Majestic sees wine sales up in festive lift January 6, 2011 MAJESTIC Wine has bucked the trend of retailers turning in poor results figures over the snow-hit Christmas period with a 6.4 per cent sales rise. Chief executive Steve Lewis said the weather had initially put customers off venturing out but then there had been a rush. The figures for the nine weeks to 3 January [...]
Snow to blame as top US retail results miss targets January 6, 2011 A FLURRY of US retail results released yesterday failed to meet market projections, despite gains in same-store sales for several companies. After heavy snowfall hit the Eastern seaboard just after Christmas, some companies blamed the blizzard for their shortfall, with retailers ranging from department store operator Macy’s and discounter Target to teen clothing store American [...]
Alexon warns on profits as the big freeze hits its sales December 21, 2010 WOMENSWEAR retailer Alexon yesterday said the UK’s big freeze had hurt the past three weeks’ trading and could wipe up to £1.5m off its full-year profit forecast. The retailer said sales fell 19.9 per cent for the three weeks to 18 December in stores open for more than a year – leaving it with a [...]
FIRST GIG IN 600 YEARS TO COME TO GUILDHALL December 14, 2010 GUILDHALL has seen its fair share of important cultural events over the years:?the trials of Lady Jane Grey, Thomas Cranmer and those involved in the gunpowder plot. But only now is this hallowed hall to host the first ever rock concert in its 600 year history, in the miserable month of February next year, when [...]
IT’S HAPPY FAMILIES AS LIZ GOES IN-HOUSE February 21, 2011 BEFORE heading out to lunch yesterday, Elisabeth Murdoch, or “Liz”, fired off a quick, “confidential” email to her several hundred employees at Shine Group, the media group snapped up by News Corp. Luckily, it was quickly forwarded on to The Capitalist. “I did want to take a minute to thank you all for your patience while [...]
Goldman: ECB has bought up a fifth of Eurozone bonds January 6, 2011 THE European Central Bank’s intervention in Eurozone sovereign bond markets means that the central bank amounts to 20 per cent of marketable stock, according to analysis by Goldman Sachs. The note, released yesterday, says: “The ECB remains the main buyer of Portuguese government securities.” It adds: “The ECB has effectively removed from the private markets [...]
Goldman: ECB has bought up a fifth of Eurozone bonds January 6, 2011 THE European Central Bank’s intervention in Eurozone sovereign bond markets means that the central bank amounts to 20 per cent of marketable stock, according to analysis by Goldman Sachs. The note, released yesterday, says: “The ECB remains the main buyer of Portuguese government securities.” It adds: “The ECB has effectively removed from the private markets [...]
Grant is sure West Ham will emulate Baggies and stay up December 19, 2010 WEST HAM manager Avram Grant believes his side will re-write the record books by becoming only the second team in Premier League history to beat relegation despite being bottom on Christmas Day. Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Blackburn at Ewood Park ensured the Hammers will have the unwanted distinction of propping up the table next Saturday, two points [...]
WALL STREET WEEK AHEAD December 12, 2010 The December rally may be reaching its climax, with just two weeks to go before Santa Claus makes his midnight run. Dwindling volume, excess optimism, and history all point to a stock market that could be running out of steam. Investors appear to have grown complacent as the CBOE Volatility Index, or VIX has fallen [...]
John Lewis in sharp sales rise January 21, 2011 Sales growth at department store chain John Lewis slowed dramatically last week as consumers tightened their belts after spending freely in the post-Christmas sales. The employee-owned retailer, which also runs upmarket grocery chain Waitrose, said on Friday department store sales increased 4.1 per cent to £55.8m in the week to January 15. Sales in the [...]