Shoe Zone shares crash as Budget deals major blow to profit plans December 18, 2024 Shares in Shoe Zone have plummeted to their lowest value for more than three years after the company warning the changes announced in the Autumn Budget has forced it to close a number of stores. The Leicester-headquartered retailer issued a trading update to the London Stock Exchange in which it revealed the impacted that “significant [...]
Southeastern boss: Success is not about public or private ownership December 18, 2024 City AM chats with Southeastern Railway's chief Steve White on Covid-19, Labour's reforms and his plans to bring down costs.
Brexit hit to UK trade not as bad as first thought December 18, 2024 The negative impact Brexit had on UK trade may have been softened by big firms adapting to EU barriers, fresh research from a top London university has shown. A report from the Centre for Economic Performance, linked to the London School of Economics, found that “in the short run, aggregate trade proved moderately resilient” to [...]
London rents rise again as house prices hold: ‘It is nothing short of brutal’ December 18, 2024 Rents in London have continued to show double-digits rises despite a stablisation in the housing market and lower mortgage rates. Average UK private rents increased by 9.1 per cent in the 12 months to November 2024, with rents in London up 11.6 per cent, according to the latest ONS figures. Propertymark chief Nathan Emerson called [...]
US hedge fund launches activist offensive against UK investment trusts December 18, 2024 US hedge fund manager Saba Capital has launched a campaign to oust the boards of seven top UK investment trusts today after amassing stakes in the firms over the past year. In an open letter to the companies today, the activist investor said it was triggering shareholder votes to “elect new directors with a concrete [...]
B&Q owner Kingfisher sells underperforming Romanian arm December 18, 2024 Kingfisher has agreed to sell its Brico Dépôt Romania business for £58m to Altex Romania. The sale, which is expected to be completed in the first half of the next financial year, comprises the entire Brico Dépôt Romania business, including its network of 31 stores in 24 cities, distribution operations, and head office in Bucharest. It [...]
Heathrow to invest £2.3bn as Ardian and Saudis take stake December 18, 2024 Heathrow's investment is an uplift from prior forecasts of around £244m and will be used for upgrades across all its terminals.
Inflation spike ‘raises questions’ over health of UK economy December 18, 2024 The spike in inflation to 2.6 per cent today has raised questions about the health of the UK economy, according to analysts. The news comes ahead of the Bank of England’s meeting to decide the path of interest rates tomorrow, with markets agreeing that combined with higher-than-expected wage growth yesterday, a cut is off the [...]
National Grid plans to double energy transmission with huge investment December 18, 2024 National Grid said its business plan would be the "most significant step forward in the UK's transmission network for a generation."
Shoe Zone: Firm slams Budget tax hikes as it’s forced to close ‘unviable’ stores December 18, 2024 Shoe Zone has said it has been forced to close “a number” of stores following higher costs announced in the Autumn budget. The affordable footwear company said a combination of lower consumer confidence following the budget, plus “significant additional costs” due to the increases in National Insurance and the National Living Wage, have made the stores [...]