Deliveroo picks banks as it gears up for blockbuster float January 13, 2021 Deliveroo is said to have tapped four investment banks as it prepares for a blockbuster float on the London Stock Exchange this year. The food delivery app has hired Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Citi, Jefferies and Numis to work on an initial public offering that could value it at more than £5bn, Sky News [...]
UK supermarkets bring in security to enforce mask wearing as Covid cases rise January 12, 2021 Supermarkets are ramping up Covid safety measures, with many of the major UK grocers planning to make masks mandatory and to only allow one person per household in store. Tesco, Waitrose and Asda have joined Sainsbury’s and Morrisons in announcing that customers without masks will be turned away, unless they are exempt for medical reasons. [...]
Ocado sounds alarm on product availability as supermarket shelves stand empty January 11, 2021 Ocado has warned that the availability of some products is being impacted by coronavirus-related staff absences in its supply chain. With more staff off sick or forced to isolate some grocery suppliers are having to consolidate their lines. “Staff absences across the supply chain may lead to an increase in product substitutions for a small [...]
M&S sales fall over Christmas quarter as lockdown hammers clothing division January 8, 2021 Marks and Spencer (M&S) saw their sales slip over the quarter leading up to Christmas as new lockdown restrictions cast a shadow over the normally lucrative season. The high street stalwart said that total sales fell 8.2 per cent to £2.5bn in the three months to 26 December. Shares in the retailer fell 1.9 per [...]
This Week: PMIs, Morrisons, Next, US unemployment, Fed, M&S January 4, 2021 City A.M. looks at the first business week of 2021 with Michael Hewson, chief market analyst at CMC Markets UK. Monday: UK PMIs for December Flash numbers in the middle of December were surprisingly encouraging, with manufacturing rising to 57.3. “No doubt due to some pre-Brexit stockpiling. services also managed to rebound a touch, coming [...]
Former Tesco chief Dave Lewis amongst New Year’s Honours December 31, 2020 Former Tesco boss Dave Lewis has been knighted in the New Year’s Honours List, alongside a number of business figures given gongs. Ocado boss Melanie Smith receives a CBE in recognition of her firm’s upscaling during the lockdown pandemic, and Co-op retail chief Joanne Whitfield receives the same honour. Read more: Retail wonks expect a [...]
FTSE 100 slips but global markets hit fresh highs on vaccines and stimulus December 17, 2020 The FTSE 100 slipped, weighed down by a rising pound, as global markets hit a new all-time high amid optimism about vaccines and fiscal and monetary stimulus. Despite the rise in global stocks, the FTSE 100 lagged behind as the pound rose 0.8 per cent to $1.360, a 32-month high. A higher pound weighs on [...]
FTSE 100 slips ahead of London lockdown as job losses mount December 15, 2020 The FTSE 100 slipped into the red as London prepared itself for a new lockdown and job losses climbed, with the index bucking the trend of European and US markets which rose amid positivity about coronavirus vaccines. London’s biggest index was down 0.5 per cent in afternoon trading to 6,501 points. The FTSE 250 was [...]
Ocado lifts full-year profit forecast following home delivery boom during pandemic December 10, 2020 Ocado has raised its full-year profit forecast after the online supermarket saw grocery sales boom during England’s second national lockdown. Revenue at Ocado Retail, the company’s joint venture with Marks & Spencer, surged 35 per cent in the three months to 29 November to almost £580m. The group said full-year earnings before interest, tax, depreciation [...]
Grocery sales on track for bumper Christmas after reaching record high in November December 8, 2020 November was the largest month ever for the UK’s grocery market as out of home socialising was restricted by a second national lockdown, figures show. Market researcher Kantar said grocery sales rose 11.3 per cent in the 12 months to 29 November and climbed 13.9 per cent year-on-year in the last four weeks. Last month [...]