British Airways ends in-flight food partnership with M&S October 26, 2020 British Airways today confirmed that it is set to end its three-year partnership with M&S to provide food on short-haul trips for economy-class passengers. A spokesperson for the airline confirmed the move: “We proudly launched our buy-on-board catering in 2017 with high street favourite, M&S. “After a successful journey, we are headed off on a [...]
Greggs shares are on fire, but can it last? May 24, 2019 By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. After some great results, shares in fast-growing Greggs have taken just seven months to double in value. Thanks to a social media frenzy and masterclass in PR, the Greggs vegan sausage roll is now surely a thing of stock market folklore. The transformation of the Greggs (LSE:GRG) brand and [...]
From McDonalds to supermarkets: The slow-motion car crash of Britain’s labour shortages September 6, 2021 World trade in toys is a highly cyclical business. Every year, just as everyone is putting their Halloween masks away, Chinese exports of toys drop back, and by March the following year they will typically be nearly 60 per cent lower. For the last four years, October’s peak has been getting progressively lower. Since the [...]
Provident Financial to shut doorstep lending arm after 141 years as it crashes to loss May 10, 2021 Troubled sub-prime lender Provident Financial today confirmed plans to shutter its doorstep lending arm as it reported a hefty loss for the full year. The Bradford-based company said it was withdrawing from the home credit market after 141 years, adding that it has begun a consultation process for 2,100 employees. “In light of the changing [...]
eToro confirms plans to merge with a Spac at $10bn valuation March 16, 2021 Investment platform eToro has confirmed plans to merge with a special acquisition company after years of speculation about going public. The London-based firm announced it had agreed to merge with Fintech Acquisition Corp. V in a deal which values eToro at around $10.4bn. The companies are raising approximately $650m in equity. Established in 2007 by [...]
Britain’s economic adjustment only ends in one way October 7, 2021 The ails of the nation’s favourite sausage roll maker are a microcosm of the problems afflicting the UK economy. In a trading update yesterday, high street baker Greggs warned it is suffering from a “supply of ingredients.” A couple months back, it pulled its iconic chicken bite for similar reasons. Severe shortages plaguing the British [...]
Wall Street closes lower on inflation jitters May 10, 2021 Wall Street closed lower on today as inflation fears drove investors away from market-leading growth stocks in favour of cyclicals, which stand to benefit most as the economy reopens. Industrial and healthcare shares limited the Dow’s decline but the blue-chip average reversed course late in the session to snap a three-day streak of record closing [...]
Podcast: The plastic problem facing investors August 11, 2021 Read the full transcript Part one: The weight of plastic worth all the fish in the sea Ashleigh Cowie (AC): In doing research for this podcast I came across this astonishing fact. Are you ready for it? David Brett (DB): Go on then. Hit me with it. AC: Right now, there are more than 5 trillion pieces of [...]
Franco Manca owner The Fulham Shore to open new sites in vote of confidence for London’s restaurant sector November 25, 2020 Franco Manca owner The Fulham Shore is opening new London restaurants in a vote of confidence in the capital’s hospitality sector despite the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The company said today that it launched a Franco Manca restaurant in Waterloo in September that had traded well before the most recent lockdown, despite lower than [...]
Franco Manca owner Fulham Shore spots expansion opportunities in coronavirus chaos October 15, 2020 Fulham Shore, the owner of restaurant chains Franco Manca and The Real Greek, is eyeing expansion due to the low rents and empty venues caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The firm said this morning that “the future looks promising” as more sites become available and with rents “likely to be falling for the next few [...]