HP upbeat as posts 8pc rise in total sales November 22, 2010 HEWLETT Packard (HP), the world’s largest personal computer manufacturer, reported fourth quarter net revenue of $33.3bn (£20.9bn) yesterday, up $2.5bn, or eight per cent, year-on-year and raised its profit forecast for next year following higher global sales and growth in its core PC business. HP said it now expects earnings of around $5.16 to $5.26 [...]
ECONOMIST VIEWS: HOW CONFIDENT DO YOU THINK UK HOUSEHOLDS ARE? September 26, 2010 HOWARD ARCHER | IHS GLOBAL INSIGHT “With the latest evidence pointing to a significant moderation in growth in the third quarter, we suspect that consumers may have become gloomier again about the economic outlook and how they might be affected. In particular, consumers remain worried over the fiscal squeeze that will increasingly bite.” ALAN CLARKE [...]
Ladbrokes suffers as punters stake less May 14, 2010 LADBROKES has seen revenue dip by six per cent in the first four months of 2010, as punters staked less in its betting shops. the group said that in UK stores the amount placed on bets plunged by ten per cent. Meanwhile profits from gaming machines fell after VAT was put back up to 17.5 [...]
Bank lending weak from deleveraging May 26, 2010 MORTGAGE lending slumped in April to its lowest monthly level since February 2001 and the number of mortgage approvals only inched higher in what is typically a strong month for the housing market, fresh statistics from the British Bankers’ Association (BBA) showed yesterday. Banks’ net mortgage lending fell to £1.8bn in April compared with £2.3bn [...]
Sunny skies help retail sales in May June 7, 2010 SUNNY weather and preparations for the World Cup helped retail sales rise on a like-for-like basis in May, but nervous consumers are still holding off on purchases of big-ticket items, the latest survey from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) reveals today. On a like-for-like basis, retail sales values rose 0.8 per cent in May on [...]
Tesco on special offer after being oversold June 14, 2010 TESCO share prices tumbled to 397p last week after the announcement that chief executive Sir Terry Leahy was to step down after 14 years at the helm. Sales data released today is expected to be lacklustre, and combined with an expected weak consumer environment in the UK, Tesco’s margins in the near future look vulnerable [...]
Tesco on special offer after being oversold June 14, 2010 TESCO share prices tumbled to 397p last week after the announcement that chief executive Sir Terry Leahy was to step down after 14 years at the helm. Sales data released today is expected to be lacklustre, and combined with an expected weak consumer environment in the UK, Tesco’s margins in the near future look vulnerable [...]
Chinese thirst sees money pouring into sales of fine wines November 4, 2010 WINE has gained more value this year than either gold or shares, driven largely by Chinese demand. According to research from the Bordeaux Index – which tracks live changes in the prices of 80 to 100 of the most traded wines – demand for fine wine grew by 26 per cent in the year to [...]
John Lewis sees another sales rise May 14, 2010 JOHN Lewis has posted another week of sales growth with fashion sales up by more than a fifth. The employee-owned firm – which is seen as a bellwether of the UK retail sector – said sales at its 28 department stores and one “at home” store increased 17.7 per cent to £55.1m in the week [...]
Air travel picks up but cargo growth slips October 26, 2010 THE recovery in the global air travel market gathered pace last month, but falling freight has sparked concern about the impact on the economic recovery of spending cuts. Passenger numbers rose 10.5 per cent year-on-year in September, significantly stronger than the 6.5 per cent increase in August, according to figures from the International Air Transport [...]