The deal, valued at $225 million, is expected to be complete by the end of the year and follows Nike’s earlier announcement that is looking to sell off the firm, which specialises in the manufacture of football kits.

"It is difficult to divest any business, but this action will enable us to focus on our highest-potential growth opportunities," said Nike boss Mark Parker. "Umbro has a great heritage but, ultimately, as our category has evolved, we believe Nike football can serve the needs of footballers on and off the pitch."

Through the work of its Respondez brand, Spanco Limited has introduced its outsourcing solutions to Africa’s thriving telecommunications sector.

Though still in its relatively early stages of development, Africa’s telecommunications market is lauded as being one of the fastest-growing in the world. Throughout the 2000s, mobile telephony across the continent, particularly in sub-Saharan nations, skyrocketed to the point where today it is substantially more widespread than its fixed line equivalent.

Westshore, with a capacity of 29 million tonnes per annum, is far and away the largest coal terminal in Canada handling more than the combined capacity of other ports on the North American west coast.

Chief executive officer Greg Young discusses the ways in which the company is helping transform Sri Lanka into an information and telecommunications hotspot.

A modern broadcasting and telecommunications company providing a full range of voice, data and internet services across the Czech Republic, as well as TV and radio broadcasting. The company’s aim is to develop and strengthen its market position by continual improvement of services.

Zinc, one of Nyrstar's primary products, is vital to America's industrial regeneration, and one of the most reliable and highest grade sources comes from its underground mines in Tennessee.

The bank’s purchasing managers index (PMI) rose to 49.1 this month, its highest level in three months. Aided by an increase in new orders, the figure is the latest in a long line to suggest an improvement in fortunes for the world’s second biggest economy.

In a move that further demonstrates how agricultural companies have increasingly become takeover targets as a result of rising demand for food from emerging markets, ADM has offered $2.77 billion to acquire the business.

Reacting to the news, analysts believe the move signals ADM’s determination to break into fast growing Asian markets. Some however have been quick to point out that ADM could face competing bids for GrainCorp.

A joint venture between BP and a group of Russian billionaires, represented by the Alfa-Access-Renova consortium, TNK-BP is currently recognised as the country’s third-largest oil producer in terms of reserves and crude oil production. BP’s stake in TNK-BP is believed to be worth between $25 billion and $28 billion. It is thought that, as part of any deal, BP would receive a stake of up to 20 percent in Rosneft.