Primark owner takes £1bn extra inflation hit amid ‘most challenging’ economy for many years November 8, 2022 Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) saw inflationary costs leap by £1bn this year alone, as it weathers “highly volatile” economic conditions and hopes to retain shoppers with its low prices. The chairman of the fashion and food business, Michael McLintock, said ABF had “encountered the most challenging economic conditions for many years with sharply [...]
Bank of England left with tough choice on interest rate after week of fresh data April 19, 2024 Most of this week has been dominated by discussions about when the Bank of England will start cutting interest rates.
Explainer: UK house prices and their swift fall March 31, 2023 House prices in the UK have fallen at their fastest yearly pace since 2009. The price of an average property fell 3.1 per cent from a year ago, according to the Nationwide Building Society. The average house price in March was £257,122. The figures show prices falling also on a monthly basis, for the seventh [...]
Consumer confidence edges up in September September 27, 2019 Consumer confidence grew slightly this month but remained negative overall as uncertainty continued in the run up to the 31 October Brexit deadline date. Despite the two point increase, consumer confidence was still minus 12 points in September compared to a score of minus nine in the same month last year. Read more: UK consumer [...]
London footfall takes costly hit as rail strikes wreak havoc on Christmas trade December 6, 2023 Footfall across greater London declined by -8.3 per cent on Tuesday as rail strikes led shoppers to steer clear of the high street, spelling more misery for the capital’s retailers amid the vital Christmas period. According to the latest reading from MRI Software, Tuesday was the most impacted day so far, with footfall in central [...]
Will the tail-end of summer mean more pain for the UK housing market? August 26, 2023 August, like much of the summer, has already proved a tricky month for the housing sector. Despite all major central banks slashing their rates in the wake of cooling inflation, buyer confidence still appears to be low. Last week’s Rightmove figures showed that the average price of a home fell by 1.9 per cent in [...]
Gucci, Prada, and Burberry are no longer in Vogue as ‘richcession’ bruises luxury sales March 20, 2024 A profit warning from the parent brand of Gucci has sunk the share price of not only the brand but also its rivals, in the latest sign that luxury designers are falling out of fashion with investors.
Pound falls below $1.10 for first time in almost 40 years after mini-budget September 23, 2022 Pound Sterling continued to tumble after the mini-budget this morning, plummeting to below $1.10 for the first time since 1985. Financial markets ramped up expectations for interest rates to hit a peak of more than 5 per cent midway through next year, as Citi analysis warned the mini-budget “risks a confidence crisis in sterling”, as [...]
British Airways’ profits take off as IAG enjoys bumper summer October 27, 2023 British Airways-owner IAG has posted record-level third quarter results as demand for European holidays flies up and fuel costs dip.
Banks ditch sustainability as economic headwinds slows progress June 13, 2023 SUSTAINABILITY is falling down the list of priorities for many UK banks, after a new study found the number of banks stating sustainability was a key part of their business strategy had plummeted by 40 per cent in a year. Only 60 per cent of banking leaders in the UK say sustainability is an important [...]