New car market in UK up 2.6 per cent in 2024, figures reveal Transport and infrastructure The UK’s new car market recorded its second successive year of growth with a 2.6 per cent rise in registrations in 2024, new figures show. Industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said around 1,953,000 new cars were registered last year, compared with 1,903,000 in 2023. Growth was delivered entirely by purchases [...]
What went wrong for Fundsmith Equity in 2024? Investing Fundsmith Equity, the largest investment fund in the UK, registered its fourth consecutive year of underperformance in 2024. Terry Smith’s £22.6bn fund returned just 8.9 per cent last year, compared to 20.8 per cent for its benchmark, the MSCI World Index. This drastic underperformance followed a similar trend from previous years. The fund underperformed its [...]
Top Hollywood Bowl bosses lined up for massive pay day Business The top bosses at Hollywood Bowl have been lined up to receive a bonus worth 150 per cent of their base salary if the FTSE 250 group continues to hit its financial targets. Chief executive Stephen Burns and chief financial officer Laurence Keen are eligible for a bonus up to the new total for the [...]
Monzo, Open AI, Revolut and Klarna: The IPOs to watch out for in 2025 January 3, 2025 While economic uncertainty prompted a cautious approach to IPOs in 2025, several high-profile companies are preparing to float in 2025. From leading fintechs such as Monzo, Revolut, and Klarna to global giants such as OpenAI and SpaceX, some of the most exciting growth companies in recent years could IPO this year. Here is a look [...]
Avoid Tesla, Intel, oil and German equities in 2025 say analysts January 3, 2025 Wall Street analysts have pencilled in strong gains for equity markets in 2025, following a robust performance in 2024. However, while analysts are optimistic about the outlook for the market as a whole, there are some assets Wall Street believes will underperform in the year ahead. Here are the four assets analysts are advising investors [...]
Why Dry January is just another month for this alcohol-free beer brand January 3, 2025 Highlighting a year of growth, we take a look at some of the biggest and most recent achievements of the rapidly-growing alcohol-free beer brand, Days Brewing. Two friends, one pandemic and a few cold (alcohol-free) beers later – a long-lasting business was created. In 2020, former AB InBev man Mike Gammell and ex-Propercorn marketing chief [...]
FTSE 100 to outperform S&P 500 in 2025 says Wall Street January 3, 2025 Equity analysts have predicted that the FTSE 100 will have a record year in 2025, helped by lower interest rates and higher oil prices. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, Wall Street analysts believe the UK’s flagship blue-chip index will jump 15 per cent in 2025, its best year since 2009. In 2024, the index [...]
Record profit for Doctor Who maker Bad Wolf January 3, 2025 Profit at Bad Wolf, the production company behind the likes of Doctor Who, has surged to a new record, it has been revealed. The Wales-based business has reported a pre-tax profit of £10.5m for the year to 31 March, 2024, according to newly-filed accounts with Companies House. The new total is up from the £7m [...]
Utilita Energy profit to fall as sales slashed by £700m January 3, 2025 The owner of Utilita Energy has warned its profit will fall because of an “increasing obligation to support customers with higher bills”. Luxion Group, which owns the Eastleigh-based supplier, added that its resources “continue to be stretched” despite its pre-tax profit increasing from £31.2m to £43m in the year to 31 March, 2024. Utilita Energy [...]
Eden Project losses nearly double despite visitors spike January 3, 2025 A spike in visitor numbers failed to stop Cornwall tourist attraction Eden Project falling deeper into the red during its latest financial year. The site welcomed more than 604,000 visitors in the year to 31 March, 2024, up from the over 551,000 who went there in the prior 12 months. As a result, Eden Project’s [...]