ABI: there is still faith in City bosses June 8, 2009 PUBLIC fury over the financial crisis and “fat cat” bonuses has failed to derail confidence in bosses at the City’s major companies, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) will claim today at its biennial conference. The ABI will unveil the results of a major national survey on economic sentiment suggesting that the majority of people [...]
Halfords gets a boost from Brits on bikes June 10, 2009 HALFORDS, the car maintenance and bicycle retailer, yesterday reported a 2.4 per cent rise in full-year profits to £92.4m as the demand for bikes and camping equipment surges in the downturn. Finance director Nick Waller said: “The demand for bikes is sustainable, people are using cycling to beat congestion, for economic reasons and increasingly to [...]
INFLATION FEARS STILL ON THE CARDS July 5, 2009 JANE FOLEYRESEARCH DIRECTOR, FOREX.COMLAST week brought confirmation that prices actually fell in the Eurozone in June. The consumer prices index (CPI) fell 0.1 per cent year-on-year, in sharp contrast to the European Central Bank’s (ECB) mandate which directs it to keep inflation at, or a little below, 2.0 per cent year-on-year. The complete absence of [...]
Retail sales fall in May as pain worsens May 28, 2009 SHOPPERS are belt-tightening again, according to data released yesterday which shows that high street sales fell by more than expected in May. New figures from employers’ organisation the CBI showed that some 17 per cent more retailers reported a fall, rather than a rise, in sales during May. The data suggests that April’s rise, which [...]
UK’s economy ready to grow June 14, 2009 BRITAIN’S economy is stabilising, with the worst of the recent quarterly falls in GDP having passed into history, the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) will today predict. But the employers’ group warns that it will take until the beginning of next year before there is a return to economic growth. The report is published a [...]
This week’s key numbers will signal if recovery is sustained June 28, 2009 IT’S A mixed call for the opening of the stock markets this morning, with GFT calling the FTSE 100 and French CAC 40 to open virtually unchanged at 4,243 and 3,137 respectively. The German DAX on the other hand is expected to start the week on a more positive note, up 20 points at 4,796. [...]
This week’s key numbers will signal if recovery is sustained June 28, 2009 IT’S A mixed call for the opening of the stock markets this morning, with GFT calling the FTSE 100 and French CAC 40 to open virtually unchanged at 4,243 and 3,137 respectively. The German DAX on the other hand is expected to start the week on a more positive note, up 20 points at 4,796. [...]
All eyes on the Bank but is giving credit all that is due? May 31, 2009 A STRING of economic data is due over the next five days which, after a relative drought recently, are likely to impact investor confidence should there be any surprises. The Bank of England will be acutely aware of this ahead of its interest rate decision on Thursday. With most economists predicting the central bank to [...]
Shrinking economy shakes market but Wolseley grows June 30, 2009 WEAKER than expected consumer confidence figures in the US drove some shares lower yesterday, with banks, miners and food retailers leading the fallers. The FTSE 100 shed one per cent, or 44.82 points, to close at 4,249.21. But the index is up 8.2 per cent on the quarter, the best such performance since the final [...]
US consumer confidence boosts late London trading May 26, 2009 BETTER than expected consumer confidence data out of the US gave the FTSE 100 a much-needed boost yesterday afternoon, after Asia’s sell-off – driven by concerns of heightening geopolictical tension on the Korean peninsula – infected the London markets in early trading. “Following the release of the US consumer confidence data there was an immediate [...]