Morrisons’s share price soars 10 per cent as supermarket returns to growth after 16 quarters of decline January 12, 2016 Morrisons's share price soared 10 per cent this morning after posting better-than-expected Christmas results, as it starts to win back customers. The figures Like-for-likes excluding fuel were up 0.2 per cent for the nine weeks to 3 January – its first quarterly growth in 16 quarters – while total sales excluding fuel were down 1.2 per cent. This [...]
A Hong Kong billionaire has bought the most expensive diamond ever auctioned – but who came before him? November 13, 2015 A new jewel has just topped the list of the most expensive diamonds ever sold at auction. The “Blue Moon” was bought this week in Geneva for $48.4m, smashing all previous record diamond sales. Vivid blue in colour and weighing 12.03 carats, it went for the “highest price per carat” ever obtained for any kind [...]
Tooting property prices: A fun, if a little pricey, area to buy a house on the Northern Line September 23, 2015 Not only does Tooting bear one of the most charming names out of all of London’s precincts, the Zone Three area has pretty good connections to the central London thanks to the Northern Line. A largely residential area, the rows of terraced housing have recently proven popular with the hordes of young professionals that [...]
Nectar profits collapse as supermarket price war takes its toll on loyalty cards October 18, 2015 Profits have tumbled at Britain’s biggest loyalty card provider, Nectar. Aimia Coalition Loyalty UK, Nectar’s parent company, said that pre-tax profits fell to £14.1m for 2014, from £74.4m the year before, due to a rise in people cashing in their points, while collecting fewer. The company warned that if people continued to redeem points then [...]
Growing personal debt is a ticking time bomb and trouble will come when rates and inflation start to creep up December 3, 2015 It’s no surprise that we’re borrowing like there’s no tomorrow; prices are low, credit is cheap and coupled with wage growth you could say there’s a feeling of positivity in the air. Make the most of this sweet spot now; we’re watching a ticking time bomb and trouble is likely to be on the horizon. [...]
London house prices: Build-to-Rent could transform lives in the capital – it must be free from unhelpful requirements October 1, 2015 The UK does not have enough homes – especially in the capital. This is a concern persistently raised by our members and felt the country over. Indeed, there is a real fear that our thriving cities – and London is the key example – will start to suffer as access to housing, or lack of [...]
House prices climb over winter February 5, 2015 THE HOUSING market boom that saw price growth peak at 10.2 per cent year-on-year in July may not be over, according to one of the UK’s biggest mortgage lenders. House prices jumped two per cent in January – the biggest monthly increase since 2009, figures released yesterday by Halifax show. The average house price in the [...]
I’ll drink to that: Sales at British winemaker Chapel Down up a third September 25, 2015 British winemaker Chapel Down announced sparkling interim results yesterday, with year-on-year sales up 33 per cent and gross profits up to £1.17m, a 31 per cent increase on the year before. The Kent-based vineyard’s speciality – sparkling wines – enjoyed a 45 per cent increase in sales, accounting for £2.28m of the total figure of [...]
Autumn Statement 2015: George Osborne must end the distortion caused by stamp duty hikes for high value residential property November 22, 2015 In recent years, there has been a perfect storm of changes to residential property taxation: from the introduction of the Annual Tax on Enveloped Dwellings to offshore Capital Gains Tax, from clampdowns on corporate vehicles buying property to the removal of buy-to-let relief. But one change in particular threatens to tip the market over [...]
Small gains on Wall St as rate hike is eyed – New York Report November 10, 2015 Gains in Walt Disney and Amazon.com yesterday were offset by a drop in Apple as investors hunkered down for a potential interest rate hike next month. Still, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 0.16 per cent to finish the day at 17,758.21 points. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.24 percent to 5,083.24. Apple’s shares fell 3.15 [...]