Oil prices have experienced significant gains, an event that is being credited in part to the moves taken by the US Federal Reserve last week, in which it announced it would inject $40 billion a month into the US economy. These movements also coincide with the forthcoming release of a forecast that is due to show the economy strengthening.

European pharmacy chain Alliance Boots has signed a strategic deal with China’s Nanjing Pharmaceutical Company, it has been announced.

Under the terms of the deal, Alliance Boots will acquire a 12 per cent stake in Nanjing Pharmaceutical for approximately £56 million (RMB560 million). On completion of the transaction, Alliance Boots will be the second largest shareholder in Nanjing Pharmaceutical with board and operational management representation. Nanjing Pharmaceutical Group Limited will continue to be the largest shareholder in the Chinese company.

Owens Corning announced today that its new furnace in its Tlaxcala, Mexico, glass reinforcements facility is operational. This is another step in the company’s plans to increase its global capacity to produce composite material.

Owens Corning is a leading global producer of glass fiber reinforcements for composite systems and residential and commercial building materials.

Temporary power generation and temperature control services provider Aggreko has officially opened its new service centre in Walvis Bay, Namibia.

The new facility was formally inaugurated by Honorable Willem Isaak, Deputy Minister of Mines of Namibia and Martin Foster, head of local business, Aggreko Southern and East Africa. Cleophas Mutjavikua, the governor of the Erongo region, was also in attendance. 

The facility is Aggreko's sixth service centre in Southern and East Africa and is the first operation to be based in Namibia.

The AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill has been on trial in the Regional Trauma Unit at the NHS Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, Northern Ireland for the past three months. During that time over two hundred patients have benefited from the unique 'anti-gravity' technology.

A new kind of war is being waged across the global stage—one that is using economics to potentially inflict more damage and devastation than the conflicts we have seen in the past.

By Richard Telofski

War isn't what it used to be. That's a catchy little title to this article, no? But catchy or not, just take a moment to think about that. War is definitely not what it used to be.

The construction sector is particularly at risk from acts of bribery, which can threaten contracts, business relationships, and ultimately, a company’s survival. So what can construction companies do to protect themselves from corruption of this nature?

By Céleste Cornu

Nobody’s perfect. What quality or ability do you wish you had?

I wish I had the ability to choose the right employees and the patience to train them. It seems anytime I find the right person, they get hired away from our small company and those that want to stay don't always develop skills.

What is the best business book you have ever read, and why?

MINExpo International 2012
24-26 September 2012
Las Vegas Convention Center
Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

The Olympic event for the mining industry, MINExpo International takes place every four years. Unlike the Olympics, however, the venue has not changed since it was first held in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1996.The 2008 MINExpo drew over 44,000 people (an increase of over 44 percent from the previous show in 2004), and was the largest mining trade show in the world. With your help, this year’s event could be even bigger.

A core values statement is two-dimensional until the right people with the right attitudes bring it to life.

By Micah Solomon

I hate to break it to you, but here's the scoop: Just about any business advantage that you pride yourself on can be copied by a competitor. The only question is when your competitors are going to get around to it.