NEW YORK REPORT September 29, 2009 US stocks fell yesterday as a surprise drop in a gauge of consumer confidence overshadowed signs of stabilisation in housing and solid earnings from Walgreen. Stocks started higher but then turned lower as the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index for September fell. Even so, investors were reluctant to sell stocks indiscriminately. Major indexes spent most [...]
NEW YORK REPORT September 29, 2009 US stocks fell yesterday as a surprise drop in a gauge of consumer confidence overshadowed signs of stabilisation in housing and solid earnings from Walgreen. Stocks started higher but then turned lower as the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index for September fell. Even so, investors were reluctant to sell stocks indiscriminately. Major indexes spent most [...]
Retailers facing a tough Xmas October 4, 2009 MANY struggling British retailers will face a bleaker Christmas than they did last year, when 15 major chains failed, according to insolvency specialist Begbies Traynor. Christmas is a crucial trading period for retailers but soaring unemployment and low consumer confidence is expected to result in more firms facing financial difficulty. “Christmas 2009 could see just [...]
Retailers facing a tough Xmas October 4, 2009 MANY struggling British retailers will face a bleaker Christmas than they did last year, when 15 major chains failed, according to insolvency specialist Begbies Traynor. Christmas is a crucial trading period for retailers but soaring unemployment and low consumer confidence is expected to result in more firms facing financial difficulty. “Christmas 2009 could see just [...]
Tribalism replaced values May 10, 2010 THE story of why Gordon Brown entered politics is well-known, not least because he often tells it himself. Son of a Church of Scotland minister, he was brought up with a protestant work ethic guided by a “moral compass”. An extremely bright pupil, he was fast-tracked through school and went to the University of Edinburgh [...]
London market falls on back of revised USGDP figures November 24, 2009 BRITIAN’S leading share index ended 0.6 percent lower yesterday, with sentiment dampened by data showing the United States economy grew at a slower pace than previously thought, pressuring banks and commodity stocks. The FTSE index ended 31.54 points lower at 5,323.96, reversing earlier gains, to mirror falls on Wall Street after third quarter US economic [...]
Play the Bank’s QE decision with a punt on gilts October 25, 2009 THIS year we have witnessed the Bank of England take the unprecedented step of buying billions of pounds worth of assets – mostly government bonds – in order to loosen monetary policy further than can be achieved through interest rate cuts alone. It goes without saying that this policy of quantitative easing (QE) has had [...]
We’re being too gloomy on outlook for retail March 28, 2010 SO the clocks have changed, there’s now more daylight than darkness and spring is here. It’s time for some optimism, unless you happen to be a retailer. In the last week some of the biggest names in the high street have been queuing up to tell us how fearful they are about the consumer. Of [...]
Alexon profits fall in downturn September 30, 2009 Fashion retailer Alexon yesterday posted a fall in first-half adjusted pre-tax profit mainly due to poor consumer confidence and lower demand, and scrapped its interim dividend to conserve cash amid a tough retail environment. For the 26 weeks ended 1 August pre-tax profit before exceptional items fell to £0.9m from £6.9m last year. Revenue decreased [...]
Kingfisher raises dividend after profits boost March 25, 2010 B&Q owner Kingfisher beat profit forecasts and raised its dividend – helped by a rise in sales of eco-friendly products. Pre- tax profit excluding and one-off items jumped 49 per cent to £547m in the year ended January, above the average forecast of £543m. As well as raising its dividend for the first time in [...]