Marks & Spencer dividend can’t hide fashion disaster as Next and Primark steal market share November 5, 2015 It's that time of year again. The nights are drawing in, the heating’s turned up, minor celebrities are switching on high street Christmas lights… and Marks & Spencer has revealed another disappointing half-year performance. Admittedly, shares rose yesterday – up 2.8 per cent – but this was more due to a modest improvement to margins and a [...]
John Lewis’ Monty the Penguin beats Sainsbury’s, Harvey Nichols, Lidl to be crowned most compelling Christmas 2014 advert October 29, 2015 By now you will have met John Lewis' Monty, unwrapped Lidl's little present and cried over Sainsbury's wartime sharing. But which of these adverts is most likely to make you spend money? Despite the debate around whether Sainsbury's might have stolen John Lewis' crown for creating festive ads guaranteed to get you blubbing, it [...]
Where can I use Apple Pay in the UK? The A-Z of shops, restaurants and apps which will accept mobile payment with iPhone 6 and 6 Plus November 17, 2015 Apple launched its mobile payment service, Apple Pay, in the UK in its first mobile payment move beyond the US, capitalising on the boom in mobile and contactless payments among consumers. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users can now pay with just the tap of a smartphone, or Apple Watch, across the high street and [...]
Davos 2016: An outlook as chilly as the setting January 22, 2016 So much for a fourth industrial revolution. It’s an inexorable law of the World Economic Forum that each year’s summit must be more crowded, expensive and pessimistic than the last. Whether it’s robotics, fintech or climate change, you can take your pick of this year’s buzz-themes – many dreamed up with the aid of handsomely [...]
EU referendum: Treasury Select Committee will review UK’s membership of the EU October 10, 2015 The influential Treasury Select Committee has launched an inquiry into the economic and financial costs and benefits of the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union. The inquiry comes as a response to the government's commitment to holding an In/Out referendum on the EU by the end of 2017. Read more: Former executive chairman of Marks and [...]
Marks and Spencers looking to sparkle with new lingerie and womenswear designer September 24, 2015 Marks and Spencers yesterday announced the appointment of its first director of design for womenswear, lingerie and beauty. The appointment of Queralt Ferrer, a former Inditex executive, is part of an attempt by Steve Rowe, the retailer’s new head of its non-food businesses, to revive the fortunes of M&S’ flagging women’s department. Ferrer will report [...]
Mining giants bounce back to push up FTSE 100 – London Report November 5, 2015 The FTSE 100 ended yesterday’s session slightly higher, boosted by gains in mining companies and Marks and Spencer. The UK’s blue-chip index ended the day 0.46 per cent up at 6,412 points. The day’s biggest riser was Glencore, the embattled mining giant, which has been struggling to reassure investors worried about the size of its [...]
At the close: Mining companies Glencore, Anglo American and BHP Billiton take FTSE 100 higher November 4, 2015 The FTSE 100 ended Wednesday's session slightly higher, led by gains in mining companies. The UK's top blue chip index ended the day 0.46 per cent up at 6,412 points. The day's biggest riser was Glencore, the embattled mining giant, which has been struggling to reassure investors worried about the size of its debt pile. It today announced a [...]
Christmas adverts 2015: John Lewis, M&S, Curry’s PC World, Asda or Argos – which retailer gets the gold star for best ad? November 6, 2015 The retailer race to be top of the tree this Christmas is on. Retailers including John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Iceland have been teasing their Christmas advertising for weeks, but now the majority of the campaigns are officially launched, who will be sitting pretty at the top of the Christmas list? This year it’s clear than [...]
EU referendum: new CBI director general Carolyn Fairbairn puts pressure on Prime Minister David Cameron over in/out vote November 23, 2015 Britain’s biggest business group is urging Prime Minister David Cameron to accelerate plans for the European Union referendum, warning that investment is beginning to suffer at the hands of a protracted renegotiation. Carolyn Fairbairn, who took over as director general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) last week, has told City A.M. that uncertainty [...]