RETAIL BANK | OF THE YEAR September 21, 2011 LLOYDS BANKING GROUP The programme of change under new leader Antonio Horta-Osorio won the day for Lloyds, as it accelerates the sale of 632 bank branches. It also won praise for its bold stance on Payment Protection Insurance. SHORTLIST Santander UK Virgin Money Tesco Bank Co-op Bank
Asian exit sends message to ailing US arm August 31, 2011 IF a butterfly flaps its wings in China, it changes the weather in New York. And if Tesco exits Japan, it sends a chill wind through its US business. The decision to pull out of Japan was a no-brainer. It had a sub-scale operation of just 140 stores, a work-force of 4,367, and annual sales [...]
FTSE closes narrowly up after fight back from banks September 23, 2011 A strong rebound in banking stocks saw the FTSE end higher on Friday after a turbulent week, with investors pinning hopes on more action from the European Central Bank to deal with the region’s debt crisis. As traders cited market talk of help from France with some form of capital injection to bolster French banks’ [...]
TESCO CAPS ITS PRICE CHECK OFFER March 27, 2011 TESCO has been forced to cap its offer to refund double the difference on products that can be bought for less at Asda. The supermarket giant has introduced a £20 maximum refund on its Price Check offer after canny shoppers researched Asda deals and made sizeable claims. Tesco claims they profited by finding Asda promotions.
High Street boosts discounts September 25, 2011 HIGH street retailers stepped up the battle to win over cash-strapped shoppers this weekend by slashing prices and launching promotions, days after Britain’s supermarkets announced fresh price cutting campaigns. Top fashion retailers including Next and Gap launched a two day “flash sale” over the weekend, with items discounted at 50 and 30 per cent respectively [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 1, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES BIG AREAS STILL LACK 3G, SAYS OFCOM Nearly 90 per cent of the UK’s land mass and a quarter of buildings are unable to receive all five 3G phone networks a decade after the introduction of the mobile licences, according to the telecoms regulator. In its first report on the UK’s communications infrastructure, [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 1, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES BIG AREAS STILL LACK 3G, SAYS OFCOM Nearly 90 per cent of the UK’s land mass and a quarter of buildings are unable to receive all five 3G phone networks a decade after the introduction of the mobile licences, according to the telecoms regulator. In its first report on the UK’s communications infrastructure, [...]
New listing rules and jitters over Europe pull FTSE down December 14, 2011 WEAKNESS in risk-sensitive commodity issues and banks dragged Britain’s FTSE 100 index lower yesterday, with concerns over the Eurozone debt crisis ratcheted up as Italy’s borrowing costs expanded to a record high. Italy had to pay 6.47 per cent on five-year bonds in an auction yesterday, up from a previous euro era record high of [...]
Sales are strong at Asda but high fuel costs keeping shoppers away November 15, 2011 SUPERMARKET group Asda yesterday reported a pick up in third-quarter sales growth, helped by revamped own-brand food ranges and a pledge to be cheaper than rivals. Sales at stores open more than a year rose 1.3 per cent, excluding fuel and VAT sales tax, in the three months to September, Britain’s second-biggest supermarket group said [...]
Our schools must be open to business so we can have a bright economic future January 10, 2012 NOW that pupils are back at school, it’s time to help them get down to business. One key question they need to be asked is: “Hands up who wants to go into business?” Their answer will not only shape the life chances of millions of young people, but will also have a dramatic impact on [...]