Small businesses face an uphill struggle to recruit the right skilled workers – particularly in London January 8, 2017 MORE THAN half, or 55 per cent, of small business owners in London have experienced challenges in recruiting the right staff for their business, according to the latest Aldermore SME Future Attitudes report. The survey conducted amongst 1,000 SMEs across the UK found that this compared with an average of 43 per cent across the [...]
White collar crime crackdown expected in 2017, as UK prosecutors hone in on Bribery Act January 8, 2017 This year will see renewed efforts on clamping down on white collar crime, particularly as prosecutors chase convictions under the Bribery Act, experts have told City A.M. Prosecutions for bribery offences have been picking up pace ever since the Bribery Act 2010 came into force in 2011. Last year marked the first time a company was sentenced [...]
Online retailers including Asos and Boohoo set to be the winners of the festive season January 8, 2017 Retailers with a strong online offering are set to be some of the biggest winners of the festive season's trading, with analysts pencilling in sales jumps for Asos and Boohoo of 30 per cent and 46 per cent respectively. The City had been fearful that the festive period was a bloodbath for retailers after Next [...]
All eyes on M&S clothing – and its chief executive Steve Rowe – as the retailer unveils its latest results collection later this week January 8, 2017 Marks & Spencer's beleaguered clothing division could finally be on the up, with sales growth expected by some analysts when the high street behemoth reveals its third quarter results this week. On 12 January, M&S will reveal its third quarter to 31 December. Analysts are on average forecasting like-for-like sales growth in its clothing and home [...]
Solid fare expected from the UK’s listed supermarkets this week, including Tesco and Morrison’s, as a raft of retailers reveal their seasonal sales results January 8, 2017 The UK's three major listed supermarkets are expected to report solid Christmas trading this week, although investor focus will be on the outlook given this year's expected squeeze on consumer spending. On 10 January, Morrison's is expected to report underlying sales growth of 1.1 per cent for the nine weeks to 1 January according to [...]
Tory MP demands a probe of the Treasury’s Brexit sums January 8, 2017 A member of parliament’s public spending watchdog is demanding the National Audit Office question doom-laden Brexit predictions. The Treasury issued a series of warnings ahead of the referendum, and now Tory Brexiteer Charlie Elphicke is calling for a probe. Elphicke, who sits on the Public Accounts Committee, said the bleak scenarios had not come to pass, [...]
Upbeat banking earnings bonanza predicted this week, as analysts forecast revenue bump for JP Morgan January 8, 2017 All eyes will be on Wall Street later this week, as the US' banking behemoths get set to reveal their fourth quarter, and latest full-year, results. JP Morgan, Wells Fargo and Bank of America are scheduled to be the first out of the gate, as the trio are due to deliver their results on Friday 13 [...]
Underwear on the Underground? Yep, it’s no trousers on the Tube day January 8, 2017 No trouser on the Tube day is here – or no pants Subway day if you're across the pond (but let's not get that mixed up). Yes, anyone of a modest nature were in for a bit of a surprise, and perhaps averted their eyes on the Tube today. Several hundred people braved the cold without their [...]
Back to the black? Embattled Premier Oil gears up for debt refinancing and production update on Thursday January 8, 2017 UK-based Premier Oil is set to reveal a boost to its oil flows and expected to announce progress on its long-awaited financial restructuring in an update this Thursday. The embattled oil firm will provide further details about a bailout it has been working to agree with lenders for almost a year. In a trading update [...]
Tony Gallagher is reportedly mulling the £500m sale of a chunk of his property empire January 8, 2017 A major Tory donor is reportedly mulling the £500m sale of a chunk of his property empire. According to the Sunday Times, Oxfordshire-based Tony Gallagher is in advanced talks to sell Gallagher Estates to one of the UK’s largest housing associations. Gallagher Estates buys residential sites, preparing them for development by securing planning permission before they [...]