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 [...]
Dunelm shares drop despite reporting revenue increase – as store sales hit by supply chain woes January 12, 2017 Dunelm investors seemed unimpressed with this morning's report on trading in the 13 weeks to 31 December, despite group sales increasing. The figures Sales were up by 6.6 per cent year-on-year. Like-for-like sales from stores declined, by 1.4 per cent, to £215.6m. Dunelm's home delivery division saw a massive sales increase over the Christmas period, [...]
Primark owner’s share price drops as like-for-like sales in doubt January 12, 2017 Associated British Food's (ABF) share price fell three per cent in morning trading as the Primark owner gave the market few details on its like-for-like sales growth. The figures In its first quarter trading update, ABF said Primark's sales were up 11 per cent at constant currency and that "the UK performed well". However, the [...]
Asos sales jumped during a record Christmas trading period January 12, 2017 Asos remains decidedly en vogue, after it hiked guidance following a record Christmas trading period. The figures It's all coming up roses for Asos (in this case, roses embroidered down the side of a button-down denim mini). The online retailer reported a 36 per cent jump in retail sales to £605.7m in the four months to the end of December, [...]
Marks & Spencer posts Christmas sales hike as clothing division shows increase for first time in two years January 12, 2017 Marks & Spencer has revealed a long-awaited improvement in its clothing arm during the 13 weeks to 31 December, although a change in its reporting period played a significant part in the alteration. The figures The retailer reported a 5.9 per cent increase in sales over the Christmas period. The clothing and home arm showed a [...]