House price rises expected as level of confidence soars January 24, 2010 CONFIDENCE in the UK housing market has jumped more than five-fold in the last year. The number of people expecting house prices to increase over the next 12 months has risen from 10 per cent at the start of 2009 to 53 per cent. The British public expect only a modest rise, according to Rightmove, [...]
Healthcare shares fend off US slump July 28, 2009 THE Dow and S&P 500 stock indices both put in slight falls yesterday, recovering from sharper declines in earlier trading, as investors shrugged off weak consumer confidence data and focused on positive earnings reports. Stocks in the healthcare sector led the afternoon rebound, with biotech shares rising a day after Amgen’s strong quarterly earnings report. [...]
‘Staycationers’, swine flu and recession dent Kuoni’s results August 20, 2009 LUXURY holiday and tour operator Kuoni yesterday provided fresh evidence on how economic turmoil and the swine flu pandemic have damaged the leisure sector. The Zurich-based firm said it swung to a first-half loss of SFr51m (£29m) compared with SFr26.5m profit in the same period a year ago due to adverse currency movements and rising [...]
SSL Russian venture lifts expectation January 21, 2010 THE owner of the Durex and Scholl Footwear brands SSL yesterday said the recent acquisition of Russia’s most popular condom brand has continued to perform ahead of expectations, boosted by strong sales of core consumer brands and continued investment in advertising and promotion. Despite a difficult trading environment in some countries, the company has seen [...]
Economy remains in focus as inflation signs look benign August 16, 2009 LAST week the markets were updated on the views of central bankers from both sides of the Atlantic. In the UK, the Bank of England published their quarterly Inflation Report and from the US we heard comments by the Federal Open Market Committee, accompanying their regular rate-setting meeting. Both presented a benign outlook for inflation. [...]
The City is back but under new management December 21, 2010 BRITAIN’S financial landscape has been transformed since we last shone a light on the City’s most powerful figures two years ago. The City A.M./CityJet Power Hundred 2011 list ranks the most influential figures in UK finance as we head into the new year. It should be no surprise that it is very different from 2009. [...]
The City is back but under new management December 21, 2010 BRITAIN’S financial landscape has been transformed since we last shone a light on the City’s most powerful figures two years ago. The City A.M./CityJet Power Hundred 2011 list ranks the most influential figures in UK finance as we head into the new year. It should be no surprise that it is very different from 2009. [...]
Profit up at Lookers as sales grow August 19, 2009 CAR dealership Lookers reported a 13.5 per cent rise in first-half profit, the group said yesterday, as sales in its used car and parts units rocketed. Lookers said its used car sales rose 8.5 per cent in the first half thanks to a strong recovery in prices since the end of 2008, and added its [...]
How to play the US third quarter earnings season October 11, 2009 THIS week is widely expected to be crunch time for the markets across the world as the third quarter earnings season kicks off in earnest in the US. With companies from across the board reporting – including big hitters like Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, IBM and General Electric – we will finally see whether the rally [...]
WH Smith is still upbeat in spite of drop in sales January 27, 2010 WH SMITH yesterday reported a four per cent drop in group like-for-like sales as customers bought fewer books. The figures for the 21 weeks to last weekend showed that the retailer’s High Street stores saw a comparative sales fall of five per cent while sales at its travel-based outlets dipped by two per cent. WH [...]