THE DAILY BRIEFING

SHELL CHARGES

Shell and its Italian counterpart Eni face corruption charges in Nigeria over the controversial £1bn purchase of an oilfield. Nigeria’s financial crime watchdog has filed charges after finding new evidence, senior prosecutor Jonson Ojogbane said. The case is the latest of several inquiries into the 2011 purchase of a Nigerian oil prospecting licence. Shell declined to comment.

PETS PEP

Premier Veterinary Group added 50,000 animals to its healthcare plan, reaching 154,000, and has just signed up its first pets in the US, where it hopes to earn business from the owners of 144m cats and dogs.

START-UP BOUGHT

Accountancy software firm Sage has snapped up start-up Fairsail – a people management system – for an undisclosed sum.

BRAZIL SWOOP

Britvic has bought Brazilian rival Bela Ischia for £56.8m, expecting substantial savings. Shares were flat at 637.5p.

TV BOOST

Scottish TV firm STV toasted a ‘robust’ 2016 with sales up 3pc to £120.4m from £116.5m the year before. Profits, before exceptional items, fell 3pc to £18.5m.

HARVEST BOON

Harvest Minerals, a fertiliser producer focused on Brazil, could get a bump from President Donald Trump as experts predict growth in the country’s agriculture if Mexico imports more from Brazil once Trump builds a wall between Mexico and the US.

LEGAL EAGLE

Mining giant Rio Tinto has appointed a new legal head, Philip Richards, who has been acting group executive for legal since December.

OIL DEAL

Nano-technology company Graphene Nanochem says it has a new order for its nano-emulsion fluid which will help oil companies improve their production in Turkmenistan.

DIAMOND SALE

Lucapa Diamond Company has sold a batch of diamonds from Angola for £5.6m.