Arts and crafts giant Hobbycraft’s expansion drift undiminished with new stores and recruitment drive planned June 27, 2022 Several new stories and a recruitment drive are on the agenda of arts and crafts retail chain Hobbycraft as the company confirmed this morning it plans to continue its expansion after a lift in profits for the past year. The company said its adjusted pre-tax profit for the 2022 financial year was £15 million, which [...]
FTSE 100 and US stocks climb as investor fears ease October 16, 2020 The FTSE 100 rebounded as investors returned to risk assets, having dumped them yesterday amid worries over new coronavirus restrictions, while US stocks rose on vaccine hopes and upbeat retail sales data. London’s main stock index climbed 1.7 per cent in afternoon trading to stand at 5,929 points. That followed a 1.7 per cent tumble [...]
Pyrex maker files for US bankruptcy after inflation and high rates batter sales June 14, 2023 The maker of Pyrex and Instant Pot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as dwindling sales and high inflation have battered the business. Instant Brands, which is US owned, is said to have much as $1bn (£790m) in liabilities. Instant Brand, which trades in John Lewis and Argos for upwards of £180, was impacted by [...]
Zara enters resale market with in-house swap and mend service October 21, 2022 In a bid to reduce its environmental impact, Zara has said it will help UK shoppers resell, repair or donate clothing bought from its stores. The new ‘Pre-owned service’ will allow shoppers to book repairs and donate unwanted clothes. It will also reduce the environmental impact of deliveries by allow people to post packages of [...]
FTSE 100 close: BT and Burberry slump to bottom of London index as easyJet regains ground May 18, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 kicked higher this today, driven by retailers offsetting a sharp sell off in BT shares after it said it will shed 55,000 workers over the next decade. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.25 per cent to 7,742.29 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health [...]
Pendragon: Car dealership’s profits leap as it finds itself in three-way bidding war September 27, 2023 Car dealership Pendragon has posted higher half-year profits as the group finds itself at the centre of a three-way takeover tussle. Its half-year figures, which come just hours after it revealed a rival bid approach from US car retail giant Autonation, show pre-tax profits rising 10.6 per cent to £36.4 million in the six months [...]
Independence Day whiskey: The best Rye and Bourbon July 4, 2024 Take this Independence Day to celebrate the rise of craft distilleries across the US, which are changing the profile of American whiskey
FTSE 100 close: London ends in the red as BoE’s Bailey warns of persistently high inflation May 17, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 index fell on Wednesday evening as Andrew Bailey warned that the UK would face high inflation for months to come. The capital’s premier index closed down 0.36 per cent at 7,723.23 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, fell 0.30 [...]
Sofa seller ScS cautions cost-of-living pressures have slowed orders down August 4, 2022 ScS has warned that cost-of-living pressures have already driven down orders although the sofa business still lifted its profit expectations for the rest of the year. The furniture retailer reported a 3.9 per cent increase in orders in the year to 30 July, compared with the previous year. The company said a stronger than expected [...]
Cost of living crunch: Shoppers exposed to extra £380 on yearly grocery bill June 21, 2022 Shoppers are now facing an additional £380 to their annual grocery bill as grocery price inflation has hit its highest level in 13 years. According to freshly published data from insight firm Kantar, grocery price inflation hit 8.3 per cent over the past four weeks, the highest level since April 2009. It comes as all [...]