Crest Nicholson reports profit slump on Brexit uncertainty June 11, 2019 Crest Nicholson reported a fall in profits this morning as Brexit uncertainty kept house prices flat across the south of England. The figures Revenue was £501.9m, up seven per cent on half-year 2018 while profit before tax fell 11 per cent to 64.4m. Read more: Intu appoints ex-Crest Nicholson exec as finance chief The company [...]
Sports Direct hit by £605m Belgian tax bill and ‘terminal’ House of Fraser problems July 27, 2019 As Sports Direct finally released its financial results yesterday following the close of the market, Mike Ashley admitted it may have been a mistake to buy House of Fraser last year. The sporting goods retailer delayed announcing its results, which are usually released before the market opens at the start of the day, on three [...]
The pros, cons and incentives behind the SPAC-craze sweeping markets April 14, 2021 There have been 378 initial public offerings (IPOs) in the US in the first three months of 2021. That’s more than in any full calendar year between 2003 and 2019. The $139 billion raised so far this year is more than two and a half times the yearly average over this period. They already have [...]
Selling your home? The price must be right… September 20, 2019 It’s a common refrain: “Number 22 sold for this much, but mine is worth more than that!” Whether you like it or not, British pride and financial security is based heavily on the value of our homes. Often, though, the price you have in mind is not necessarily what you get when you decide to [...]
How does the stock market perform when the VIX fear gauge surges? March 3, 2020 The spread of the coronavirus has sent shock waves through global stock markets. Alongside plummeting share prices, the VIX index, the market’s so-called fear gauge, has shot up. At the time of writing, on 28 February, it stands at over 40. This is very high compared to long-term norms. Since 1990, it has averaged 19 [...]
Number of manufacturing companies going bust at highest level in five years November 18, 2019 The number of manufacturing businesses entering insolvency has reached its highest level in five years in the last 12 months, rising 7 per cent to 1,466 from 1,373 in the previous year. Research from global accountancy firm Moore found that a combination of uncertainty over Brexit and a slowdown across Europe was responsible for the [...]
Podcast: The plastic problem facing investors August 11, 2021 Read the full transcript Part one: The weight of plastic worth all the fish in the sea Ashleigh Cowie (AC): In doing research for this podcast I came across this astonishing fact. Are you ready for it? David Brett (DB): Go on then. Hit me with it. AC: Right now, there are more than 5 trillion pieces of [...]
Cadbury ‘Unity’ bar celebrating diversity divides opinion August 30, 2019 Cadbury’s new “Unity” chocolate bar has divided opinion after being released in celebration of Indian Independence Day. The bar contains four different types of chocolate: dark, blended, milk and white. Cadbury said the aim was to champion the unity of “people of different castes, creed, languages, regions and religions”. Read more: Hotel Chocolat credits relentless innovation [...]
London house prices suffer UK’s steepest annual fall ahead of original Brexit deadline May 22, 2019 House prices in London plunged 1.9 per cent in the year to March, the largest annual fall in the country, ahead of the UK’s original Brexit date. UK-wide house prices jumped 1.4 per cent over the twelve months, but in London the average property price fell almost two per cent to £463,000, according to HM [...]
Focus On Harrow: Why this west London suburb is popular with families and first time buyers September 28, 2018 With inner city London gradually dividing itself into a series of ‘villages’, mimicking the community, farmers markets and independent high streets of semi-rural life, what’s the point of suburbs anymore? Places like Harrow have traditionally been quite pedestrian places, attracting families to its healthy stock of semi-detached houses and good quality schools. The ultimate – [...]