THE WEEK AHEAD February 26, 2012 Today A diverse group of FTSE 100 reporters will kick off a busy week in the corporate calendar this morning, with banking giant HSBC likely to be top of many investors’ watch list. Analysts are expecting the bank’s geographical diversity to offset any potential weakness in it investment banking division, with profits expected to hit [...]
Inflation relief helps push FTSE to its highest close in six weeks June 19, 2012 BRITAIN’S leading share index hit a six-week high yesterday on growing hopes for concerted economic stimulus measures from central banks, with a fall in UK inflation seen as increasing the chances of another Bank of England move. Consumer price inflation (CPI) eased unexpectedly in May to its lowest in two and a half years due [...]
Retail sales rise as prices slashed December 20, 2011 Retail sales unexpectedly rose at their fastest pace since May in December, as retailers slashed prices to lure in shoppers, a survey by the Confederation of British Industry showed. The CBI distributive trades survey’s reported sales balance jumped to +9 from -19 in November, the highest since May. Analysts had expected a more modest improvement [...]
Retail sales rise as prices slashed December 20, 2011 Retail sales unexpectedly rose at their fastest pace since May in December, as retailers slashed prices to lure in shoppers, a survey by the Confederation of British Industry showed. The CBI distributive trades survey’s reported sales balance jumped to +9 from -19 in November, the highest since May. Analysts had expected a more modest improvement [...]
Retail sales rise as prices slashed December 20, 2011 Retail sales unexpectedly rose at their fastest pace since May in December, as retailers slashed prices to lure in shoppers, a survey by the Confederation of British Industry showed. The CBI distributive trades survey’s reported sales balance jumped to +9 from -19 in November, the highest since May. Analysts had expected a more modest improvement [...]
Whitbread in dividend hike as profits lift October 18, 2011 WHITBREAD yesterday reported forecast busting first-half pre-tax profits and ramped up its interim dividend. The performance of its Premier Inn and Costa Coffee chains fuelled the rise. Whitbread, which also operates the Beefeater and Brewers Fayre pub restaurant chains, said underlying pre-tax profits rose 15.2 per cent to £174.9m in the six months to 1 [...]
Whitbread beats target and hikes dividend October 18, 2011 Britain’s biggest hotel and coffee shop operator Whitbread reported higher-than-expected first-half pre-tax profits and ramped up its interim dividend by over 50 per cent. Whitbread, which operates the Premier Inn and Costa Coffee chains, said underlying pre-tax profits rose by 15.2 per cent to £174.9m in the six months to 1 September against a consensus [...]
Whitbread beats target and hikes dividend October 18, 2011 Britain’s biggest hotel and coffee shop operator Whitbread reported higher-than-expected first-half pre-tax profits and ramped up its interim dividend by over 50 per cent. Whitbread, which operates the Premier Inn and Costa Coffee chains, said underlying pre-tax profits rose by 15.2 per cent to £174.9m in the six months to 1 September against a consensus [...]
Whitbread sales growth accelerates in second quarter September 6, 2011 Hotel and restaurant operator Whitbread has posted accelerating sales growth for the past three months as consumers splashed out on branded coffees and nights in hotels. Whitbread, the UK’s biggest hotel and restaurant operator, said like for like sales were up 4.8 per cent in the second quarter, driven by demand in its Premier Inn [...]
Well-run companies profit even in hard times October 23, 2011 YOU could be forgiven for not noticing, but it is earnings season again. Once you finish trawling through the endless speculation about the next phase of Eurozone debt crisis in the papers and on TV, you’ll eventually find some good old-fashioned company news reporting. Let me summarise. Well-run companies with good products are holding up [...]