Value is key for the grocers December 20, 2011 LAST week I looked at how the major UK banks performed on YouGov’s BrandIndex in 2011, and this week I’m turning my attention to how the supermarkets fared over the same year. An interesting starting point is to take the Index Score (which is a composite of six key attribute measures). We see that all [...]
CITY VIEWS: are you surprised by the slump at ocado? December 19, 2011 Nico Tyabji Bloomberg “I can see how Ocado didn’t do very well this year because of the difficult economic climate. I don’t use it although I shop at Waitrose – I find it hard to take the leap to an online service like Ocado.” Reza Kaci City Index “I remember Ocado has had trouble before, [...]
RBS considers its options on Hoare Govett December 18, 2011 ROYAL Bank of Scotland is considering the sale or closure of Hoare Govett, its legendary broking business that has worked with many of the leading companies on the FTSE 100. The bank, 83 per cent taxpayer-owned, is looking at several options for its investment bank, which could include walking away from the equities market entirely. [...]
London 2012 Image of the week December 15, 2011 On Tuesday, BT launched its torchbearer nomination process. BT is one of three presenting partners for the Paralympic torch relay – the others being Lloyds TSB and Sainsbury’s. On 28 and 29 August next year, 580 torchbearers will work in teams of five to carry the flame during an overnight relay from Stoke Mandeville to [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING December 14, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES BANKS FACE €350BN BASEL III SHORTFALL European banks will have to raise nearly €200bn ($260bn) in new capital or cut their balance sheets by nearly 20 per cent, to achieve the tougher new Basel III banking reform rules that start taking effect in 2013, a new study has found. The study by the [...]
Morrisons to create 7,000 new jobs as it opens branches and warehouses December 14, 2011 WM MORRISON Supermarkets said it will create over 7,000 new jobs next yet, as it opens 25 new stores and develops its manufacturing and logistics operations. Britain’s fourth largest grocer behind J Sainsbury, Asda and market leader Tesco said many of the new jobs created next year will be skilled positions such as butchery, bakery [...]
Property firm St Modwen sees big year December 1, 2011 PROPERTY regeneration company St Modwen expects its full-year results to buck the economic downturn, coming in at the upper end of forecasts. The company, which owns the Elephant and Castle and Edmonton Green shopping centres in London, said in a trading update that sales and buyer interest in its new sites have both been high, [...]
Sainsbury’s stays neutral in supermarket price war November 28, 2011 J SAINSBURY says it will not join the wave of discounting sweeping the retail sector, believing shoppers will splash out on Christmas despite a gloomy economic backdrop. Commercial director Mike Coupe made the vow as Britain’s third-biggest supermarket group unveiled its biggest ever Christmas range, including around 500 groceries and 700 non-food items. “The evidence [...]
Fears for UK economy knock FTSE lower in volatile trading November 16, 2011 AFTER yet another rollercoaster session, Britain’s top share index ended a touch lower yesterday, as upbeat US economic data proved a welcome distraction for investors gripped by concern over the UK economy and Europe’s debt crisis. The UK benchmark closed down 8.42 points, or 0.2 per cent, at 5,509.02, after a session in which it [...]
Sales are strong at Asda but high fuel costs keeping shoppers away November 15, 2011 SUPERMARKET group Asda yesterday reported a pick up in third-quarter sales growth, helped by revamped own-brand food ranges and a pledge to be cheaper than rivals. Sales at stores open more than a year rose 1.3 per cent, excluding fuel and VAT sales tax, in the three months to September, Britain’s second-biggest supermarket group said [...]