Channel Islands

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) has overtaken Philip Green as second-favourite to win Safeway. KKR is believed to be in the final stages of completing its proposed bid.

Asda is expected to announce plans for new stores and extensions within the next couple of days. It is expected to say it will spend about £360m on new outlets,…

Hermes Pension Management has bought the remaining 50% stake in MEPC from GE Real Estate. Hermes already owns an initial 50% stake in MEPC which it bought in June 2000.

A Financial Times survey shows the UK’s delay at adopting the euro could be putting substantial sums of inward investment at risk.

The central London congestion charge has got off to a good start with traffic running remarkably smoothly. The combination of school holidays and mayor Ken Livingstone’s warning that Monday would…

Honeycombe Leisure’s deal with Punch Taverns should shield the North-West-based pubs operator from falling into the trap that has savaged many of its managed-house rivals; taking on too many leases…

Albemarle & Bond plans to continue growth by opening new pawnbroking outlets but it will slow expansion to between three and five branches a year.

A line of one million Mentmore shares changed hands through ABN Amro at 72p. The self-storage specialist fell 4.5p to 72p.

Hercules Property Services has posted interim pretax profits of £715,000, down from £2.5m. References: The Times 18/02/03 page 22 (Results in brief) .

Mitchells & Butlers will explore “alternative financing options” such as securitisation of its pubs when it demerges from Six Continents (6C).