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There's only one winner in a handicap match For years now, Google has been used to holding off search engine midgets at arms length with very little fuss. Now the midgets have changed tact and have climbed on one another's shoulders in an attempt to cause more damage. But should Google be worried? It all depends how you view the deal. You could argue that two brains are better than one, and the merger between Microsoft and Yahoo offers both stability and a solid foundation with which to build on to compete with the search engine giant. There is no question that the agreement will certainly have Google sitting up and taking notice. But, to me, it feels like quite a weak move, almost an acceptance of defeat. Yahoo has been fighting off the advances of Microsoft for quite some time, adamant of tackling the Google issue alone. To give in now strikes of last resort, especially seeing as they have already tried to get on Google's side in previous negotiations as well. Not to mention the fact that this deal only gives a 30% combined share of the ad market compared to Google's 65%! That still seems a giant gap for two such prestigious companies to attempt to catch up. Had the deal been done earlier who knows, but even the best 100m sprinter would struggle to win a race if they started when everyone else was already half way down the track. I'm ashamed to admit I used to watch wrestling when I was a kid (sure I'm not the only one with this dark secret) and back then, when two fighters took on one (a handicap match; don't pretend like you didn't know!) the solitary fighter always came out the good guy and the tag team always left the ring looking weak, bitter and rather pathetic. I do wonder whether Yahoo and Microsoft will end up looking the same as a pair of disappointed, spandex loving heels? Only time will tell.
The Artesian Blog takes a look at the business headlines. For personalised daily news, contact ArtesianConsumer morale holds steady in July - Consumer confidence held steady in July as a small deterioration in Britons' expectations for their own finances was offset by a more upbeat view of the economy as a whole, a survey showed on Friday.The GfK/NOP consumer confidence index, which is conducted on behalf of the European Commission, was unchanged at -25 in July, 14 points higher than this time last year but below the consensus forecast of -23. (full story)Legal dispute threatens eBay's flotation of Skype - Attempts by eBay to float its Skype internet telephone business in 2010 could be in jeopardy because of a legal dispute surrounding the technology that makes the system work.eBay, best known for its online auction business, has admitted that it has now begun attempting to build new software should it lose the right to use certain software code on which Skype is based. (full story)Wii sales slide at gloomy Nintendo - The combination of a global downturn and a drought of blockbuster games has dealt a body blow to the Nintendo Wii, the world’s fastest-selling console, with sales down by 57 per cent.With nothing on the immediate horizon to match the success of hardware-shifting titles such as Wii Fit and Wii Mario Kart, the Japanese company’s hopes now rest on the prospects in America and Europe of Wii Sports Resort — a game which, among other attractions, simulates throwing a frisbee for a dog. (full story)Shop vacancies soar on high streets - The number of vacant shops on the high street has more than doubled in the past year, according to a report, reflecting the savage effects of the recession on retailers.One in 10 shops in large towns and cities now lies vacant – up from 4 per cent in the middle of 2008. Apart from retailers closing shops, the number of premises opening has halved over the past 18 months. (full story)
iPhone bucks handset sales falls - The popularity of Apple's iPhone is continuing to buck the fall in global mobile phone sales, a study has found.Shipments of the iPhone totalled 5.2 million units between April and June, a six-fold increase on a year earlier, according to Strategy Analytics. (full story)
The Artesian Blog takes a look at the business headlines. For personalised daily news, contact Artesian:Government may break its promise over MG Rover inquiry - The controversial report into the collapse of MG Rover might never be published, The Daily Telegraph can disclose. The news comes amid speculation that the report could be politically damaging to Gordon Brown and other senior ministers, whose actions face scrutiny. The car maker collapsed with the loss of 6,000 jobs at the start of the 2005 general election campaign. (full story)Shell profit falls 70 percent but beats forecast - Royal Dutch Shell posted a 70 percent fall in net profit in the second quarter, as oil prices and refining margins tumbled, but foreign exchange gains helped the oil major beat forecasts.The world's second-largest non government-controlled oil company by market value said on Thursday second-quarter current cost of supply (CCS) net income, which strips out unrealised gains or losses related to changes in the value of fuel inventories, was $2.34 billion (1.42 billion pounds). (full story)Sony's profits continue to fall - Sony's woes are continuing as the electronics giant reported another quarterly loss due to falling sales.The Japanese company made a net loss of 37.1bn yen ($390m; £237m) between April and June, compared with a profit of 35bn yen for the same period last year. (full story)
BG cuts production targets as gas price falls - BG Group, the international gas producer, yesterday cut its production targets in response to falling demand for fuel.A global glut of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a slump in demand have forced BG to push back its output target of 680,000 barrels of oil and gas per day by three months to March 31, 2010. (full story)Signs of life show in housing market as loan approvals rise - Fresh evidence that Britain's battered housing market is finally on the road to recovery came yesterday with Bank of England figures that showed mortgage approvals for house purchases in June reached 47,584, the highest number since April 2008 and the fifth monthly improvement in a row.But mortgage lending was a lot lower than expected at £343m – economists had predicted £600m – and total consumer lending was its weakest since the Bank first recorded it in April 1993. (full story)Subscribe to The Artesian Blog by Email
The Artesian Blog takes a look at the business headlines. For personalised daily news, contact Artesian
Yahoo! and Microsoft to seal deal to rival Google - Microsoft and Yahoo! have finally agreed an online search and advertising partnership in a bid to rival Google.The revenue sharing deal is expected to be announced later today, more than a year after Yahoo! rejected a $47.5 million takeover bid from Microsoft and Yahoo!'s attempt to seal a search advertising deal with Google fell apart under regulatory scrutiny. (full story)Peugeot Citroen plunges into loss - France's biggest carmaker, PSA Peugeot Citroen, has reported a six-month loss after its sales fell by more than a fifth compared with a year earlier.The firm made a net loss of 962m euros ($1.4bn; £830m) between January and June, compared with a profit of 733m euros for the same period in 2008. (full story)
£1bn scheme to create 'soft jobs' - A billion pounds is to be spent on creating tens of thousands of "soft" public sector jobs for unemployed people including dance assistants, tourism ambassadors and solar panel engineers. The taxpayer-funded jobs are being created by councils, quangos and charities under a Government scheme to remove 150,000 people from the unemployment register over the next two years. (full story)American Air seeks alliance with BA - American Airlines expects to win U.S. approval by October to form an alliance with British Airways (BAY.L) and Spain's Iberia (IBLA.MC), and it is pinning its hopes on intra-alliance competition and global partnerships to help it survive, an executive said on Wednesday.American Airlines parent AMR (AMR.N), British Airways, Europe's third-largest carrier by revenue, and Iberia have applied for U.S. government antitrust immunity to form a trans-atlantic alliance to work together on fares, schedules and cost cutting. (full story)Manufacturers to get £150 million boost - A £150 million package is being launched today to help manufacturers take advantage of emerging technologies.Adam Marshall, director of policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, says: ‘The government’s investment is a welcome boost for new technologies, particularly in aerospace, where the UK has a competitive advantage.’ (full story)
Blocking a customer's view in is bad enough but not looking outside spells disasterAn article today highlighted research showing that more than half of small businesses in the UK do not have an online presence. An industry expert went on to suggest that "Not having a website is like leaving your shop front boarded up or refusing to tell customers anything about the services you provide." Of course this is true. I certainly search for new services online and would suggest many others do the same. But worse still, not exploiting the web has two sides to the boarded window. Of course, you're blocking potential customers from seeing in, but you're also blocking your view out. How can you get the most out of sales if you can't see whose walking down the high street, or what other businesses around you are offering?And whilst window shoppers can be drawn to you, being online can present the chance to go and actively find new customers. Any networking requires knowing the right thing to say and web resources can provide you with the perfect opener. If you approach someone at a bar with nothing to talk about, the likelihood is you'll be sat back down by yourself in no time at all. But having a starting point, a trigger of conversation will give you a much better chance of getting the drinks in. So when thinking about building a web presence, don't see it completely as an exercise to bring customers to you, see it also, as a way of stepping outside, stretching your legs, and finding out everything you want to know about your high street. Most importantly, see it as a way of introducing your services, rather than explaining them. Step Outside now
The Artesian Blog takes a look at the business headlines:'Steady course' as BP profits fall 53% - BP announced a 53 per cent slump in profits today, but the oil giant said it continued to steer "a steady course through choppy waters".The haul of 3.14 billion US dollars (£1.9 billion) between April and June was well down on the 6.75 billion US dollars seen a year ago, a period when oil prices were approaching record high levels. (full story)UK broadband falls 50% short of promised speed - More than 50 per cent of British broadband users are not receiving half the speed promised by their providers, according to a report from Ofcom, the communications watchdog.The report has found that more than 50 per cent of users on services that offer "up to 8 Mbps" actually receive a typical speed at a much slower 3.9 Mbps. (full story)
Workspace says rent roll falls - Small business landlord Workspace (WKP.L) said its quarterly rent roll declined even as overall occupancy was marginally up, and added that it had seen signs of stability in occupancy levels."Business conditions are challenging but customer demand is good, albeit with flexibility demanded on pricing, which has impacted the company's cash rent roll," the company said in a statement. (full story)
Cash for stalled housing projects - Hundreds of housing developments in England that have stalled during the recession are set to share in a £925m attempt to kick-start the industry.About 270 projects could benefit from the cash, the government said, with a third of the funds to go to housing associations to build affordable homes. (full story)
BT signs video-on-demand deal with Sony Pictures - BT has signed an agreement with Sony Pictures Television for video-on-demand rights to a range of new and classic movies for its digital TV service, BT Vision. Customers can watch hit films including Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, starring Christian Bale and Da Vinci Code follow up Angels & Demons. All Sony’s films on BT Vision will be available on a pay-per-view basis, without a subscription. (full story)
The Artesian Blog takes a look at the business headlines: Alistair Darling to press back chiefs on lending as RBS starts ad campaign - Royal Bank of Scotland will this week launch an advertising campaign aimed at small business customers, as the Government presses all banks to beef up their lending. RBS, which is 70pc owned by the taxpayer, says the newspaper campaign is designed to stimulate demand from small and medium sized businesses for loans. (full story)Boom times for designer outlet villages - Sales at discount designer outlet villages are booming as Britain’s middle classes look for bargains and Russian and Arab tourists swap Bond Street for mall outlets in the country.While sales elsewhere in the UK stagnate, gross sales at Bicester Village, the designer outlet centre near Oxford, are up 40 per cent on the same time last year, with like-for-like sales, which strip out new stores, up by 25 per cent. (full story)
Hotel firm gets £60m for growth - Hotel group Jury Inn has secured £60m in funding to support a further expansion of the business.The firm, which has 23 hotels in the UK, is getting £15m each from major shareholders, Oman Investment Fund and property group Quinlan Private. (full story)House prices seen steady in July - House prices in England and Wales were flat for a third consecutive month in July, causing the year-on-year decline to slow to 7.7 percent from 8.7 percent, property data company Hometrack said on Monday.But a broad-based recovery in house prices was still a long way off, with rising unemployment and a shortage of mortgage finance standing in the way, Hometrack said in its report. (full story)
ITV set to offload Friends Reunited at £160m loss - Internet entrepreneur Peter Dubens has emerged as a potential bidder for Friends Reunited, offering to end ITV's disastrous experiment with online social networking at a massive 90% discount to what the broadcaster paid for the website four years ago.ITV put Friends Reunited up for sale in February as the drop in online advertising revenues forced the company to dramatically writedown the value of a business that had cost it £175m. (full story)
