THE DAILY BRIEFING

MISSING MILLIONS

Building services provider Tclarke has launched an investigation into one of its contractors over allegations that £2.8m was stolen by a rogue employee.

Tclarke said that it had uncovered financial irregularities at DG Robson Mechanical Services – a privately owned contractor it acquired in 2010 for £6.5m.

SACHS ROW

The judgment of a former leading eurocrat has been called into question after he accepted a job at Goldman Sachs in London.

More than 150,000 people have signed a petition branding jose Manuel Barroso, who was president of the European commission from 2004 to 2014, ‘morally reprehensible’ for joining the bank.

FAST WINE

Majestic Wine has launched a next-day delivery service to cash in on the festive season. The firm has also built a warehouse in West London to handle online orders and take the pressure off stores.

MINE DEAL

anglo american has completed the sale of its callide coal mine in australia, as it continues a global sell-off to refocus on diamonds, copper and platinum.

The deal with Batchfire Resources comes as reports claim anglo is sounding out investors on a spin-off of its South african operations.

OIL GIANT

Baker Hughes and General Electric are joining forces to create the second-largest oilfield services group.

The firm, which will have £26bn in combined revenues, will have dual headquarters in Houston and London.

STYLISH MOVE

Fashion retailer cath kidston has appointed the former managing director of Harrods as its new non-executive director.

Marty Wikstrom, who served as Harrods’ first female managing director before departing in 2003, has been picked to help develop the High Street brand overseas.

HSBC POST

Former London Stock Exchange boss Dame clara Furse is set to head up HSBc’s British retail bank, sources claim.

Furse will become chairman of the division after it is separated from the main bank under new ring-fencing rules in 2019. an announcement is due this week, according to reports.

VEGAS FLIGHTS

Low-cost airline Norwegian has increased pressure on rivals by launching flights to Las vegas with a one-way price tag of £179.

it began its twice-weekly service to ‘Sin city’ yesterday in a move that will compete head- on with British airways and virgin atlantic.

TESCO SUED

Tesco is being sued by 125 institutional funds amid allegations it cooked its books in 2014.

The group filed a damages claim for more than £100m yesterday, seeking compensation for misleading statements to the stock market when Tesco overstated profits by £263m.