Business news from Voiceover Artist Sasha Twining

Here is this weeks business news from BigFish Media Voiceover Artist Sasha Twining:

Five things to get you through the weekend dinner parties.

BARACK ATTACK
This was the week Obama took a stand against the banks and said he was in the mood for a fight. It seemed like the market took flight, with both the FTSE and DOW falling considerably. If he gets his way, the big banks will be split and won’t be able to use our money in their financial investment arms. Plus, we’ll all have another phrase to add to our recession phrase books – ‘The Glass Steagall Act’.

I SHOULD COCOA
We were all trying to come up with chocolate-themed puns this week, as the long running saga between Cadbury and Kraft appeared to come to a rather ‘sticky’ end. The best we could do was Kraft ‘sweetening the deal’ with Cadbury workers ‘left with a bitter taste’. In other words, the American company decided to up their offer at the 11th hour and the board at Cadbury agreed to the figures. Up to 6,000 people work for the British chocolate makers in the UK and, at the moment, there’s no guarantee for long-term job security.

KRAFTY MANOUEVRE
Staying with the Cadbury takeover, eyebrows were raised when it emerged the Royal Bank of Scotland would be part-financing the Kraft bid. Many were outraged at a British bank, with a majority taxpayer share, stumping up the cash for a deal that could possibly result in job losses. Others more sagely reckoned that if RBS are left to do their job, we’ll get our money back quicker.

WE'RE LOVING IT
It seems we were all partial to a burger or two in the recession. McDonalds said they had a record breaking year – with their UK outlets beating all other major markets. They’ve put it down to credit crunching budget menus, and a refresh of some of their restaurants. Not only are more of us deciding ‘we’re loving it’, but we’re also ‘loving it’ in greater quantities.

BUR BUR BUR, BUR BUR-BERRY
Luxury is back in fashion. At least it is for Burberry. Their latest figures showed a very strong Christmas in London, boosted by tourists taking advantage of the weak pound. Burberry bosses possibly have the 1980s fashion favourte ‘The Snood’ to thank as well. Figures suggest the re-invented cross between a hood and a scarf was a firm festive favorite.


Sasha Twining is LBC 97.3's Business Correspondent. You can hear her Monday-Friday between 4 and 7pm on the James Whale Programme.