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

Chemicals compliance guide launched

The Irish Business and Employers' Confederation (Ibec) has launched a new service to help Irish companies to prepare for new EU chemicals legislation, which came into force yesterday.

The service includes a dedicated website, www.reachaid.ie, a set of guidelines outlining company obligations arising from the new legislation and a series of training programmes.

The new EU rules oblige companies to provide more information to their customers on the chemicals used in their products.

Capita appoints business manager

Capita Trust Company (Ireland) has appointed Orlagh Doherty as its business development officer. Ms Doherty will spearhead the growth of Capita's business servicing the Irish financial markets, the company said yesterday.

Ms Doherty joins Capita from the Irish Stock Exchange, where she worked in the debt listing department as a listing executive.

Co-operation in North urged

In his first economic development forum, Northern Ireland's economy minister Nigel Dodds has urged key stakeholders to work with the government to achieve growth.

"The public sector cannot achieve the vision of a more prosperous economy by itself," Mr Dodds said yesterday.

"It needs the co-ordinated efforts of all stakeholders," he added.

African explorer posts €2m loss

African Eagle Resources reported a substantial widening of its losses last year as the group spent money developing its exploration projects.

The company, which is exploring for and developing copper and gold deposits in eastern and central Africa, reported a full-year loss for 2006 of £1.37 million (€2 million). This compares with £184,989 in the prior year.

Administrative expenses were the biggest contributor at £1 million, up from £655,147 a year earlier.

In a statement to the stock exchange released yesterday, African Eagle said that it now has partners for three of its four main projects, bringing in groups with particular expertise in the area of development.

Kenmare chief gets 20% pay rise

Kenmare Resources, the Dublin-based company that is aiming to ship its first ilmenite from its Moma plant in Mozambique this month, awarded its managing director a 20 per cent pay rise last year.

Michael Carvill took home a total of $532,000 (€395,600)in 2006, up from $444,000 in the prior year, according to the annual report.

Finance director Tony McCluskey meanwhile saw his pay increase 19 per cent, to $464,000.

In total, the group paid out $1.69 million to its four executive directors last year, a year when the company recorded a net loss of $4.3 million.

Davy values CRH at €37.50 per share

Davy Stockbrokers has set a €37.50 a share price target for building materials group CRH, arguing that its European markets are showing a strong recovery.

"Cement demand remains strong in all of CRH's markets, with most facilities operating at full capacity," said analysts Barry Dixon and Robert Gardiner. They added that operating margins from its European products division could boost group earnings by 4 per cent.

'Top 1,000 Companies'

The entry for Nokia in the Top 1,000 Companies supplement yesterday carries an incorrect telephone number. The number should read 01 - 277 6400.