Why Am I So Single? review: Six the Musical creators return with the most fun new show in the West End
Berkeley upbeat as sales and land bank grow September 5, 2011 House builder Berkeley Group performed better than expected in the four months since May and now expects to reach its five-year profit target at least two years early, it has said. In an upbeat trading statement, Berkeley said since it revealed its five-year growth strategy in May its forward sales had grown to in excess [...]
Gloomy American data fuels recovery doubts August 18, 2011 SHOCKINGLY negative economic data rattled markets in New York yesterday, adding to an ultra-bearish day for equities. Claims for US unemployment benefits rose; home sales dropped; inflation picked up; and a Philadelphia factory index collapsed to worse than a two year low. The gauge of factory activity in the Mid-Atlantic region fell off a cliff, [...]
Travelodge in revenue boost despite riots September 13, 2011 BUDGET hotel chain Travelodge yesterday reported a rise in revenues even though riots across London cost the firm £1m in lost sales and cancellations. Revenues from its 480 hotels were up 15 per cent in June, July and August. The firm cut prices by five per cent, taking the average room rate down to £42. [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS September 19, 2011 ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS UBS upgrades the Primark owner to a “buy” and ups its target price on the stock by six per cent to 1200p, to reflect increased estimates. The broker makes no change to its full year guidance for 2011 of flattish earnings, but raises 2012 estimates by three per cent to put earning [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS September 19, 2011 ASSOCIATED BRITISH FOODS UBS upgrades the Primark owner to a “buy” and ups its target price on the stock by six per cent to 1200p, to reflect increased estimates. The broker makes no change to its full year guidance for 2011 of flattish earnings, but raises 2012 estimates by three per cent to put earning [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING November 13, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES PRIVATE EQUITY GROUPS BOOST STAKES IN HOT FUNDS Investors in the secondary leveraged buy-out fund market are using further leverage to finance such purchases, adding another layer of risk and stirring up memories of the debt-fuelled private equity boom ahead of the financial crisis. While private equity groups in Europe and the US [...]
TRAVEL NOTES September 18, 2011 SHA’s new “absolute rejuvenation programme” Spain’s famous SHA wellness retreat has launched a new 14-day programme that’s one up even on its regular course of wellness enhancement. This one features macrobiotic nutrition to purify and rebalance the body and mind while scientific and holistic spa treatments try to physically iron out any kinks. It’s fairly [...]
US new homes sales fall in June July 26, 2011 New US single-family home sales unexpectedly fell in June, but a sharp rise in prices and declining supply suggested the market for new houses was starting to stabilise, a government report showed. The Commerce Department said sales fell one per cent to a seasonally adjusted 312,000-unit annual rate as sales in the Northeast tumbled to [...]
ECB purchases fail to impress at Spain sale September 1, 2011 SPAIN was the second shaky Eurozone sovereign to see slow demand at a bond auction this week, despite the likelihood of heavy buying by the European Central Banking (ECB) in the secondary market. Following on from Italy’s sale on Tuesday, which saw low levels of buyer interest, Madrid issued €3.62bn (£3.19bn) of five-year bonds, less [...]
John Lewis: We will buck Xmas gloom August 22, 2011 John Lewis said it would outperform a falling retail market this Christmas, benefiting from the strength of its presence in the capital and investment, particularly in Internet shopping. Andrew Murphy, retail director at the department store chain, said UK consumers were feeling cautious and vulnerable amid government cutbacks, rising prices and fears the economy could [...]