WH Smith: High-flyer divides City April 24, 2019 By Graeme Evans from interactive investor. Latest results are fuel for another assault on a record high. Here’s why Smith splits the Square Mile. With £1 billion worth of dividends or buybacks since 2007, WH Smith (LSE:SMWH) shareholders can have few complaints about the retailer’s tried and tested strategy when it comes to selling stationery, [...]
British shoppers show signs of ‘more optimism in their outlook’ October 25, 2018 British shoppers are showing signs of cautious optimism in the run-up to Christmas, as low levels of unemployment and rising wages suggest a slight uptick in spending confidence. Just over a quarter of UK retail consumers think they will be better off in the next 12 months, marking an improvement in sentiment compared with last [...]
Brits rack up £1.3bn in music sales, with UK artists making up half of the top 20 best-sellers for 2018 January 3, 2019 British artists had their most bumper year to date in 2018, as local musicians scored half of the UK’s top 20 albums last year with more than £1.3bn in music retail sales across the country. Data released today by record label association the BPI put singer/songwriter George Ezra's 'Staying At Tamara's' as the best-selling album released in 2018, [...]
London housing market faces negative outlook for start of 2019, warn surveyors January 17, 2019 Fresh fears for the future of London’s subdued property market were brought to light this morning, with forecasts for growth in the capital hitting their lowest levels in two decades. As uncertainty bites both buyers and sellers, a record number of surveyors are predicting that activity in the capital will remain negative over the next [...]
Carpetright losses widen amid major restructuring December 11, 2018 Embattled retailer Carpetright reported widening half-year losses this morning, as it slashes costs and closes tens of stores in an effort to rescue the business. The figures Statutory losses before tax dropped to £11.7m in the six months to the end of October, plunging from losses of £0.6m when compared with the same period [...]
Retail administrations rise for the second consecutive year January 5, 2019 The number of retail administrations has risen for the second year in a row after 125 retailers collapsed in 2018. Administrations rose six per cent last year from 118 in 2017, and 26 of the retailers that collapsed were large brands, compared to 17 the year before. There was a 53 per cent increase in [...]
UK new car sales fall as electric and hybrid cars surge in popularity February 5, 2019 New car sales in the UK dropped fell in January as demand for diesel cars collapsed while hybrid and electric cars surged in popularity, industry figures released today show. The 1.6 per cent year-on-year drop follows a five month decline in sales, data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveals. Read more: DEBATE: [...]
First time buyer mortgage approvals dropped in September November 13, 2018 The number of new first-time buyer mortgages dropped by 4.5 per cent in September, driven by a slump in consumer demand due to affordability constraints in London and the south east. New home mover mortgages fell by 8.6 per cent compared to last year, with a decline in value of 5.8 per cent year-on-year, according [...]
We’re not as stuck as the Brexit blues would have you believe January 28, 2019 IF YOU’RE looking for a meaningful vote of confidence tomorrow, look elsewhere than the sentiments of our 650 MPs. Instead try the 650,000 British businesses registered last year – each one a vote of confidence in the future. But when you’re surrounded by extremes, it’s hard not to get swept away by it all. As [...]
City A.M.’s shadow monetary policy committee unanimously vote to hold interest rates December 19, 2018 The Bank of England has no choice but to hold interest rates when its monetary policy committee meets tomorrow as Brexit uncertainty continues to loom large, city economists have warned. The Bank’s rate-setting monetary policy committee (MPC) will announce its decision at midday and is expected to leave rates unchanged at 0.75 per cent. City [...]