In brief: Cath Kidston race costs Uniqlo owner, Ukraine crisis raises tensions and prices and Sky-backed social media firm rebrands

Shares in the Japanese owner of Uniqlo fell 3% today after it emerged it has joined the race for kitsch homewares seller Cath Kidston.

Fast Retailing, which is the largest fashion retailer in Asia, is understood to face competition from L Capital, the private-equity firm backed by luxury-goods group LVMH. Cath Kidston is majority owned by TA Associates and valued at £250 million.

Oil, palladium and gold prices jumped today as the Ukraine crisis ratcheted up market tensions. Brent crude futures breached $108 a barrel, up 0.8% on Friday’s close. Palladium, of which Russia is the top supplier, rose 1.7% to $814.20 an ounce. The precious metal has risen 14% this year. Meanwhile gold reached a three-week high of $1,329.70 an ounce as investors rushed back into the safe-haven asset.

Zeebox, the social-media company backed by BSkyB, NBC, Comcast and Viacom, today rebranded as Beamly as it seeks to be a dedicated social network for TV viewers. The app lets users talk about shows and acts as a programme guide and remote control for the TV. Founder Anthony Rose said Beamly was “designed for TV” unlike Facebook or Twitter.