Construction materials prices rose by 5.7% compared with the same month of the previous year in July, with the price index of construction materials reaching 139.64, compared with 139.61 in June. For the period January-July 2007, the index recorded an increase of 4.84% over the corresponding period of the previous year. According to the breakdown

Nokia Siemens Networks has signed a contract with Yunnan CTC, a branch of China Telecom in the country’s south-west province, for the supply and implementation of carrier ethernet switches. Yunnan Telecommunications Co., Ltd. has over 5 mln fixed line telephone users and 1 mln data Internet users. The SURPASS hiD 6650 carrier grade ethernet switches

NetGear, a worldwide provider of branded networking products, has announced record revenues of USD 4 million in the first half of 2007, which sustains its multi-million dollar revenues and consolidates its position as a major player in the regional IT market. The company further announced that it is set to highlight cutting-edge products including the

Nokia revealed that I-play, the mobile entertainment company, will be delivering a line-up of casual games to the N-Gage platform launching this fall. The first two titles to be introduced in 2008 include World Rally Championship, the official license of the FIA WRC, and Super Mah Jong, an epic tale based on the ancient spiritual

Gemfields Resources PLC (AIM: GEM), the London AIM-listed Zambian gemstone mining and exploration company, announced that a 10,050 carat emerald was discovered last week at the company’s 100% owned Mbuva-Chibolele emerald mine. The stone was part of a pocket that was mined in the M3 area from the reaction zone of the hanging wall pegmatite

In a teleconference, Moody’s Investors Service said it does not foresee widespread ratings downgrades for the world’s banks as a result of the current market tensions. The agency does, however, expect to see third quarter earnings decline for a number of banks and possible ratings downgrades for a handful of banks. “We are unlikely to

In recent months, several European insurers and reinsurers have announced unprecedentedly large share buyback programmes and plans to maintain this approach for the coming few years, Moody’s Investors Service said in a new Special Comment. Although Moody’s recognises the potential risks in this notable shift in stance, it believes that these should remain contained and

Marfin Popular Bank revealed that it has purchased 663.863 shares of Bank of Cyprus at an average price of EUR 11.4550 on Friday in addition to previous purchases made last Thursday at EUR 11.497. The purchases increase the stake of MPB in BOC from 7.38% to 7.50%. Previously the Bank had sold about 4.9 mln