http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/ Read our other UK business news. Latest on business in the UK with regional focus on Birmingham and West Midlands business news. Company performance & more. en-gb Birmingham Post http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/29/new-highs-for-countrywide-65233-21636344/ Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:15:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/29/new-highs-for-countrywide-65233-21636344/ Worcestershire-based farming and rural supplies business Countrywide has posted record figures with strong growth across its retail, agricultural and energy businesses. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/29/average-deposit-needed-for-a-mortgage-now-40-000-65233-21636343/ Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:13:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/29/average-deposit-needed-for-a-mortgage-now-40-000-65233-21636343/ Homebuyers need an average deposit of nearly £40,000 in order to qualify for a best-buy mortgage deal, research has shown. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/29/cash-incentive-for-councils-to-support-business-65233-21635963/ Fri, 29 Aug 2008 19:09:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/29/cash-incentive-for-councils-to-support-business-65233-21635963/ Councils are to receive cash rewards for helping local businesses succeed, ministers have announced. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/administrators-sound-death-knell-at-amtrak-65233-21630085/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:27:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/administrators-sound-death-knell-at-amtrak-65233-21630085/ Four hundred jobs are to be lost in the West Midlands with the collapse of the parcel delivery business Amtrak. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/amtrak-workers-pessimistic-about-their-prospects-65233-21630054/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:17:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/amtrak-workers-pessimistic-about-their-prospects-65233-21630054/ Post reporters Tom Scotney and Anna Blackaby talk to workers at Amtrak's Walsall depot. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/logistics-industry-hit-harder-than-most-by-fuel-costs-65233-21629791/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:00:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/logistics-industry-hit-harder-than-most-by-fuel-costs-65233-21629791/ The heart of Britain’s logistics sector lies in the West Midlands but the industry is struggling as operators grapple with rising costs. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/cbi-survey-contradicts-reports-of-a-retail-revival-65233-21629819/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:26:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/cbi-survey-contradicts-reports-of-a-retail-revival-65233-21629819/ A grim survey from the CBI has contrasted starkly with official statistics last week pointing to a surprise retail revival. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/carillion-expects-healthy-growth-after-mcalpine-deal-65233-21629818/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:20:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/carillion-expects-healthy-growth-after-mcalpine-deal-65233-21629818/ Carillion’s £280 million acquisition of Alfred McAlpine, completed in February, looks like yielding bigger economies than expected. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/troubled-airline-zoom-has-flights-cancelled-65233-21629878/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:36:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/troubled-airline-zoom-has-flights-cancelled-65233-21629878/ Low-fare transatlantic airline Zoom, which flew from five UK airports, has suspended all operations and cancelled all flights after running into financial difficulties. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/embarrassing-strike-at-conciliation-service-acas-65233-21630084/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 19:25:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/embarrassing-strike-at-conciliation-service-acas-65233-21630084/ Hundreds of staff at the conciliation service Acas have voted to go on strike in a dispute over pay. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/tui-in-talks-with-lufthansa-over-merger-65233-21629926/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:43:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/tui-in-talks-with-lufthansa-over-merger-65233-21629926/ Europe’s biggest travel company TUI Travel, which owns Coventry-based Thomsonfly, is in early talks with Lufthansa and Thomas Cook over a three-way merger of TUI Fly Germany, Condor, and Germanwings, the companies have revealed. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/economic-crime-could-worsen-falling-profits-says-pwc-65233-21629280/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:21:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/economic-crime-could-worsen-falling-profits-says-pwc-65233-21629280/ Retailers in the Midlands must guard against a worsening economic crime wave, which could undermine their falling profits, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/400-jobs-to-go-at-amtrak-by-the-end-of-the-week-65233-21625665/ Thu, 28 Aug 2008 10:35:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/28/400-jobs-to-go-at-amtrak-by-the-end-of-the-week-65233-21625665/ Four hundred jobs are to be lost in the West Midlands with the collapse of the Amtrak parcel delivery business, it has been confirmed. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/27/serco-profits-boost-after-redundancies-and-us-acquisition-65233-21621732/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:13:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/27/serco-profits-boost-after-redundancies-and-us-acquisition-65233-21621732/ Support services group Serco has posted a jump in first-half profits and announced a £229 million US acquisition after shedding 170 staff at its Birmingham operations. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/27/parcel-firms-swift-to-target-amtrak-s-customer-base-65233-21621700/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:06:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/27/parcel-firms-swift-to-target-amtrak-s-customer-base-65233-21621700/ Vultures appear to be circling over the remains of the former West Midland-based Amtrak parcel distribution business, which has gone into administration, threatening 900 jobs. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/27/john-lewis-chief-promises-no-job-cuts-in-tough-times-65233-21622037/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 19:05:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/27/john-lewis-chief-promises-no-job-cuts-in-tough-times-65233-21622037/ The chairman of employee-owned retailer John Lewis Partnership has ruled out “knee-jerk” job cuts in response to deepening gloom on the high street. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/27/taylor-wimpey-in-a-scramble-over-borrowing-65233-21621739/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 17:28:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/27/taylor-wimpey-in-a-scramble-over-borrowing-65233-21621739/ Taylor Wimpey, parent company of Bryant Homes, is holding out the prospect of renegotiating the terms of some of its borrowing agreements before it breaches its banking covenants early next year. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/27/ennstone-stays-strong-amid-housing-market-pressure-65233-21621733/ Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:20:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/27/ennstone-stays-strong-amid-housing-market-pressure-65233-21621733/ Quarrying and building products group Ennstone produced a strong trading performance in the first half of the year despite being badly hit by the downturn in the housing markets. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/26/jobs-fears-as-troubled-amtrak-ceases-trading-65233-21612147/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:24:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/26/jobs-fears-as-troubled-amtrak-ceases-trading-65233-21612147/ A major freight company based in Staffordshire has officially ceased trading with the loss of a number of jobs. http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/26/brakes-put-on-fall-in-mortgage-approvals-65233-21612137/ Tue, 26 Aug 2008 19:13:00 GMT http://www.birminghampost.net/birmingham-business/birmingham-business-news/other-uk-business/2008/08/26/brakes-put-on-fall-in-mortgage-approvals-65233-21612137/ The number of mortgages for house purchase approved by the big banks stopped falling last month, rising marginally to 22,448 – 65 per cent fewer than in July last year.