The Pharmacy2U boss on saving the ailing NHS and stockpiling medicine February 18, 2019 The first ever UK chemist opened its doors in 1734, says Mark Livingstone when I meet him for breakfast. But it’s not so much this 285-year history that’s remarkable – it’s the fact that the business of dispensing drugs has barely been disrupted during that time. As the former managing director of Lego says: “When [...]
Dogs of the Footsie 2019: 10 shares yielding 6 per cent plus March 23, 2019 By David Budworth from interactive investor. Here are the 10 high yielders that make it into this year's Dogs of the Footsie investment strategy. It's time to reset our Dogs of the Footsie portfolio, selecting the 10 highest-yielding shares of the FTSE 100 index. Around half of 2018's portfolio is carried over on to this [...]
Meet the banker-turned-restaurateur bringing the City’s dining scene to life February 14, 2019 Whatever happened to the liquid lunch? It is a question often asked with nostalgia throughout the Square Mile. Traders in pubs, City executives in boardrooms, journalists and lawyers in wine bars; the sight and smell of booze at noon was at one point in time as much a part of the City’s identity as pin-stripes [...]
Marks & Spencer’s share price falls as FTSE100 demotion looms May 29, 2018 Pressure is piling on troubled retailer Marks & Spencer, which faces being demoted from the FTSE100 after the index closes today, as its share price tumbled this morning. Officials will reshuffle indices based on close of business market values today, ahead of an announcement tomorrow. As things stand, Mediclinic and G4S both look to be [...]
Automation and AI are leading the UK into a new industrial age September 27, 2018 Last year, the government’s Made Smarter Review set out how digital technologies can transform UK manufacturing by 2030. Receiving contributions from more than 200 organisations, the review spelled out how technologies like automation, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality, and additive manufacturing could help Britain lead the fourth industrial revolution, raising productivity, creating new, better-paid jobs, [...]
Business expansion doubles Arrow Global’s profit August 30, 2018 European asset manager Arrow Global today revealed that profit after tax more than doubled this year, driven by business expansion. The figures Profit after tax rose by more than 100 per cent to £8.5m in the first half of this year, compared to £3.7m in the same period in 2017. In the six months to 30 June [...]
Sainsbury’s trials London grocery delivery on electric cargo bikes April 19, 2018 Sainsbury’s is trialling a new delivery method in south London this week, as the supermarket looks at new ways to get groceries to customers’ doors. Delivery riders are taking up to 100 orders a day through the streets on electric cargo bikes. The idea is to increase efficiency when delivering groceries by using cycle lanes [...]
Ocado’s share price jumps eight per cent at the open on profit surge January 31, 2017 Ocado's share price jumped eight per cent at the open as it reported a spike in profits. The company's full-year profits beat expectations – despite rising labour costs and price deflation throughout last year. The figures In its results for the year ending 27 November, Ocado reported a 13.6 per cent rise in gross retail sales, up from [...]
AA skids off course in mid-cap promotion push as Marks & Spencer swerves blue-chip relegation May 29, 2018 British motoring darling the AA snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, as it is set to narrowly miss out on a return to London’s mid-cap index. Shares in the breakdown firm skidded over seven per cent today taking the firm out of contention for an automatic promotion back to the FTSE 250. Last week, [...]
Supermarket sweep: Which FTSE 100 grocer is the best buy? August 14, 2018 British supermarkets haven’t had an easy ride lately. There’s been plenty for them to worry about – the biggest being the rising cost of imports as sterling has continued to slide (the pound dropped to €1.11 and $1.28 last week). A weak pound has tightened profit margins. And with heavy competition from discount retailers, passing [...]