Ryanair adds nine new London Stansted routes and plans for “prudent” UK growth as Brexit looms January 12, 2017 Ryanair has announced a boost to its routes from London Stansted, adding nine, including a daily service to Naples. There will also be a three times daily service to Copenhagen and routes to Beziers, Cagliari, Clermont, Grenoble, Nice, Nimes and Strasbourg. Chief commercial officer David O'Brien said the enhanced growth deal with Stansted owner Manchester [...]
Winners and losers from retail’s “Super Thursday” January 12, 2017 So many retailers decided to update the market on trading today that Shore Capital analysts published a note to complain about it. But as the morning has progressed, clear winners and losers have emerged from the data deluge. Here are our picks: Winners JD Sports put its gymwear rival Sports Direct to shame today as it scored [...]
The Stonehenge tunnel is set to go ahead as work on the A303 goes under consultation January 12, 2017 The much-anticipated tunnel under Stonehenge is finally set to go ahead to cut congestion and preserve the world heritage site. Transport secretary Chris Grayling today unveiled the plans to spend £2bn transforming a seven-mile stretch of the A303 in Wiltshire. The proposed option will construct a 1.8 mile dual carriageway tunnel to enhance the ancient site and improve [...]
Spire Healthcare shares plummet as delays at St Anthony’s lead to flat outlook January 12, 2017 Spire Healthcare shares fell nearly nine per cent after the firm announced delays in the redevelopment of one its flagship hospitals. The figures Excluding the problems at St Anthony's, Spire said in its trading update that performance would be at the "top end" of revenue and earnings guidance for 2016. Read more: Spire Healthcare boss to [...]
Bank junction in the City will come to a standstill this evening due to a cab drivers demonstration January 12, 2017 Cab drivers are planning to demonstrate in the Square Mile today, with police warning that there will be significant traffic problems for most of this evening as a result. Bank junction will be closed from 4.30pm, ahead of the protest action by United Cabbie Group (UCG), which starts at 5pm and runs until 6.30pm. The cab [...]
Outraged City analysts bash retailers for choosing to report on the same day January 12, 2017 Overloaded City analysts bashed UK retailers this morning for all choosing to publish financial updates on the same day. Today has been branded "Super Thursday" because so many retailers are publishing their Christmas figures. Financial reports have come from Marks and Spencer, Tesco, AO World, Debenhams, Asos and Primark-owner Associated British Foods, to name just a few. [...]
Gold above $1,200 for the first time since November as Trump economic policy vacuum pulls investors away from equities January 12, 2017 Gold prices continued their rally from mid-December lows as investors edged back from the Donald Trump reflation story. Gold futures prices broke the $1,200 per troy ounce mark for the first time since late November, as the US dollar hit its lowest point for almost a month. Gold usually moves in the opposite direction to [...]
Savills’ international business benefited from the weak pound as UK figures performed better than expected January 12, 2017 The devaluation of sterling against other major currencies boosted Savills profits in 2016 as international commercial and residential sales surpassed expectations. The property firm said underlying results for the year would be "meaningfully" ahead of previous expectations in a pre-close trading update for the year ended 31 December 2016. In the UK, overseas buyers have come to take advantage [...]
Super first half for Supergroup as weak pound pushes up sales January 12, 2017 Supergroup reported a strong performance in its first half, thanks to the weak pound. The figures Supergroup, the owner of anorak purveyor Superdry, said revenues jumped 31.1 per cent to £334m in the six months to the end of October, pushed up by a 12.8 per cent rise in like-for-like sales, while online made up 21.6 per cent of total revenue, up from 19.2 per [...]
Premier Oil hits improved production targets and edges closer to agreeing refinancing January 12, 2017 Premier Oil shares nudged up around 0.5 per cent after revealing it had hit improved production targets and was "nearing completion" of its drawn-out debt refinancing. Despite working through a painful financial restructuring with lenders, Premier Oil reached record production levels, hitting 71,400 barrels per day – in line with improved targets. Revenue, however, fell [...]