A roundup of today's other stories in brief.
Firms on both sides of Border create 75 jobs
Up to 75 new jobs on either side of the Border were announced yesterday.
TopChem Pharmaceuticals plans to establish a manufacturing facility in Ballymote, Co Sligo, creating 35 jobs over the next three years, supported by Enterprise Ireland. Separately, German software group SAP is investing £1.5 million (€2.2 million) in its so-called Start programme in Northern Ireland.
Optimism over German economy
German business sentiment was unexpectedly buoyant in September, a leading survey showed yesterday, as optimism about current conditions in Europe's largest economy rose to its highest level in more than 15 years.
The Munich-based Ifo research institute said its business climate index, a monthly poll of about 7,000 firms, slipped in September to 104.9 from 105.0, less than expected. - (Reuters)
Project group makes £11.65m
Project management and quantity surveying practice White Young Green (WYG) has reported an 18 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £11.65 (€16.59) million for the year to June 2006, on the back of a 16 per cent rise in turnover to £167.5 million.
WYG, which has an Irish staff of more than 450, completed five strategic acquisitions during the year, including the takeover of Irish quantity surveying business Nolan Ryan Partnership.
Ormonde Mining updates market
Gold exploration group Ormonde Mining yesterday updated the market on progress at its Spanish projects, saying that the rest of the year will be one of intense activity. Kerr Anderson, the group's managing director, said he saw distinct potential in the Salamanca area, where the company was starting a new six-to-eight-hole drilling programme.
Davy focuses on construction
Davy Stockbrokers yesterday initiated specialised coverage of the European construction sector with a new group of analysts aiming to compare the performance of Irish companies such as CRH and Kingspan with their European rivals.
New commodities London exchange
Investors will be able from today to trade commodities, ranging from individual metals to lean hogs, on the London Stock Exchange in the same way as any other exchange-listed security. They will be known as Exchange Traded Commodities.
