Persimmon bucks summer slowdown with profit jump August 19, 2015 PERSIMMON yesterday became the latest housebuilder to boast an impressive jump in first-half profits as would-be homeowners regained confidence following the outcome of the General Election. The York-based housebuilder said profit before tax rose 31 per cent to £272.8m in the six months to 30 June, compared with £208.9m last year on revenues up 11 [...]
Apple has fallen: Share price drops on slowdown wiping $46bn from market cap as Goldman Sachs removes from “conviction” list April 27, 2016 Shares in Apple fell more than eight per cent as markets opened in New York after the company reporting a fall in both revenue and iPhone sales. Around $46bn (£31.6bn) was wiped from its value as a result of worse than expected results. The fall in revenue to $50bn – around $2bn short of estimates – for the second quarter [...]
Maine Tower: More apartment hysteria as another residential skyscraper at Canary Wharf sells out in hours July 13, 2015 It turns out those working at Canary Wharf are really keen to kill their commute, after 208 homes at a newly-launched residential tower in the district sold out in four hours – a week after buyers queued around the block to snap up homes at another block. Read more: As first homes go on sale at [...]
Lending standards dip in the Eurozone as banks open up their coffers in response to the European Central Bank’s negative interest rates April 19, 2016 Businesses across the Eurozone are finding it easier to secure bank loans, according to the European Central Bank (ECB)’s quarterly lending survey, released this morning, which also shows that negative interest rates are encouraging banks to lend more. Banks across the single currency bloc said they were loosening their standards for businesses applying for loans [...]
BHS appoints Duff & Phelps administrators, putting 10,000 jobs at risk – but more than 30 bid enquiries have already been made April 25, 2016 More than 30 enquiries to buy BHS out of administration have been made since reports first surfaced that the business was teetering on the brink, City A.M. understands. Managing directors Philip Duffy and Benjamin Wiles were appointed joint administrators of BHS this morning, putting around 10,000 jobs at risk. In a statement Duff & Phelps [...]
The bids are in for Yahoo, but what’s its value to Verizon, TPG and other buyers? April 25, 2016 Verizon emerged as the bidder to beat as the deadline for bids to buy Yahoo closed last week. The internet company hasn’t been able to spin-off its Asian assets – including its 15 per cent stake in Alibaba – or sell off its core business, which includes everything from search, digital content and advertising to [...]
UK house prices: The property market is mired in uncertainty – brace for higher prices and polarised demand September 30, 2015 It is time for a big think about UK house prices. Does anybody know which way they will turn? Whether we’re looking at the short term or the long term, a tremendous amount of uncertainty abounds. Looking at the short-term outlook, latest figures from the Halifax show prices rising by 9 per cent year-on-year, [...]
Apple is about to report its first slowdown in more than a decade April 25, 2016 Apple's crunch time is approaching. The most valuable company in the world (for now, at least) is about to report a sales slowdown, which although expected, is not a welcome occurrence in the usually ever upward trajectory of the beloved brand. The figures Sales of around $52bn (£35.9bn), with the iPhone making up the lion's share, are predicted [...]
Housebuilder Crest Nicholson’s share price rises as it rides the house price wave May 16, 2016 Brexit threat? What Brexit threat? Crest Nicholson proved this morning that housebuilders continue to be on a high – despite market uncertainty. The figures In a trading update this morning, the housebuilder said it completed 1,206 homes in the six months to the end of April, up seven per cent from last year's 1,124 homes. Sales rate per outlet rose four per cent on [...]
London house prices: The north-south divide emerging in the capital’s property sector July 27, 2015 One interesting factor in new figures published today (more on that here) is a sign growth in house prices is slowing in parts of London. In fact, it looks like there's a north-south divide emerging – and in this case it's grim down south. The figures, by Haart estate agent, showed while prices across the [...]