting renewed interest from cash-rich Britons looking for holiday homes in popular locations like France. Overseas mortgage provider Conti Financial Services has also seen inquiries soar by 20 percent in the past few weeks.

BUSINESSES EXPECT TO PAY HEAVY PRICE FOR TAX RETHINK

In preparation for the introduction of legislation similar to Sarbanes-Oxley in the United States, large companies are gearing up to spend tens of millions of pounds reviewing their tax controls. The Budget outlined new rules to stop persistent under-reporting of tax, which require a company's "senior accounting officer" to certify that a company's tax accounting systems are up to scratch. However, the move sparked concerns from many finance directors who fear their career prospects will be jeopardised if they fall foul of the regime. Deloitte's Bill Dodwell said few finance directors were likely to be immediately comfortable in certifying a company's compliance with the measures.

NEW NUMBERS MAN SEES BOLDER ROLE FOR STATISTICS

Andrew Dilnot, the incoming chairman of the Statistics User Forum, believes a shake-up in the regime governing official statistics has paved the way for "a step change" in the way data are handled. Dilnot said: "There is so much that can be done with the numbers we have but we need better and easier access and improved understanding across society." The Office for National Statistics has had to cope with a number of difficulties in recent years, and allegations of ministerial interference have hit morale. Critics say ONS senior management has done little to promote existing statistics and develop new products. Dilnot believes his appointment to the forum has come at a "critical and exciting time".

LIGHTHOUSE FEES PLAN HITS STORM OF PROTEST

The government is planning to increase charges for the upkeep of lighthouses, which could result in the cost of moving goods to and from the UK rising sharply. The Chamber of Shipping, a leading trade body, warns the plan threatens to deal a further blow to the recession-battling shipping sector. The move would increase the dues paid by a large container ship entering a UK port by 67 percent. In a year, the maximum payable for a single ship would more than double to 184,500 pounds from 85,750 pounds.

ASHLEY WOE AS NEWCASTLE DROP

Retailer Mike Ashley's personal fortune took a battering on Sunday as Newcastle United lost their final fixture of the football season and were relegated from the Premier League. It is estimated that the cost of demotion from the richest domestic football competition in the world is between 50 million pounds and 60 million pounds. Ashley, who is a leading shareholder in Sports Direct and bought Newcastle in 2007 for 134 million pounds, invested a further 110 million pounds in the club before formally putting it up for sale in September -- to be abandoned three months later.

BIDDERS PITCH FOR AUSTRALIAN AVIVA ARM

Aviva's bankers have received first-round bids for the UK insurance group's 490 million pound Australian life assurance business, which it is seeking to sell to increase its capital position. The auction has been narrowed down to a handful of bidders, including some of the largest banks in Australia. Capital strength has been a thorny issue for insurance firms globally, as market turmoil batters investment portfolios. During the first quarter, Aviva made at least 700 million pounds in mainly one-off gains, which helped it report a capital surplus ahead of expectations last month.

TILLS RING OUT A STAY-AT-HOME SUMMER

Halfords, the car parts and bike retailer, has reported soaring sales of roof boxes as Britons ready themselves for travelling to holiday destinations. Chief executive David Wild revealed sales of roof boxes were up 70 percent in the past six weeks, compared with the year earlier period. Wild says: "We are definitely expecting that more people will be staying at home." Tent sales are also up as Britons appear to be gearing up for budget holidays in the UK, or planning stays at home with days out or short trips.

WONGA DRIVES WEB LOAN INNOVATION

Internet loans company Wonga.com, which is based in the UK, is seeing its business rocket in the downturn. Thousands of people are coming to the start-up website each month for short-term loans as banks become reluctant to lend and credit card interest rates soar. "Many people think banks are dishonest when they hang a big sign in the window for loans at 7.9 percent, but then make their real money when people can't pay back on time. We are completely upfront about our charges," says Errol Damelin, founder and chief executive.

LLOYDS CONSIDERS SALE OF HBOS UNIT STAKES

Lloyds Banking Group has brought in UBS to consider selling off stakes in a raft of roughly 60 companies as it integrates its acquisition of HBOS. Lloyds is looking at selling stakes built up by HBOS's controversial integrated finance unit, where the bank took equity stakes in companies as well as providing debt. According to sources, it is still early days for the process and there is no guarantee that disposals will be made as Lloyds is not under pressure to sell.

Prepared for Reuters by Durrants
Keywords: PRESS DIGEST Financial Times May 25

COPYRIGHT

Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.