News Parkiet

Equity markets

WIG20 climbs to a new high

WIG20 blue-chip index closed at a new high of 2423 points yesterday, up 38.54 points or 1.62 percent from the previous close. All-share WIG was up about 450 points to as much as 32 917 points, a new all-time high.

Building materials

Barlinek rejects patent infringement charges

Floorboard manufacturer Barlinek SA says a competing Swedish company may have tried to scuttle its IPO when it publicized news of its claim to its 'barclick' joint system. The company, which sold 22 million shares in a heavily oversubscribed, 160-million zloty Initial Public Offering just days ago, says Vallinge sought to sell a license to its own, patented joint system.

Yesterday Barlinek made a counterclaim against Vallinge, saying that publication of news about the dispute in the middle of an IPO is an attempt to manipulate the offering. However, Polish SEC refused to investigate the matter, referring the case to the Patent Office.

Telecommunications

Orange to replace Idea

Telekomunikacja Polska's mobile phone arm said it would replace its 'Idea' brand with Orange, the brand of its parent company France Telecom. PTK Centertel will start marketing its services under the new name, until now virtually unknown in Poland, as early as next Monday. TP, which owns 66 percent of Centertel and is in turn controlled by France Telecom, has agreed to pay the amount equal to 1.6 percent of Centertel's sales as licensing fee for the use of its new brand.

Information technology

ABG Ster-Projekt up on HP contract

Shares of ABG Ster-Projekt information technology group rose 4.6 percent to a 52-week high yesterday on news of a 101-million zloty with Hewlett-Packard Polska. Warsaw-based company said it will assist HP in running an IT management system at ARiMR, a government agricultural agency.

Banking

Rebranding Warta and Kredyt Bank

may cost PLN 50 million

Rebranding campaign launched by two Polish units of Belgium's KBC - Kredyt Bank and Warta insurance group may cost as much as 50 million zloty, or 15.5 million dollars, sources close to the situation told PARKIET yesterday. The costs include new signs at Kredyt Bank's 330 branches across the country and advertising expenses, including TV and billboard ads.

Information technology

Comarch to sell billing software

to Swiss in&phone

Polish software house Comarch said it was awarded a contract to sell billing and network management applications to Swiss mobile phone operator in&phone. Cracow-based company said export sales of telecommunications and FMCG software accounted for about 16.5 percent of first-half sales. Sources estimate full-year export sales at Comarch at PLN 130 million ($40.6 million).