In short

A round-up of today's other business news in brief ...

CryptoLogic retains Marvel gaming rights

Dublin-based gaming software group CryptoLogic has announced that it has extended its licensing agreement with Marvel Entertainment.

Under the agreement, CryptoLogic retains its rights as the exclusive developer of internet casino games based on characters that appear in Marvel comics until 2013.

Since 2005, CryptoLogic has launched more than 17 internet casino slot games featuring classic Marvel superheroes.

Anglo American rejects merger

Anglo American’s board has unanimously rejected a proposal from Xstrata for a “merger of equals” to create a mining company that would compete with BHP Billiton, the world’s largest.

Xstrata’s terms were “totally unacceptable”, London- based Anglo American said yesterday in a statement. The strategic case for the combination is unattractive for Anglo American shareholders.

Xstrata said there would be substantial cost savings from a merger that would give it additional copper and coal production and platinum in South Africa. An Anglo and Xstrata merger would have sales of more than $54 billion, based on 2008 figures. – (Bloomberg)

NTR firm signs US solar energy deal

NTR’s solar company, Tessera Solar North America, has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with US energy company CPS Energy to build a 27- megawatt solar project in west Texas.

The project will provide enough energy to power 4,000 homes and will create 100 construction jobs and up to 20 permanent jobs.

This is the first PPA signed by the company since NTR invested $100 million (€72 million) in Tessera Solar and its sister company, Stirling Energy Systems, in March.

SLA Networks sold for six-figure sum

Belfast-based SLA Networks has been bought by IT entrepreneurs Ken Roulston and Stephen Gillespie from the Stirk Lamont group for an undisclosed six-figure sum.

SLA Networks, an IT solutions company, employs 14 people. Mr Roulston said this figure was expected to increase as new services were added to the company’s offering.

Belfast Briefing

There is no Belfast Briefing this week as Francess McDonnell is away.