UK pensions deficits: FTSE 100 firms fear pension pain as workers retire September 6, 2015 Pension schemes represent a “material risk” for many of the largest companies in the FTSE 100, new research shows. Six firms, including BAE Systems, British Airways-owner International Airlines Group, RSA and Royal Bank of Scotland, all have total disclosed pension liabilities almost double their equity market value, so says JLT Employee Benefits’ quarterly report [...]
Bank to announce rates decision as China woes weigh – London Report September 6, 2015 THE BANK of England will be centre of attention on Thursday when it provides a simultaneous release of its monetary policy decision and minutes from its monetary policy committee (MPC) meeting. The MPC is almost certain to keep interest rates unchanged at 0.5 per cent, with worries about China and oil price declines meaning other [...]
Draghi and easyJet help to boost FTSE to 2pc single-day gain – London Report September 4, 2015 UK SHARES had their biggest one-day gain in a week yesterday, buoyed by a commitment by ECB chief Mario Draghi to boost the central bank’s asset-purchase programme if needed to offset the effects of a riskier economic backdrop. The FTSE 100 blue chip index was up 1.8 per cent at 6,183.09 points at its close. [...]
Falling milk prices piles pressure on Arla farmers as revenues drop August 31, 2015 ARLA Foods has blamed the global decline in milk prices and volatile market conditions for a drop in revenues in the first half of the year. The Danish-based dairy giant behind brands including Lurpak, Castello and Arla, said total revenue dropped 3.8 per cent to €5.13bn (£3.73bn) in the first half from €5.33bn compared with [...]
Crazy markets, Night Tube called off and Jeremy Corbyn goes off the rails: Here’s what got us talking this week August 28, 2015 It was the week in which everything got a bit trippy: the markets went bananas. The South Bank went psychedelic. Someone discovered a Nazi train full of gold (allegedly). And after 60 years of rivalry, Burger King finally proposed a truce with McDonald's… What got us talking 1. Up, down, up, down… Who said August was [...]
Oil prices keep rising – just in time for the great bank holiday getaway (but the good news is Morrisons and Sainsbury’s have cut petrol prices) August 28, 2015 After Brent crude made its biggest one-day gain in six and a half years yesterday, rising more than 10 per cent to $47.56 per barrel, it looks like oil prices are continuing to rise today – just in time for the great bank holiday getaway. This morning Brent crude was up more than one per [...]
Butchery firm moves its prime cuts up in executive promotions August 27, 2015 CRAWSHAW Group yesterday announced Alan Richardson will be appointed chief financial officer, taking the reins from Lynda Sherratt on the 1st October 2015. Richardson joins Crawshaws from the 7 September following five years at Morrisons where he worked in a range of senior finance roles. After qualifying as an accountant with KPMG in 2001, he [...]
Morrisons pulled up on Match & More price-match advert claims against competitors Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi and Lidl August 26, 2015 Morrisons has been told it must be clearer about its promise to match the prices of competitors, including Aldi and Lidl. The supermarket's Match & More scheme, which is the only one of the big four to match the prices of the German discounters, has been pulled up by the advertising watchdog for not clearly [...]
M Local selloff: Morrisons’ ill-fated attempt to build a convenience arm has become a lesson for the industry August 26, 2015 It was a cold day in February 2013 when Morrisons’ former chief executive Dalton Philips was faced with a tough decision. Film rental chain Blockbuster had just collapsed and Morrisons was one of several suitors circling a portfolio of 50 stores administrators had put up for sale. Read more: It's a deal – Morrisons [...]
Supermarket wars: Big Four in big trouble as Tesco, Asda and Morrisons register more declines August 25, 2015 Tesco is still struggling to shrug off competition from the discount supermarkets, as data released this morning reveals yet more declines. While consumer spend within the grocery sector rose 0.9 per cent for the 12 weeks to 16 August, at Tesco it dropped by the same proportion. The price of a comparable basket of [...]