“KPMG has been instructed to draw up an emergency turnaround plan, including the possible filing of a company voluntary arrangement, a form of bankruptcy protection, the Sunday Telegraph reported”
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Major UK restructuring and insolvency reforms announced (Lexology)
“The UK government announced on 26 August 2018 that it will legislate to update the restructuring and insolvency systems.”
Scholz echoes French call for EU defense to cut US dependency (Handelsblatt)
“German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz , [while] visiting his French counterpart Bruno Le Maire, urged a consolidation of Europe’s defense industry to make the European Union less dependent on US suppliers.”
Norway’s Biggest Bank Sees More But Small-Scale Oil Industry Restructuring Ahead (Oilprice)
“According to DNB’s chief executive, the industry is likely to further consolidate, but deals now will be more ‘event-driven’. The most restructuring ahead is expected in the two markets that are still in overcapacity: rigs and offshore supply vessels.”
Premier Oil approves Tolmount gas project in UK North Sea (Reuters)
“The approval of Tolmount is the latest in a series of moves by oil and gas companies showing their commitment to the North Sea, traditionally a high-cost environment which is experiencing a revival as costs have fallen.”
Italian banks a bigger risk than Turkey (Euromoney)
“Any contagion from a shock in Italy would certainly have more of an impact on Europe, and globally, than the crisis in Turkey, compounded by the fact Brexit and trade wars are creating huge uncertainty.”
Lebara owners miss equity injection deadline (Financial Times)
Nordic bond markets, in this case Oslo where Lebara (Vieo) has its 2022 €350MM senior secured listed, suffers another blow.
The Rift Between Turkey and America Was Already There (The National Interest)
The current fallout of the Turkish lira underscores an increasingly complicated US / Turkish relationship which has steadily deteriorated over the past several years. “America wants an eradication of ISIS; the Turks want eradication of the fighters who are taking the fight to ISIS on the battlefield. Washington wants Turkey to release Americans from its […]
House of Fraser takeover: How did struggling retailer get into this mess? (Sky News)
Structural weakness on UK’s high streets continue as Sports Direct acquires distressed House of Fraser. It’s worth noting that this purchase “represents the sixth change of ownership in just 33 years, during which time, House of Fraser has had even more chief executives and managing directors.”
Market Forces Drive Deconsolidation at German Companies (Handelsblatt)
Traditional German conglomerates and Mittelstand face increasing pressure as technology continues to disrupt business models and shareholders become more receptive to “locusts” funds pushing activist agendas.