Smeg: Sales cool at kitchenware brand as high interest rates ‘stifle’ demand September 30, 2024 The UK arm of kitchenware brand Smeg suffered lower than expected sales during its latest financial year after increasing interest rates ‘stifled demand’ for its products. The Abingdon-based division has reported a turnover of £65.2m for 2023, down from the £67.2m it posted for 2022. The new total is a step back from Smeg’s previously [...]
Pirelli: ‘Strong’ UK price rises helps sales near £500m at tyre giant September 30, 2024 The UK arm of Pirelli has said “strong” price rises helped its sales and pre-tax profit accelerate during its latest financial year. The company has reported a turnover of £471.3m for 2023, up from the £419.3m it achieved in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show its pre-tax profit improved from £11.5m to £14.3m [...]
Aybl: Record profit for Castore rival backed by Gymshark co-founder September 26, 2024 Profit at athleisure brand Aybl surged to record levels during its latest financial year after its sales jumped by almost £10m. The Redditch-headquartered company has reported a pre-tax profit of £6.1m for the year to 31 March, 2024, according to newly-filed documents with Companies House. The new total comes after Aybl posted a profit of [...]
Inheritocracy: We need to talk about the Bank of Mum and Dad September 26, 2024 Inheritance, tax and social care are interlinked, and it is time we talked about it, writes generational expert Eliza Filby
‘False alarm’: The post-pandemic global travel boom is showing no signs of slowing September 25, 2024 Global travel has peaked nearly five years after the pandemic decimated the industry. How long will the boom last?
Luxury stocks ‘bask in the glow’ of a Chinese equity stimulus September 24, 2024 Luxury investors breathed a sigh of relief this morning after the People’s Bank of China announced an array of economy-boosting policies, including £84bn of liquidity support for equities. High-end European stocks were a sea of green, with French luxury fashion house LVMH up 4.2 per cent, Hermes up 4.3 per cent and Kering up 4.3 [...]
Bank of London: Questions persist over unicorn’s finances and governance September 24, 2024 In the span of just two weeks, fintech "unicorn" The Bank of London has gone from relative obscurity to being thrust into the public spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Tall tails: The story of a city couple, a Siberian cat and a litter box September 23, 2024 When entrepreneur Aneisha Soobroyen adopted her Siberian cat Boo, the last thing she expected was never-ending stomach issues stinking up the litter box.
Misery index gives cause for hope September 23, 2024 There is an unmistakable inverse correlation between emiserating factors like unemployment, wages and house prices and consumer confidence, but new analysis suggests things may be looking up, says James Sproule The cost-of-living crisis may be difficult to define or quantify, but it is easy enough to feel – and misery has been felt not just [...]
‘Spoonful of sugar’ to come with Budget medicine, Labour mayor suggests September 21, 2024 A Labour mayor has said he thinks there will be “a spoonful of sugar along with the medicine” in the Budget next month. Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, told the PA news agency he believes economic growth will be delivered “through our combined authorities and through devolution”, but it could be “very [...]