A round-up of today's other stories in brief...

Nokia plans to take on Apple iTunes

Nokia, the world's largest mobile phonemaker, is planning to compete with Apple Computer for control of the multibillion dollar global digital music market.

In 2007, the Finnish company will set up a rival to the Apple iTunes online music store and hopes its music-enabled phones will depose Apple's iconic iPod digital music player.

Nokia announced yesterday the proposed acquisition of Loudeye, a US digital music distributor, for $60 million (€46.7 million).

Loudeye's name will be dropped and will provide the platform for Nokia's digital music offering. - (Financial Times service)

Conduit appoints new chief

Conduit has promoted Denis Creighton to chief executive to succeed Liam Young, who sold his stake during the takeover. Mr Creighton, who has been chief operating officer of Conduit since 2001, was previously managing director of Eircom Operator Services.

Trinity Biotech settles with US firm

Trinity Biotech said it has reached an "amicable" settlement with US-based Inverness Medical Innovations, after suing the company in late 2003 for breach of contract.

Inverness has given Trinity a royalty-bearing licence to its lateral flow patents, including an over-the-counter licence for Trinity's Unigold HIV tests.

Inverness has also agreed to make the HIV tests at its new plant in China and will pay Trinity's litigation costs.

Halifax employees to get free shares

Halifax Insurance Ireland, a subsidiary of UK bank HBOS, said employees at the Shannon-based business will receive free shares worth between €735 and €4,411 apiece. The payout is part of HBOS's plan to grant free shares worth £67 million (€99.5 million) to almost 60,000 staff in the UK and Ireland.

The shares awarded to employees of Halifax Insurance Ireland will amount to 5 per cent of their annual salary, though they will receive them in addition to their annual bonus.

Institute suspends accountant

The Institute of Chartered Accountants (ICAI) said a disciplinary tribunal held last month has ordered one of its members to be suspended from the institute for five years and to pay costs of €6,893 to the ICAI.

The tribunal found that Daragh O'Flaherty, an ICAI member with an address in Kilmihil, Co Clare, was disqualified from acting as a company director for eight years by the High Court, Belfast, on grounds of unfit conduct as director of SBS Timber Frame (NI) Ltd.

McDonald's sales up 3.8% in July

McDonald's said sales at hamburger restaurants open at least 13 months rose 3.8 per cent in July as strong sales of desserts in Europe offset weaker-than-expected results in the US.

In the US, same-store sales rose 1.9 per cent, below forecasts for a rise of 2-4 per cent. In Europe, sales rose 5 per cent, ahead of estimates. - (Reuters)

Margin concerns for UK brewer

Margin concerns at Britain's biggest brewer Scottish & Newcastle overshadowed a rise in first-half earnings and sent its shares down, as the World Cup encouraged a switch to take-home beer and larger pack sizes. Shares in the Edinburgh-based group ended 2.5 per cent lower at 519 pence yesterday even though its 12 per cent rise in pretax profits was in line with forecasts. - (Reuters)