FTSE 100 up on US earnings optimism January 9, 2013 Engineers and financial stocks led the blue chip index up in early trading, as a solid start to the US earnings season boosted investors’ appetite for stocks. Miners also advanced as investors welcomed news that Alcoa, the US’s biggest aluminium producer, forecasted a positive outlook for 2013. The FTSE 100 – trading around 0.4 per [...]
M&S hires Knicker Queen Janie Schaffer November 5, 2012 MARKS & Spencer has hired Janie Schaffer (left), Victoria’s Secret’s chief creative officer and the founder of lingerie chain Knickerbox, to be its director of lingerie and beauty. Schaffer, known as “The Knicker Queen”, is to join the retailer early next year and will succeed Frances Russell, who has been promoted to director of womenswear, [...]
January Bank rates are likely to stay steady January 7, 2013 THE European Central Bank (ECB) is likely to keep interest rates on hold when it meets for its first policy meeting this year, analysts predict. “We believe the continued improvement in the forward-looking survey data will have been sufficient to stay the hand of those on the council who last month were willing to wait [...]
Little Christmas cheer for retail January 14, 2013 Chief Market Strategist, Cantor Index THE official retail activity figures, which are posted monthly or at specific times like Christmas, are accurate but often indecipherable to the layman. The small print is where the message is. And the most recent figures suggest that Christmas was great for some, but brutal for others. The situation was [...]
UK firms have had mixed fortunes in the United States December 5, 2012 CADBURY SCHWEPPES Bought Dr Pepper/Seven Up in 1995. Then in 2000 bought the Snapple Group. Combined the two, but had to demerge its US fizzy drinks business by May 2008, so spun off Dr Pepper Snapple Group in a listing on the New York Stock Exchange. MARKS & SPENCER Bought the 155-store male outfitter Brooks [...]
M&S chief to report drop in half-year profit November 4, 2012 MARKS & Spencer’s chief executive Marc Bolland is expected to come under renewed pressure this week as the retailer admits to falling first half profits for the second time in two years. Bolland, who has been at the helm of the FTSE 100 retailer for two years, is expected to announce interim pre-tax profits of [...]
M&S chief to report drop in half-year profit November 4, 2012 MARKS & Spencer’s chief executive Marc Bolland is expected to come under renewed pressure this week as the retailer admits to falling first half profits for the second time in two years. Bolland, who has been at the helm of the FTSE 100 retailer for two years, is expected to announce interim pre-tax profits of [...]
ANALYST VIEWS DOES MARKS & SPENCER’S STATEMENT AFFECT YOUR FORECASTS FOR NEXT YEAR ? April 17, 2012 BETHANY HOCKING INVESTEC Fourth quarter trading figures are weak but cost savings appear to have saved the day, with no change to full year expectations… For 2013 we have the first guidance – net this is negative, with cost growth worst than our forecast. The only good news is the downgraded capex guidance. Overall, however, [...]
ANALYST VIEWS DOES MARKS & SPENCER’S STATEMENT AFFECT YOUR FORECASTS FOR NEXT YEAR ? April 17, 2012 BETHANY HOCKING INVESTEC Fourth quarter trading figures are weak but cost savings appear to have saved the day, with no change to full year expectations… For 2013 we have the first guidance – net this is negative, with cost growth worst than our forecast. The only good news is the downgraded capex guidance. Overall, however, [...]
Chablis is one of the toughest wines to get right – choose wisely February 5, 2013 Chablis is a pretty but inconsequential looking town just over 100km north of Burgundy. There are none of the great chateaux or domaines of Bordeaux or Burgundy here. Spend half an hour loitering in the town square and it is hard to believe this is the epicentre of one of the world’s most famous wine [...]