RESILIENT TRADING: Transport firm Go-Ahead has revealed it has driven forward its performance after revenues from its bus operations outside London rose nine per cent between July and the end of March.

The company said passenger revenues have also increased by four per cent, with its regulated London bus service revenues rising by 15 per cent during the period.

BID DEFEAT: Construction firm Costain has said it will not raise its offer for road and rail maintenance services business May Gurney.

It was outbid by rival Kier, who tabled a deal worth £221m.

That deal represents a 35 per cent premium on the current value of Costain's final offer.

Kier, which employs 10,000 people in construction, facilities management and property development, said the new company would have an order book worth £5.7bn.

May Gurney maintains more than 21,000 miles of roads and 500,000 street lights and signs across the UK.

DOUBLE EARNINGS: Electronics firm Sony says it has doubled its earning forecast, thanks to money raised from asset sales and the weaker Japanese yen.

The company, known to millions of consumers as the maker of its Bravia televisions and Viao laptop computers, says it expects its net income to hit £261m, nearly double its previous forecast.

It said a weaker currency increases its overseas revenues when converted back into yen. The firm makes the majority of its sales from overseas markets.

MARKET DIVIDE: Car maker Ford made a loss of nearly £300m in its European arm, at the same time its North American business made pre-tax profits of £1.4bn in the first three months of the year.

The company's European sales losses were more than triple what it lost in the same period last year, and follows a 10 per cent drop in European sales for all car makers in March, the 18th consecutive monthly fall.

PROFITS LIFT: Croda International, which provides ingredients for personal care products, including skin and hair care items, says pre-tax profits for the first quarter of this year are up by 6.5 per cent to £65.1m.

The firm, based in East Yorkshire, says its turnover grew by 0.4 per cent to £283.1m.

RETIREMENT CONTRACT: Housebuilder and construction group Galliford Try has been named as preferred bidder to design and construct the Bournville Gardens retirement village, in Birmingham.

The project, worth more than £26m, includes community and care facilities and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2015.