A roundup of today's other stories in brief.
US Airways raises bid for Delta to $10bn
US Airways called on Delta Air Lines' creditors to block any management actions that would erode the value of its hostile offer.
The call came as US Airways raised its bid to $10.2 billion (€7.8 billion) in an effort to push its larger rival to the table and fend off other suitors.
Delta's fate lies with its unsecured creditors, who are evaluating the carrier's standalone plan to exit bankruptcy protection this year against US Airways' revised cash-and-stock bid to create the world's largest airline by revenues.
Doug Parker, US Airways' chairman and chief executive, said he still hoped to win support from Delta, which rejected the initial offer last month. But he called on creditors to block any actions that could reduce the $1.65 billion in synergies US Airways believes the merger would bring.
Delta recently announced an order for up to 60 regional jets, and US Airways executives said any other efforts to accelerate its fleet restructuring while in bankruptcy protection could damage the expected merger benefits. - (Financial Times service)
Blackrock agrees Santry lease
Blackrock International Land has agreed a short-term lease of its recently acquired investment property in Santry, Dublin at an annual rent of €650,000, equivalent to a net initial yield of 6.7 per cent.
The property is a third generation distribution facility, located in Woodford Business Park, north of Dublin city and close to the new Dublin Port Tunnel and the M50.
It was purchased in November 2006 for a total outlay, including costs, of €€9.75 million.
Circle Oil surveys Oman coast
Oil and gas exploration group Circle Oil said yesterday that work is progressing as planned on the acquisition of 6,000km (3,700 miles) of seismic data off the coast of Oman.
Circle Oil is acquiring the data as part of an agreement with TGS-Nopec Geophysical, and hopes the information will be instrumental in confirming discoveries it made last year.
Chief executive David Hough said the survey represents the start of the next stage of Circle's exploration strategy in what he believes is a highly prospective area.
Retailers plan workplace code
The world's largest retailers have for the first time agreed on a unified set of workplace standards aimed at eliminating problems such as child labour and unpaid wages in their global supply chains.
Wal-Mart, Tesco, Carrefour and Metro are working on a programme that includes standards drawn from the companies' existing codes of ethics and will also set out principles aimed at combating "audit fatigue" among suppliers. - (Financial Times service)
