FTSE 100 flat after Donald Trump ends US stimulus talks October 7, 2020 The FTSE 100 flatlined after US President Donald Trump abruptly ended talks between Republicans and Democrats over the next round of fiscal stimulus. London’s blue-chip index was just 0.06 per cent higher at 5,953.6 points as it approached midday. The FTSE 250 was up 0.17 per cent. Read more: US stocks fall after President Trump [...]
Coronavirus: Supermarkets mull streamlining stores to cope with spike in demand March 16, 2020 The biggest supermarkets in the UK are mulling cutting cafe, counters and other services to focus on maintaining basic provisions as the demand for essential items and hygiene products soars during the coronavirus outbreak. Bosses are stepping up their contingency plans to keep stores running if staff take sick leave or if a potential mass [...]
Business rates aren’t fit for purpose but Rishi Sunak’s digital tax is a sticking plaster, not a solution July 30, 2020 Long before the coronavirus pandemic, our high streets were struggling. Faced with the rise of online sales, many well-known retailers were either closing stores, entering a form of insolvency known as a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), or falling into administration. The oft-quoted analysis of this demise was that the costs of running a physical store [...]
CBI deputy: A no-deal Brexit on top of coronavirus is ‘very, very worrying’ November 2, 2020 For a while in the summer it looked as though the CBI’s annual conference – a highlight of the business calendar which kicks off today – could be celebrating an economy on its way back to health. But a surge in coronavirus restrictions and new lockdowns across the country mean it is likely to be [...]
Are UK supermarkets ready for Brexit? September 25, 2019 “One can say very clearly what the direction will be: higher prices, less choice, and poorer quality, because all of those dimensions have been improved by these open trading relationships that we’ve had over the last 40 years […] Brexit, almost in whatever version it is, will introduce friction, it will introduce barriers. That makes [...]
Covid-19: Northern Ireland records two new cases as UK total hits 87 March 4, 2020 Two more cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Northern Ireland, which brings the total number of UK cases to 87. The Public Health Agency said that one test result is confirmed positive and two further results are “presumptive positive” It said it is “continuing to work with partners across the UK including Public Health [...]
Sainsbury’s Bank chairman Roger Davis steps down February 12, 2020 Sainsbury’s Bank has started a search for a new chair after Roger Davis told the board he intends to step down from the role. Davis has chaired the bank’s board for almost seven years. Sainsbury’s said the search to find Davis’s replacement had begun and that further announcements regarding the timings of his retirement and [...]
Shoppers spend extra £524m at UK supermarkets in April April 28, 2020 Shoppers spent an extra £524m at UK supermarkets during the coronavirus lockdown compared to April last year. Grocery sales soared 9.1 per cent in the 12 weeks to 19 April, which were £524m higher in the past four weeks than they were in April 2019. Households made a record low 14 trips to UK supermarkets [...]
Bond investors and sustainability: is it all greenwash? March 29, 2021 With issuance of green, social and sustainability bonds expected to hit a record $650 billion this year, Schroders’ Head of Sustainable Credit Saida Eggerstedt tackles the topic of greenwashing. “We are in a boom era for borrowing linked to sustainability criteria,” according to Saida Eggerstedt, Schroders’ Head of Sustainable Credit. In 2020, the global issuance [...]
Bumper summer and Booker buyout set to boost Tesco profits September 30, 2018 Tesco will be hoping to post strong first-half profits on Wednesday, as a blistering summer heatwave, successful World Cup run and a royal wedding are all likely to have boosted the firm’s performance. Consensus estimates compiled by S&P Global Market Intelligence show that earnings before tax (excluding exceptions) could hit £795m in the first six [...]