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Top story
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Losses narrow at Blacks
Troubled leisure group Blacks has posted a pre-tax loss of £5.3m in its year-end results this morning. The Northampton-based retailer said the figures were a "significant reduction" when compared to its £43.6m loss the year previous. Blacks, which also announced the appointment of former Figleaves boss Julia Reynolds as chief executive, said it had faced another difficult year - but insisted it was now "well placed to move from turnaround to recovery".
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Deals
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Experian swoops for Computec
Nottingham-based Experian has become the majority shareholder in Computec, a Latin American credit services information provider. The deal values Computec at about £242.8m.
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Property
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College expands with £1.3m buy
Leicester College has bought the Welford Road Community Centre for £1.32m. The property was sold by East Midlands property agent Innes England on behalf of the charity Action for Deafness.
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Chopstix picks up Leicester site
Restaurant operator Chopstix has acquired a site on Galloway Gate in Leicester. The Chinese buffet operator has signed a 20-year lease on the four-storey building.
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Business
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Welcome to Insiderbusiness.tv
Insider is delighted to announce the launch of Insiderbusiness.tv, our new business to business video advice service aimed at company owners and directors.
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Norbert Dentressangle hits £673m sales
Revenues at Northampton-based Norbert Dentressangle reached €750m (£673.5m) in the first quarter of 2011. The logistics company said the 7 per cent like-for-like rise had created a "favourable environment" for the integration of the recently acquired TDG.
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Next sales soar
Next has posted what it calls "significantly better than expected" first quarter sales results. Revenues for the 13 weeks to 30 April rose by 5.2 per cent, which the Enderby-based retailer attributed in part to the warm weather and the royal wedding.
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Public sector fraud on the increase, says PwC
Financial crime is on the rise in public sector organisations in the Midlands, according to accountancy firm PwC. The firm said that cuts made as a result of last year's spending review have increased opportunities for fraud in the region.
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Households are feeling the pinch - Bootle
Household incomes are facing their tightest squeeze since 1977 and it could get worse. That's according to Roger Bootle, economic adviser at Deloitte.
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