Global market turmoil fails to derail UK consumer confidence in January January 29, 2016 UK CONSUMER confidence rose in January, shrugging off the global market volatility that overshadowed the start of the year. Market research firm GfK found that its consumer confidence index increased by two points to +4 in January, while a comparable index by YouGov and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR) rose by 0.1 [...]
Supermarket sweep: Which FTSE 100 grocer is the best buy? August 14, 2018 British supermarkets haven’t had an easy ride lately. There’s been plenty for them to worry about – the biggest being the rising cost of imports as sterling has continued to slide (the pound dropped to €1.11 and $1.28 last week). A weak pound has tightened profit margins. And with heavy competition from discount retailers, passing [...]
Resilient British consumers grow more confident about personal finances, but see storm clouds ahead for the UK economy December 22, 2016 British consumers have ended the year on a resilient note, with confidence rising despite gloomy forecasts for the economy, according to a long-running survey. Consumer confidence increased in December by one point, driven higher by a positive attitude towards making major purchases such as furniture or white goods, says the index compiled by market research [...]
Can the UK economy cope with sustained house price falls? June 19, 2018 Brexit uncertainty is far from over. Indeed, as we approach the crunch point in negotiations over the summer, we expect rhetoric of hard Brexit and a cliff edge to reach a crescendo, before a final deal is agreed in September or October. Meanwhile, business and consumer confidence are likely to continue to suffer, causing decisions [...]
UK consumer confidence ends 2015 on a high December 22, 2015 UK consumer confidence rose in December, rounding off a strong year for shoppers. The monthly consumer confidence index published today by market researchers GfK hit a score of two this month from one in November. Between 2008 and 2014, the index spent most of its time in negative territory. “This is the first time since [...]
Pound falls as BoE hold interest rates again – but experts argue a rise is still on the horizon May 10, 2018 The pound has fallen on the news that the Bank of England has chosen not to raise interest rates, falling 0.2 per cent against the dollar to $1.35. The decision came after a slew of weak economic data put governor Mark Carney’s plans to raise rates above historic 0.5 per cent levels on hold. Just [...]
Made.com backer Eight Roads Ventures has just raised a new $375m growth fund March 20, 2018 Eight Roads Ventures, the venture capital firm which has backed furniture store Made.com and beauty bookings app Treatwell, has just closed a new $375m (£269) fund. Having built on the previous £150m European fund total, Eight Roads – the venture capital branch of Fidelity International – has said the third fund “reflects the increasing number [...]
House of Fraser to sell stake to Hamleys owner and close stores May 2, 2018 House of Fraser became the latest struggling retailer to confirm that it will close stores yesterday, as part of a deal to sell a stake to the owner of Hamleys. But employees will have a nail-biting month-long wait to find out which of the 59 stores will be affected. The department store group, owned by [...]
Why brands need to make their messaging more authentic March 26, 2018 How can businesses be more “authentic”? It may sound like just another buzzword to emerge from the world of marketing, but authenticity can go a long way to help build consumer trust in a brand and it’s one of the reasons why companies keep partnering with online influencers. Put simply, authenticity marketing is about a [...]
Lloyds’ private bank tells its wealthy clients that emerging markets such as India, Mexico and China are ‘THE asset class to watch’ May 2, 2018 Emerging markets are “THE asset class to watch” according to Lloyds Bank’s private banking division, which advises wealthy clients on how to invest. In a review of its ten-year investment strategy, Lloyds said that emerging markets such as China, India, Indonesia and Mexico offer investors the “potential to reap higher returns”. It noted that the [...]