06/12/2012 World Business Report

member of staff. Welcome to the programme. The

headlines: Who copied whom? Apple and Samsung are back in court as a

US judge rules on their multi- billion-dollar patent battle. Asian

stock markets are at optimistic high levels as US politicians

struggle to make a deal to avert the fiscal cliff. The European

Central Bank set to cut its growth forecast for the eurozone.

Today, a US judge will give have ruling in the patent battle over

the design of smartphones and tablets. Last month, a jury decided

that Samsung had travelled Features -- copied features of Apple's

iPhone and iPad devices. Apple wants an injunction banning the

sale of Samsung devices in the US. After the US jury's verdict last

August, the legal team from Samsung left court frustrated. We are

disappointed. Now, solicitors from both sides are headed back for the

judge's ruling. What is all the fuss about? Think about the

features you use every day on your smartphone, such as pinching the

screen to make images and text bigger and smaller. Apple says its

inventor this technology and Samsung copied it. The jury in

greed and ordered Samsung to pay more than $1 billion. -- the jury

agreed to. Samsung is not going to give up its share of the market

without a fight. They are pushing for a retrial. It would appear that

the main point behind their appeal effort is that one member of the

jury had at one time filed a lawsuit based on patterns law. They

will argue that this person was an illegitimate member of the jury.

More than one year ago, Steve Jobs declared war on other companies he

felt had copied Apple's technology. Many say this battle is all about

Google. All of this is more to do with Apple and Google than it is to

do with Samsung. This is a proxy war. Google makes no money off

Android but Apple can go after the manufacturers who make handsets

that use Android. This is a secret, three-dimensional chess game.

sea is a game in which the consumer may be the loser if the result is

less choice or higher prices -- this is a game.

Asian markets have been on the rise for the sixth day in a row on

optimism that US politicians can do a deal to avert the so-called

fiscal cliff. At the same time, the hero is sinking on concerns the

eurozone debt crisis is about to get work -- the euro is sinking on

concerns that the situation in the eurozone will get worse.

Asian markets hope that a fiscal deal with the Republicans may be

possible in about one week. Markets have been anxious about plunging

the US economy into recession as a result of failing to reach a deal.

This would affect Asian economies, who are still reliant on the US as

an export market for their cars, machinery, consumer electronics and

garments. With the hope of the crisis been

averted, Haitian shares are rising to record highs. -- Asian shares.

Despite this positive atmosphere, investors are not aggressively

buying back into the market. Greece is in a selective default and

investors are waiting for word from the European Central Bank later in

the day. Under all, there is still a lot of

uncertainty in the market. -- in general.

Thank you. The European Central Bank is

expected to slash its outlook for the eurozone economy this year and

next year at its monthly meeting today. Few analysts expect the Bank

to cut borrowing costs this time, but many see a rate cut as very

likely early next year. Thank you for joining us. I don't suppose you

are surprised to hear that the growth forecast will be cut. Not at

all. Frankly, anybody who has been paying attention this year,

watching the disasters we have just managed to avoid would fail to

recognise that slowing growth would be an issue. There is also the

perception that the European Central Bank has been too slow to

move. There is the sense they have been behind and that has impacted

growth as well. They will probably talk about flat growth in 2013.

They are setting us up for a rate cut early in the new year. Frankly,

they should do it now. Why wait? are at 0.75 %. What else can they

do? What impact would that have? Just encouraging people not to

leave money at the bank at all. There Aap other places in

continental Europe... Anything to encourage the money to go elsewhere.

There may be some technical shifts as well. That is what we need, to

see something that stops people leave the money at the bank.

Thank you. And today, we will soon receive the half-yearly results

from the UK luxury goods company, Mulberry. In October, it issued its

second profits warning in over one year.

For the past four years, Mulberry has done well, becoming a global

super brand name. Its profits soared along with its share price

as it cash in on luxury goods buying in East Asia. But in October,

Mulberry issued a profit warning. The share price plunged by 25%

within a single day. Mulberry still had 40% growth in

international sales and that is absolutely amazing for a retailer.

However, the market cannot keep growing so strongly continually and

there will be a period of adjustment as shareholders get used

to these slightly lower growth rates. Mulberry has a strategy for

reviving its revenue growth. It plans to open more stores where it

will sell its goods at full price rather than discounting them in

outlet shopping malls. Because it still relies on much of its sales

in Britain -- because it still relies on Britain for much of its

sales, it will expand into France and Asia. T and Asia. Tlways a

question about medium size British brand names as to whether other

cultures or nationalities will really understand, whereas with the

large American, French and Italian brand names, it is very obvious

what they stand for. The past year has shown that the most luxurious

of luxury brand names still thrive in austere times, while lower-

priced competitors suffer. Mulberry's gamble is to take on

these giants in the shopping malls of East Asia, beating its goods