A roundup of today's other stories in brief

Microsoft faces action over software

Two US software firms are asking the European Commission to take action against Microsoft's new Vista operating system, the Wall Street Journal reported yesterday.

Adobe Systems has told EU regulators that Microsoft should be banned from incorporating free competing software for reading and creating electronic documents with Vista, the paper said, quoting people familiar with the situation.

Anti-virus software maker Symantec will send officials to Brussels next week to brief journalists about features of Vista that it has told EU regulators will undercut rival makers of computer security software, the paper said. - (Reuters)

Coillte faces new investigation

The Competition Authority is to launch an in-depth investigation into Coillte's proposed purchase of Weyerhauser Europe to determine whether it will lessen competition in the sector. Both parties are involved in the manufacture of wood products

In a statement released yesterday, the authority said that following an initial investigation it had been unable to ascertain what effect the proposed acquisition would have on the sector and as a result would now carry out a more in-depth assessment.

A final decision will be made by December 22nd, but interested parties must make any submissions before October 12th.

Dragon Oil sees profits rise

Exploration group Dragon Oil reported an increase in first-half profit as a result of the higher oil price, but said production was down on the prior period because of a blockage. Releasing its first-half results for the six months to the end of June yesterday, Dragon said net profit was 63 per cent ahead of the year earlier period at $80.8 million (€63.5 million). Average gross production meanwhile was down 5 per cent at 18,576 barrels of oil per day.

Wholesale prices increase by 0.1%

Factory gate prices increased by 0.1 per cent in August 2006, compared to a decrease of 1 per cent in August 2005.

As a result, factory gate prices were increasing at an annual rate of 0.9 per cent in August, compared to an annual decrease of 0.2 per cent in July, according to the Central Statistics Office's wholesale price index.

Export sales increased by 0.1 per cent in August, with the most significant rises in pharmaceuticals and other chemical products and meat products.

O'Brien group acquires telco

Denis O'Brien's Caribbean mobile group Digicel has agreed to acquire an unrelated Central American telco called Digicel Holdings. The acquisition gives O'Brien's group a presence in El Salvador and in Guatemala ahead of its proposed flotation on the New York Stock Exchange.

A spokeswoman for the O'Brien group said she could not reveal the price of the transaction until it closes on October 2nd. She said she could not disclose the number of subscribers to the Digicel Holdings Service because the group was bound by a confidentiality clause until the deal closes.

New appointment at Finance

Minister for Finance Brian Cowen yesterday announced the appointment of Jim O'Brien as second secretary general of the sectoral policy division at the Department of Finance.

Oil prices rise over $61 a barrel

Oil prices rose over $61 per barrel yesterday after hitting six-month lows the previous session, but big US fuel stocks, and hopes that talks with Iran could avert a crisis over its nuclear programme, limited gains. - (Reuters)