Sports Direct’s Mike Ashley makes move for Links of London September 9, 2019 Retail magnate Mike Ashley is hoping to ramp up his high street spending spree after putting in an offer for troubled jewellery group Links of London. The Sports Direct owner is tabling a bid to snap up the retail outlet, according to Sky News, which has reported that Ashley is one of two final bidders [...]
UK tax rises: How will Rishi Sunak pay down the coronavirus deficit? July 28, 2020 Rishi Sunak’s first five months as chancellor has seen him shower the UK economy with hundreds of billions of pounds, helping make him the most popular government figure. However, talk has already turned to the ballooning deficit – predicted to be around £350bn this year – and how to reduce it to more manageable levels. [...]
Zara owner Inditex boosts sales with rapid online expansion June 12, 2019 Zara owner Inditex defied a weak retail market to boost sales at the beginning of the second quarter as its global expansion gathered pace. The world’s biggest clothing retailer bounced back from a weak start to the year, damaged by cold weather, reporting a 9.5 per cent sales jump in the period from 1 May [...]
Klarna becomes Europe’s most valuable fintech in $460m raise August 6, 2019 Online payments giant Klarna has scooped up another $460m in an equity funding round led by Dragoneer, which values the fintech firm at $5.5bn. Other investors included Commonwealth Bank of Australia, HMI Capital, Starling Bank investor Merian Chrysalis, Forsta AP-Fonden, IPGL, Institutional Venture Partners and several funds managed by Blackrock. Swedish-born Klarna said it will [...]
Why the UK’s startup sector is worth saving March 30, 2020 Covid-19 has already destroyed so much. Lives, livelihoods, freedom of movement. For those on the frontlines, whether in the NHS, social care or supermarkets, or in the country’s many sick beds, the battle is fierce. As the dominoes of our economy have tumbled, the government has quickly stepped in. First to safeguard business. Then to [...]
Categories October 26, 2021 Categories 2022 Interested in sponsoring a category this year? Email our team at awards@cityam.com for more details. Insurance Company of the Year The insurance sector has had an extraordinary year, not just coming out of a pandemic but amid a host of natural disasters. This year we’re looking not just at insurers who are delivering for shareholders [...]
Private equity firm buys stake in Instagram fashion brand Reformation July 11, 2019 European private equity firm Permira has acquired a majority stake in sustainable fashion brand Reformation. The company, which was founded in Los Angeles 10-years ago, is e-commerce driven fast fashion brand with a dedicated following on social media platforms such as Instagram. Read more: UK fashion brand Karen Millen hoists for sale sign The firm plans [...]
Soaring temperatures fail to heat up July high street sales August 9, 2019 Soaring temperatures failed to lift high street sales last month but benefited online stores as consumers turned to fast fashion for their heat wave wardrobes. In-store like-for-like sales only increased 0.1 per cent in July as shoppers sheltered from the heat, upping the pressure on retailers as the third quarter continues. Read more: Restaurants eat [...]
UK firms cut more than 106,000 jobs amid coronavirus pandemic August 19, 2020 The coronavirus pandemic has battered the UK economy since it arrived in early 2020 – and no sector has remained unscathed, with more than 100,000 job cuts planned during the pandemic. The government’s furlough scheme has allowed millions of people to keep getting a paycheck, but fears are growing that when this is phased out [...]
Boohoo revenue jumps more than 50 per cent as it plugs ‘record levels’ of investment into infrastructure June 12, 2018 It might be carnage on the high street for numerous big names at the moment, but Boohoo is going from strength to strength in online retail. It has reported a 53 per cent rise in revenue for the first quarter of the year as it eyes more market share gains. The figures Boohoo has set [...]