Mail on Sunday

Internet Retailers Expect Pounds 14bn of Christmas Sales

AMAZON said its sales growth in Britain in the run-up to Christmas is as strong as last year despite concerns that the High Street may be flagging. Were certainly not expecting a slowdown, said Allan Lyall, head of European operations at the online retail giant, which like Ocado offers a last-minute delivery service on December 24.

Yahoo Is Selling Kelkoo

PRICE comparison website Kelkoo has been put up for sale by Yahoo after just three years. The internet giant paid about Pounds 350 million for Kelkoo at a time when it was seeking to compete with arch-rival Google in Europe. At that time Kelkoo was one of the most popular websites in Europe, reaching about ten per cent of the Continents web users.

Paragon Not On Market

STRUGGLING buy-to-let lender Paragon denied it was up for sale this weekend after it was forced to announce a plan to refinance its loans and warned it could stop lending to new borrowers. The group announced last week that it had arranged underwriting from investment bank UBS for a Pounds 280 million rights issue, which it could use as a last resort if its current funding schemes failed.

Time Is Right for Lender Gc

AT FIRST glance, General Capital would seem the last place investors would want to put their money. The company lends to small firms and its shares have fallen over the past six months from more than 150p in June to 118p today.

Mine Deal to Boost Petra ; Midas Update

MIDAS recommended Petra Diamonds last February, when the shares were 146p. The company runs mines across Africa and sells finished stones as well. The shares have had an uninspiring year and are now 1481/ 2p. But last week Petra pulled off a coup, buying a mine from De Beers, which should transform its fortunes.

Translator Sdl Is Set for a Rally

SDL uses clever technology to help companies translate documents into foreign languages. The company works with international corporations, allowing them to translate brochures, manuals and other publications quickly and cost-effectively. The company also works on the internet, helping translators work more efficiently and helping businesses create websites that say the right things in the right language to customers.

Defensive Rio to Unveil Strategy

MINING giant Rio Tinto will tomorrow outline to investors its strategy for an independent future as it seeks to fight off rival BHP Billitons Pounds 170 billion merger proposal. In a presentation to investors it will detail its growth potential, particularly in key assets such as iron ore and aluminium, following its recent Pounds 20 billion takeover of Canadas Alcan group.

Share Volatility Promises a Big Footsie Revamp ; Taking Stock

THE next review of the FTSE 100 index is set to be one of the most vigorous shakeouts for many years. After months of stock market gyrations, there are quite a few companies poised to leave the blue- chip index and a bumper crop of new arrivals. The quarterly review is just over a fortnight away and will be based on the closing share prices on December 11. But so massive have been the jumps and slumps in some share prices over the past three months that already a major membership change is on...

Darling Faces a Consumer Strike

WE are, as the Victorian Prime Minister Disraeli said, two nations, and nowhere more so than in terms of owner-occupation. As house prices start to slip, these two nations are being thrown into sharp relief.

Our Pounds 2.71 Flight Really Cost Pounds 324 ; From High Credit Card Fees to a Charge for Using the Check-in Desk, Budget Airlines Boost Their Profits with an Array of Extras

Before you jump in and snap up some bargain flight deals for next years holiday, you might want to study the latest profits details from the budget airlines. There you will notice that their figures are looking extremely rosy on the back of a proliferation of additional fees and charges. Over the past year, the main budget carriers have introduced, or increased, separate charges for hold luggage, many have raised credit card and debit card transaction fees and then there are fees for boarding...

The Taxman, a Mess Over - Security and Cds Again ; Tony Hetherington

R. C. G. writes: My wife and I were allegedly overpaid child tax credits and face demands to repay over Pounds 500. We appealed, saying that I had kept Revenue Customs informed of changes in our circumstances. I used the Freedom of Information Act to request a copy of recordings the Revenue had made of my phone calls it sent me a CD. But I was horrified to find I had been given another persons details. AFTER a week in which Revenue boss Paul Gray has resigned and Chancellor Alistair Darling...

Macclesfield 1 Dag Redbridge 1

TEENAGE striker Nick Blackman broke Dagenham Redbridge hearts with a last-gasp equaliser just when the Essex side had looked all set to end their seven-match winless run. It was Macclesfields ninth draw of the season. Even so the visitors refused to drop their heads and deep into injury time striker Chris Moore put a close-range shot against the inside of a post.

Ward Adds to Tally and Sinks Dons

MORECAMBE 2 BURY 1 JAMIE WARD continued his scoring streak with Chesterfields winner at league leaders Milton Keynes. Ward, the 21-year-old recruited from Torquay in January, made it three goals in eight days as his side fought back from 1-0 down .

Barnet 0 Grimsby 3

GRIMSBY TOWN grabbed all three points at Underhill, belying their poor league form. The visitors had gleaned only one point in the previous eight outings but Danny Norths first-half brace sealed the result. Barnet failed to clear an early corner and North finished from close range.

Rotherham 2 Shrewsbury 0

Hereford 0 Accrington 0

Travel Deals of the Week

BEST CRUISE SAIL from Spain to Brazil on a 17-night cruise and save over Pounds 900. The ship departs from Savona on December 3 stopping off at Madeira and the Canary Islands. It now costs from Pounds 299 including full-board accommodation but excluding flights. Call Costa Cruises on 020 7940 4499 or visit www.costacruises.co.uk. BEST GOLF A FIVE-NIGHT Christmas break at Parque Da Floresta, a luxurious golf resort in the Western Algarve, costs from Pounds 230. This includes staying in a two-b...

Win a Luxury Break to Paris with Www.Travelmail.Co.Uk ; How to Enter

In Safe Hands

RANGERS captain Barry Ferguson and manager Walter Smith lavished praise on Allan McGregor after the Ibrox goalkeeper produced an impressive display to deny Falkirk a point and ensure his side secured their first away win in the SPL since August. The Glasgow side were cruising when they went 2-0 ahead at Westfield through goals from Carlos Cuellar and Jean-Claude Darcheville.

Fast Start Then a Stutter

RANGERS only just did enough to secure a lunchtime victory at the Falkirk Stadium yesterday after choosing to conserve their energies ahead of Tuesday evenings Champions League match in Stuttgart. Goals from Carlos Cuellar, Jean-Claude Darcheville and substitute Kris Boyd, in the dying seconds, were sufficient to take care of the opposition.