Own Active Block Ball, £9.50 drugstore.com
Sun cream is so 2011. This summer, spice things up with a sunscreen ball. That’s right, this solid sun protectant comes in a round orange container that is about the size of a tennis ball – it is ultra convenient and won’t leak all over your handbag.

Lancaster Sport Multi Protection Cream and Stick, £21 debenhams.com
We’re supposed to wear sunscreen every day – for those of us who might be a bit forgetful, this handy combo of cream and stick is a convenient enough to slip into your pocket.

Supergoop Weekend Away Essentials Set, £24.99 beautybay.com
If you’re heading to a sunny spot, pack this kit which has everything you need for your family, including sunscreen wipes, spray and lip balm.

La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Cream, £14.50 boots.com
Dermatologists say this is “the world’s greatest sunscreen” thanks to its ingredient, Mexoryl, which protects against UVA rays.

John Masters Organics Natural Mineral Sunscreen, £28.50 feelunique.com
Finding organic sunscreens isn’t as hard as it once was. This one combines natural ingredients like green tea, shea butter, and jojoba oil to nourish and protect your skin.

Clarins Sun Care Spray Oil-Free Lotion, £18 houseoffraser.co.uk
If you’re an active sun seeker who doesn’t have time to worry about your cream rubbing off, then try this spray. It’s oil-free formula sinks into your skin in a jiffy.

Esteé Lauder Bronze Goddess Sun Indulgence Lotion, £22 boots.com
If you have the delicate skin of a goddess, then try this sensitive sunscreen. Its fragrance makes you feel like you’re at the beach, even if you’re just relaxing in Hyde Park.

Invisible Zinc Four Hour Water Resistant Sunscreen,
£25.30 selfridges.com
There was a good deal of fuss about this cream when it launched in the UK: infused with the super-mineral Zinc, it is an all-natural block against the sun that properly protects you against all harmful rays and does so without any of the nasties found in most mainstream sun creams.

http://www.cityam.com/lifestyle/health-and-beauty/don-t-get-burned-sunny-season

KENDAL GAPINSKI

The FTSE 100 edged down in early trading as investors digested data showing a slowdown of growth in China’s economy.

Official figures released overnight showed that China’s economy grew at its slowest rate in almost three years.

Gross domestic product increased by a rate of 8.1 per cent in the first quarter, down from 8.9 per cent in the previous three months.

The data is particularly important for commodity stocks which rely on demand from China, the world’s second largest economy.

Meanwhile in the UK factory gate inflation eased to a two-year low in March, official data showed, supporting hopes that price pressures are falling back as the Bank of England predicts.

Separate data from the Office for National Statistics showed that non-seasonally adjusted construction output rose 6.1 per cent in February.

Software company Sage Group was the biggest faller in London early trading, down 2.2 per cent.

Cruise ship giant Carnival, which had seen its stock recovering after the sinking of its liner the Costa Concordia, was down two per cent.

Meanwhile building contractor CRH was off by just over one per cent, while luxury retailer Burberry also eased off.

Among banks RBS was the biggest loser, down by 1.9 per cent, while Lloyds dipped by 1.1 per cent and Barclays 1.7 per cent.

There were few significant risers on the index with oil major Shell edging up by 0.8 per cent after confirming that there was no leak at a Gulf of Mexico platform as was feared.

Steelmaker Evraz was up by 0.6 per cent, while Rio Tinto was the pick of the miners, up 0.4 per cent.

Supermarket chain Morrisons put on 0.4 per cent.

The UK retail seen received a boost from John Lewis – which is a bellwether for the sector – said that its trading over Easter hade been “stunning”.

In Asia the Nikkei closed up 1.1 per cent and the Hang Seng 1.8 per cent.

http://www.cityam.com/latest-news/daisy-buy-wordlwide-28m

Prepare for summer with some bang on-trend shades

Kendal Gapinski

Emporio Armani 9682 Aviator Men’s Sunglasses, £125, sunglassesshop.com
Sporty but oh-so-fashionable, these classic aviator-style shades featured in the spring/summer 2012 runway shows. Super-comfortable and equally good for strolling Mayfair or hitting the beach.

Ray-Ban Black Folding 4105 Men’s Wayfarers, £125, my-wardrobe.com
If you’re tired of all the aviator cool out there, try a classic with a bit of an update. These traditional Ray-Ban Wayfarers have a sneaky little feature, folding up at both the arms and the middle of the frame, condensing to fit in a tiny case that’s perfect for stashing away in a pocket.

Oakley Men’s Fuel Cell Sunglasses, £131, johnlewis.com
For the yachtsman or cyclist who means business, these heavily tinted, polarised sunglasses incorporate the shield-style trend. Oakley’s original clean and sporty design is sturdy enough for any outdoor activity.

Yves Saint Laurent Cat-Eye Frame Women’s Sunglasses, £210, net-a-porter.com
One of the biggest trends in women’s sunglasses on the runways this spring was the cat-eye frame. Inspired by retro 1950s designs, these simple yet chic frames add a dash of glamour to any outfit, from business suits to beachside bikinis.

Toms Classic 201 Oversized Turquoise Women’s Sunglasses, £110, Selfridges.com
These bright, oversized shades add major pop to an outfit. And while you’re running around looking awesome, you’re giving back: for every pair of Toms sunglasses bought, the company promises to help restore sight to a person in need.

Retrosun Red Square Frame Vintage Dior Women Sunglasses, £150 my-wardrobe.com
See the world through rose-tinted spectacles with these these retro-inspired sunglasses. Sporting a square frame and oversized graduated-tone lenses, a further touch of pizzazz is added with small gold-tone details around the frame and nose bridge. Extremely cool.

Linda Farrow Luxe Oversized Round-Frame Women’s Sunglasses, £303, net-a-porter.com
Vintage: tick. 1970s: tick. Enormous frames: tick. Made for the adventurous fashionista, this oversized pair of shades is made with tortoiseshell acetate and comes with an equally luxurious leather box to keep them safe.

http://www.cityam.com/lifestyle/fashion/life-through-lens

Bathroom cabinet need a refresh? Stock it with these luxe, practical items

Kendal Gapinski

Shiseido Men Deep Cleansing Scrub, £21.50, houseoffraser.co.uk
Made with cleansing granules, this scrub is meant to perk up your skin and helps prevent ingrown hairs. Good for all skin types, Shiseido is a formidable brand, and if you’re going to have one thing: have this.

Tom Ford for Men, £45, houseoffraser.co.uk
The king of perfect masculinity (at least where clothes and looks are concerned), this scent is a Tom Ford signature that captures all that’s tasty about refined and sophisticated men. Woodsy and deep, with notes of leather, cedarwood, and black pepper, this is a staple.

Carbon Fibre Shave Set, £390, harveynichols.com
For a luxurious experience, this sleek shave set is a must-have. From Hommage, a Paris-based grooming products brand, the brush and razor is made from hand-woven carbon fibres, used on everything from Tour de France race bikes to luxury watches. More than just a shave set, this collection is a work of art.

Braun Series 3 Shaver, £74.99, amazon.co.uk
Made with three independently floating shaving heads, the Braun Series 3 electric shaver claims to get rid of hair in one stroke and do it with minimal irritation. After you finish with your close shave, the head can be placed into the Clean & Renew pod, which will clean, lubricate, dry, and charge it.

Molton Brown Re-Charge Black Pepper Bodywash, £18, moltonbrown.co.uk
This best-selling spicy bodywash is tops when it comes to a morning energiser (after coffee). Winner of multiple awards, it contains black pepper oil to detoxify and boost circulation. Its masculine aroma will make you want to beat your chest in glee. Or something.

Philips Sonicare Flexcare Deluxe toothbrush, £99, amazon.co.uk
This rechargeable sonic toothbrush is the daddy of plaque removal, with five flexible brushing modes and a ProResults brush head thought to be the most effective in the business. It also comes with a UV sanitiser to keep your toothbrush squeaky clean.

http://www.cityam.com/lifestyle/health-and-beauty/take-pride-and-groom

KENDAL GAPINSKI

Savills selling historic Provencal mas
Savills is selling Mas de l’Hospitalet, a historic Provencal mas where Oscar winning actor, Jean Dujardin held his wedding ceremony in 2009. The property dates back to the 12th century and was built by Templar Knights on the order of the King of France. Currently, the property is a boutique hotel. The mas is located in the small village of Bagard and features 13 bedrooms, original fireplaces, vaulted ceilings and exposed beams. Outside, the property has courtyards, gardens, a swimming pool and a terrace. The guide price for the property is around €1.9m (£1.6m). www.savills.com

Residential rent rises outperform capital growth
Rental values are rising faster than underlying house prices in many cities as demand from corporate tenants rises above the supply in the global residential real estate market, Savills says. Paris overtook London to become the most expensive rental market in the world in 2011. Rental prices rose an average of 2.3 per cent throughout global cities, with London rental value rising 4.6 per cent in the beginning half of 2011 and a further 0.1 per cent in the second half. In New York, rental values rose a whopping 6.5 per cent in the first half of 2011 and a further 6.2 per cent in the second half of the year.

Hanover acquires hospital site in £26m deal
Hanover Housing Association, one of the largest providers of retirement housing in the UK, has acquired the six-acre site of the former St Luke’s Hospital in Woodside Avenue, Muswell Hill in a £26m deal from the Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust. Hanover plans on developing the site as a mixed residential scheme for up to 200 homes for sale and rent, 70 per cent of which will be for people over the age of 55. The site was previously a hospital, although it has been largely unused since 2009. Knight Frank and Savills advised in the deal.

http://www.cityam.com/living/property-news-61

ENERGY

KENDAL GAPINSKI

Eni, Italy’s biggest energy company, is demanding more than $1bn (£632m) worth of crude oil by Iran, despite the EU banning oil imports from the country.

EU governments with existing contracts to import crude from Iran can continue until July 1. However Eni was excused because it does not buy oil from Iran but receives it as payments for previous investments.

Iran has been paying back Eni for these old investments for several decades. Eni was owed $3bn in oil from Iran three years ago.

The amount of Iranian crude purchased by Eni has been “declining”, according to chief executive Paulo Scaroni, and will be replaced with oil from Saudi Arabia and other unspecified countries.

Eni’s refining and marketing division has lost €1.2bn (£1bn) over the past three years, leading to rumours the group might downsize its refining operations. Eni cannot close any plants until 2014 following a previous agreement with trade unions.

“If the market remains weak we can reduce capacity. But we have a commitment not to close any plants until 2014,” Scaroni said.

http://www.cityam.com/latest-news/eni-still-owed-1bn-worth-oil-iran

M&A

KENDAL GAPINSKI

US DISPOSABLE cup manufacturer Dart Container has agreed to buy Solo Cup in a deal valued at $1bn (£632m).

Dart paid $315m in cash for all of Solo’s equity, and plans to use remaining reserves to clear roughly $700m of Solo’s debt.

The world’s largest maker of foam cups, Dart said it has no plans to drop Solo’s iconic red plastic cups, which have inspired a hit song by US country star Toby Keith, and become a mainstay at American barbeques and college parties.

In addition to the red cups, Solo, which has $1.6bn in annual sales, also makes a variety of disposable food and drink containers out of paper, plastic, and recycled materials.

In 2004, Solo bought competitor Sweetheart for $917m. The deal pushed Solo into a loss making position after it failed to integrate the acquisition and struggled with the debt it assumed in the purchase.

Dart has said it plans to fully integrate the two US-based companies to make the deal as successful as possible. The two companies, which are both family-owned, will operate independently until the agreement closes.

The deal is expected to close by the third quarter, Dart said, pending regulatory approval.

http://www.cityam.com/latest-news/world-s-largest-foam-cup-maker-dart-container-buy-solo-cup-1bn

ENERGY

KENDAL GAPINSKI

ROYAL Dutch Shell has signed the first ever shale gas production sharing deal with China, it announced yesterday, as the country tries to tap into its potentially lucrative energy assets.

Shell has already done some exploration works on the 3,500 square kilometer Fushun-Yongchuan block, and will now work with state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation on the site.

Inspired by a shale boom in the US, China started its shale push in late 2009. Its at-home companies have drilled several dozen wells and brought in firms, such as Shell and Chevron, for joint studies.

“China has huge shale gas potential and we are committed to making a contribution in bringing that potential into reality,” Peter Voser, chief executive officer of Shell, said in a statement.

Shell already operates in tight-gas fields in Sichuan in partnership with PetroChina, as it is also assessing opportunities for coalbed methane. The company also has a fast-growing downstream retail business in the country.

China’s largest energy agency, the National Energy Administration (NEA) has set a target to produce 6.5bn cubic metres (bcm) of shale gas by 2015, with hopes of producing 60-100bcm by 2020, a figure that may be too ambitious said some analysts.

China is believed to hold the world’s largest shale resource, but has yet to start commercial production.

The country is likely to tender its second batch of shale gas blocks in April or May after awarding two out of four blocks in its first auction in July last year, Xiong Bingqi, an official with the Ministry of Land and Resources, has told reporters.

http://www.cityam.com/latest-news/shell-set-share-china-s-shale-work