Cut in bad debt spurs profit at National Australia Bank October 26, 2011 THE PARENT company of Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks has increased second-half cash profit by 17 per cent as bad-debt charges fell and mortgages grew at more than three times the rate of the industry. National Australia Bank said this morning that profit was a record A$2.79bn (£1.82bn), despite doubts over the immediate health of the [...]
Falling car registrations offset by high fleet sales October 6, 2011 NEW private car registrations plummeted by 9.3 per cent in September, compared to the same time last year. “The outlook for car manufacturers looks increasingly worrying with the economy struggling markedly, and consumer and business confidence low,” commented economist Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight. Overall, however, the figures exceeded expectations, with a surge in [...]
Falling car registrations offset by high fleet sales October 6, 2011 NEW private car registrations plummeted by 9.3 per cent in September, compared to the same time last year. “The outlook for car manufacturers looks increasingly worrying with the economy struggling markedly, and consumer and business confidence low,” commented economist Howard Archer of IHS Global Insight. Overall, however, the figures exceeded expectations, with a surge in [...]
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 [...]
Philips to find 60 per cent more savings September 13, 2011 DUTCH consumer electronics group Philips announced more cost cutting yesterday, in an effort to counter sagging consumer demand and weak global markets. Philips, which is the world’s largest lighting maker, one of the three biggest makers of hospital equipment and Europe’s biggest consumer electronics producer, has been hit by rising raw material costs, government budget [...]
Carpetright in another profit warning as trade ebbs away April 7, 2011 CARPETRIGHT, Britain’s biggest floor covering retailer, warned on profits for the second time in as many months yesterday, as shoppers hold back on expensive purchases amid rising bills and government cuts. The group, which trades from around 700 stores in Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium, said profit before tax and one-off items for the [...]
Carpetright in another profit warning as trade ebbs away April 7, 2011 CARPETRIGHT, Britain’s biggest floor covering retailer, warned on profits for the second time in as many months yesterday, as shoppers hold back on expensive purchases amid rising bills and government cuts. The group, which trades from around 700 stores in Britain, Ireland, the Netherlands and Belgium, said profit before tax and one-off items for the [...]
Sell-off in Europe likely today May 8, 2011 A sell-off is expected on European bourses this morning, following a weakening in US markets on Friday from the highs reached after the strong US jobs data. In out-of-hours trading, GFT is forecasting the UK index to open down 66 points from last week’s close, at around 5,910. The German DAX is quoted to open [...]
Sell-off in Europe likely today May 8, 2011 A sell-off is expected on European bourses this morning, following a weakening in US markets on Friday from the highs reached after the strong US jobs data. In out-of-hours trading, GFT is forecasting the UK index to open down 66 points from last week’s close, at around 5,910. The German DAX is quoted to open [...]
We need to teach financial literacy in all UK schools November 1, 2011 IT IS significant the e-petition calling for compulsory financial education in schools has this week become one of the first petitions to reach the threshold of 100,000 signatures and that the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Financial Education for Young People is the largest in parliament, with 224 cross-party MPs. We are a financially [...]