A round-up of today's other stories in brief...

Advertising firm warns of moving London base

WPP, the world's second largest advertising firm, says it will considering moving its London headquarters overseas if proposed tax changes go ahead. The company pays £200 million (€254 million) a year in tax to the UK government and said the planned changes would raise its tax bill and threaten its profitability. British pharmaceutical firm Shire and publisher United Business Media are moving their tax bases to Ireland, which will reduce their tax bills from 28 per cent to 12.5 per cent.

French and Barrett resign from ISTC

Former chairman of Goodbody Stockbrokers, Ray French, and the stockbroking firm's managing director, Roy Barrett, have resigned as directors of specialist Dublin lender International Securities Trading Corporation (ISTC), which was bought out of examinership by UK investment bank Collins Stewart for €5 million. Mr French and Mr Barrett have been replaced by Collins Stewart chairman Terry Smith and another of the UK bank's directors, David Lindsay.

Center Parcs to open Irish holiday camp

UK leisure group, Center Parcs, which offers family activity holidays in some of Britain's biggest forests, has targeted Ireland as its next location after it opens a £200 million site in Bedfordshire in 2010. The group, which is owned by US private equity firm Blackstone, has been looking for suitable location to set up its first Irish holiday camp in the midlands.

Pensions put on long finger

Three-quarters of people without pensions believe the State pension would not be sufficient to meet their needs in retirement, according to new research commissioned by the Pensions Board. Some 40 per cent of those without pensions do not intend to start a pension in the next three years.

David Malone, head of information services at the Pensions Board, said the findings shows that people are still inclined to put pensions on the long finger. He was speaking ahead of National Pensions Sign-Up Day today.

Food prices pose inflationary risks

Rising food prices pose "significant" inflationary risks around the world, a meeting of central bankers has warned. This has arisen on top of rising energy, metal and commodity prices, said the group's chairman, Jean-Claude Trichet, president of the European Central Bank (ECB). The price of some staple foods has trebled, but to combat inflation, countries should resist protectionism, he said.

The euro rose against the dollar for the first time in three days on speculation the ECB will keep interest rates at a six-year high this week to control inflation.

Oil breaks through $120 a barrel barrier

Oil jumped more than $3 to strike a record at over $120 a barrel yesterday because of the weaker dollar and supply concerns in oil-producing nations, Nigeria and Iran. US crude gained $3.37 to trade at $119.69 after surging to $120.21 earlier.

London Brent crude rose $3.33 to $117.89 in light trading due to a bank holiday in the UK.