Electric cars take record UK market share as battery-powered vehicle sales surge 228 per cent December 5, 2019 Britain’s drivers bought more electric vehicles last month than ever before, as demand for fully electric battery cars surged more than three-fold. In November, pure electric battery car sales rose 228 per cent compared to the same period last year, with 4,652 of the vehicles registered. Read more: Electric dreams: How long until electric cars [...]
Coronavirus: Fifth death in UK as confirmed cases rise to 319 March 9, 2020 A fifth person has died from coronavirus in the UK as the number of confirmed cases in the UK rose to 319. The patient who was in their seventies was being treated at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust. Chief executive Daniel Elkeles said: “We can confirm that sadly, a patient in their [...]
Economies in free fall as hopes fade for a V-shaped recovery April 28, 2020 Amongst the arguments about a lack of protective clothing for health workers and whether governments were too slow to react to the spread of Covid-19, the latest figures show that the pandemic is gradually coming under control. The rate of growth in new infections and fatalities around the world is slowing and the curves are [...]
Pizza Express owner to pay down debt pile with £80m cash injection November 6, 2019 The Chinese owner of restaurant chain Pizza Express has launched a tender offer to buy up £80m of the company’s unsecured bonds, as it looks to allay concerns about the firm’s financial future. Chinese private equity firm Hony Capital, which bought the company in 2014, appointed financial advisors before crucial talks with creditors last month [...]
General election announcement hurts October high street sales November 8, 2019 High street sales plummeted at the end of October despite a healthy start to the month after the announcement that the UK would head to the polls for a December general election. The first three weeks of the month saw retailers defy poor footfall and challenging weather conditions to boost like-for-like in-store sales. Read more: [...]
London house prices dip amid Brexit uncertainty October 10, 2019 London house prices dipped last month as both sellers and buyers drag their feet until clarity emerges over the UK leaving the EU. In total 36 per cent of estate agents in the capital reported a fall in agreed sales and 30 per cent saw a drop in homes coming on to the market last [...]
Brexit stockpiling dents Card Factory profits September 24, 2019 Card Factory profits fell 14 per cent in the first six months of its financial year amid Brexit stockpiling despite like-for-like sales beating a negative high street. The figures Profit before tax dropped 14.4 per cent year on year to £24.3m for the six months to the end of July as Brexit stockpiling and the [...]
UK economy to hit decade-low even with Brexit deal, report warns November 4, 2019 Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal will fail to boost the slowing UK economy in 2020, a new report has warned, with weak global growth and continued uncertainty about Britain’s trading relationships set to outweigh any benefits from the agreement. Read more: Nigel Farage: Brexit party will run in every seat if Boris Johnson rejects olive branch [...]
UK companies cut marketing budgets for first time in seven years October 17, 2019 UK companies have cut their marketing budgets for the first time in seven years as ongoing uncertainty has forced bosses to keep a tight control over spending. A net balance of -0.5 per cent of companies reported a reduction in their marketing budgets in the third quarter, according to the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising’s [...]
Number of UK firms in ‘significant distress’ rises July 30, 2019 The number of UK businesses facing “significant distress” has increased as consumer spending slumps due to ongoing uncertainty. In total, 14 per cent of all UK businesses – 484,000 – said they were experiencing significant distress at the end of June, with the leisure and retail industries hit the hardest. Read more: Consumer spending to [...]