Brexit-week: Why Brexit isn’t the only reason for the pound’s uncertainty January 31, 2020 It’s been an up and down week for the pound and for once, despite being Brexit-week, the UK’s departure from the EU wasn’t the primary cause. The provisional manufacturing PMI came in close to the breakeven point at 49.8, more than two points higher on the month. The services PMI was up three points at [...]
Regulator’s report stalls new Heathrow runway December 20, 2019 Heathrow’s new runway will be delayed by over a year after a report by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) restricted early spending on the expansion. The project is now expected to be completed between 2028 and late 2029, a setback of more than a year. Read more: Boris Johnson raises red flag in election over [...]
Retail CEO turnover spikes in challenging year for sector February 3, 2020 Retail chief executive turnover reached a seven-year high in 2019 as the sector faced one of the toughest 12 months on record. The rate of chief executive churn increased 25 per cent on the previous year as the retail industry struggled with low consumer confidence, Brexit uncertainty, changing shopping habits and rising overheads. The latest [...]
SIGWATCH October 16, 2023 ABOUT SIGWATCH Headquartered in London, SIGWATCH is a leading consultancy and data provider on global activism, working with major companies, investors, and professional advisors. Our expert knowledge of activist campaigning issues, policy, and discourse helps to bridge the gap between business and civil society and supports responsible business practices. SIGWATCH’S proprietary techniques for tracking activist [...]
How can online-only banks win over cautious consumers? September 27, 2019 The direction of travel for banking is clear – we’re moving away from highstreets and onto smartphones. But tech should not outpace consumer confidence, and lessons on how to do that can be drawn from the payments industry. This week Which? reported that a third of UK bank branches have closed in the last five [...]
Survive and thrive: Gastropub goes takeout as punters enjoy the bar from afar June 3, 2020 London’s businesses have been forced to weather a storm they never saw coming, but many have pivoted to new ways of doing business. Today, Heath Ball – owner and landlord at Highgate gastropub The Red Lion & Sun – tells us about his new delivery service, dropping off wine to the park, and the future [...]
Bank of England avoids interest rate cut as Mark Carney bows out January 30, 2020 The Bank of England has held off from an interest rate cut despite a surge in expectations that it would reduce rates for the first time in four years. Today’s decision came even as the Bank slashed its long-term growth forecasts for the UK economy to account for Brexit disruption and Britain’s productivity crisis. Read [...]
Toy maker Hamleys blames Brexit, terrorism and rising retail costs for £9m loss October 12, 2018 The UK's oldest toy store Hamleys revealed a record loss today with profits dropping a staggering 500 per cent over the past 12 months. The iconic toy-maker blamed Brexit, macroeconomic factors and the threat of terrorism for the downturn in its fortunes. The retailer announced a £9.2m loss for the year to 31 December 2017, having made a £1.7m profit [...]
Crest Nicholson blames Brexit uncertainty for profit plunge January 28, 2020 Crest Nicholson’s profit plunged 39 per cent to miss revised forecasts in a terrible year for the housebuilder, it said today. The figures Profit before tax sank from £168.7m in 2018 to £102.7m for the year ending in October. That missed guidance of between £120m and £130m, the result of last October’s profit warning. Profit [...]
FTSE 100 closes higher but loses ground on second wave fears June 17, 2020 The FTSE 100 closed higher today, albeit losing some ground as markets remain jittery on fears of a second coronavirus wave in China. London’s blue-chip index climbed to trade 0.72 per cent higher during the afternoon afternoon, before closing up 0.18 per cent. The rally came despite figures released earlier today showing UK inflation falling [...]