London Report: Mining shares lift FTSE despite doubt over ECB September 2, 2014 BRITAIN’S top share index steadied near a two-month high yesterday, with some caution before the European Central Bank’s policy meeting tomorrow offsetting a rally in miners prompted by stronger metals prices. The blue-chip FTSE 100 index ended 0.06 per cent higher at 6,829.17 points after rising up to 6,849.28 points, the highest level since early [...]
Lidl goes on claret offensive with wine range to tempt wealthier Londoners July 16, 2014 Lidl is ploughing £12m into a wine range designed to attract wealthier customers away from rival British supermarket chains. The discount retailer which has flourished in recent penny-pinching times is heavily investing in the premium wine range, priced between £4.99 and £25.99, in a bid to attract middle class customers away from suffering supermarkets, the [...]
Tesco to scan customers’ eyes for tailored advertising November 4, 2013 Tesco is to start scanning its customers, in a bid to tailor advertising towards them. Tesco petrol station users will be scanned at forecourts, using high-tech "OptimEyes" screens. The new system will be rolled out to all 450 of Tesco's petrol stations, with the screens predicted to reach a weekly audience of over five million [...]
Post Office to ring changes with EE mobile network tie-up July 7, 2014 The Post Office plans to become a mobile phone provider this autumn, using EE’s network to offer customers “a genuine alternative” to the major carriers. The government-owned company said it planned initially to sell mobile services in 50 Post Office branches, online and over the phone before rolling out across the country later in the year. [...]
Inside Track: Sands deserves praise for facing critics July 27, 2014 Say what you like about Standard Chartered chief executive Peter Sands, and many people have in the past few days, he deserves credit for facing his critics. Sands knows that the performance of the emerging markets bank he runs hasn’t been all it could have been during the last few months. But on Thursday last [...]
What does The Engine Group do? July 30, 2014 ■ Nestled in offices behind Oxford Circus, the Engine Group describes itself as an integrated marketing communications group, which owns ad agency WCRS, PR group MHP Communications, digital shop Jam and direct marketing specialist partners Andrews Aldridge, among others. ■ Engine’s UK chief executive, Debbie Klein, stressed that the group would retain its independence after [...]
London Report: Ukraine tension and ore prices weigh on FTSE August 28, 2014 A RATCHETING up of tension in Ukraine yesterday took its toll on Britain’s top share index, knocking it back from its highest closing level in nearly two months. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko said Russian forces had entered his country and the military conflict was worsening after Moscow-backed separatists swept into an eastern town. The blue-chip [...]
Ukip party conference 2014: Three reasons Ukip might have the best brand in politics September 26, 2014 After Ed Miliband’s much-maligned slip-ups, this weekend it’s Nigel Farage’s turn to show the world he’s a man of the people, at the Ukip party conference. Farage may be mocked by some – but during his tenure as its leader, he has transformed it from a party on the margins of the political system [...]
Justin King’s final curtain: Sainsbury’s CEO goes out on sliding sales June 11, 2014 It is chief executive Justin King’s last set of results, and Sainsbury's has reported a 1.1 per cent fall in like-for-like sales – in line with expectations. Including fuel, they dropped 2.4 per cent in the 12 weeks to 7 June. But shares have risen by as much as two per cent this morning. Darren [...]
Warren Buffett slashes Tesco stake October 21, 2013 Investment guru Warren Buffett has sold more than £300m of his stake in Tesco, a stock market filing showed yesterday. That amounts to around one-fifth of his investment group Berkshire Hathaway’s holding in the supermarket chain. It comes just two weeks after Tesco reported a 68 per cent fall in mainland Europe profits in the [...]