UK car industry warns on no-deal Brexit as manufacturing and investment nosedive January 31, 2019 The UK car industry has warned of the “devastation” a no-deal Brexit would cause as new figures show manufacturing and investment plummeted in 2018. UK car production fell to a six-year low of 1.52m units last year, while investment was slashed almost in half to just £589m, according to the latest data from the Society [...]
Carpetright sales drop as CFO leaves but pace of decline slows February 5, 2019 Carpetright’s UK like-for-like sales fell in the three months to the end of January, but the pace of decline slowed compared to the first half of the year, the retailer said in a trading update today. “Trading patterns have remained volatile week to week, against a backdrop of uncertainty and weak consumer confidence,” the company [...]
Kleinman: Government must steel itself for share of blame May 24, 2019 Few economic symbols speak more powerfully to a nation’s sense of self-worth than the decline of its heavy industries: just look at the justifiable angst surrounding the collapse into insolvency this week of British Steel. The crisis engulfing a company on which close to 25,000 people’s jobs depend would be tragic at any time; the [...]
Next defies Christmas fears with online sales boost but outlook remains cautious amid Brexit uncertainty January 3, 2019 Next has opened the crucial post-Christmas trading update season by reducing its full-year profit expectations, but defied investor worries by increasing sales. The retailer said full-price sales for the festive period were up 1.5 per cent between 28 October and 29 December, in line with its expectations. Next reported a 14.9 per cent increase in online [...]
UK house prices fall in December on Brexit uncertainty as annual growth rate hits six-year low January 4, 2019 UK house prices fell by 0.7 per cent in December, as prices’ annual growth rate dropped to its lowest level in almost six years. Prices grew by just 0.5 per cent year on year, compared to 2.6 per cent growth in 2017, but fell compared to November. London recorded a 0.8 per cent decline in house [...]
Worst London house price drop in 10 years drags down UK house prices growth March 29, 2019 UK house price growth stayed soft in March as London's worst house price drop in a decade dragged down the market. Prices rose 0.7 per cent in March compared to the year before, according to Nationwide’s latest house price index, a modest 0.2 per cent higher than February. Read more: UK house prices: Brexit means prices [...]
Nationwide profits fall as it warns IT investment will continue to weigh down earnings February 8, 2019 Profits fell in Nationwide’s third quarter as the building society was hit by a £167m write-off charge as well as an ongoing technology investment, it revealed today, warning profit pressure will remain in the fourth quarter. The figures Pre-tax profits dropped a staggering 20 per cent year on year to £703m for the last three [...]
Luxury car maker Rolls-Royce achieves highest sales growth in 115-year history in 2018 January 10, 2019 Luxury car maker Rolls-Royce enjoyed a record-breaking year last year, as annual sales reached 4,107 cars – the highest in the marque's 115-year history. The main driver of growth was the company's Phantom model, which chief executive Torsten Muller-Otvos called "flight on land, a magic carpet ride in its purest form". Donald Trump-driven tax reforms in [...]
Sainsbury’s: Buyers bet that shares have seen the low April 26, 2019 By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Trading within a whisker of a record low, a lot of bad news is already written into the share price. Yesterday’s humiliation of Sainsbury (J) (LSE:SBRY) and its boss Mike Coupe has not stopped investors from piling into the supermarket giant’s shares in the belief the chain can bounce [...]
Footfall takes a tumble as online retailers snap up Black Friday business December 10, 2018 Footfall slumped for the twelfth consecutive month in November as brick and mortar stores saw their Black Friday business snapped up by online competitors. Footfall in the UK fell by 3.2 per cent last month, a significant decline from the 0.2 per cent growth seen in the same period last year, according to retail data [...]