Matalan accused of ‘cowboy buying practices’ in cost-cutting drive July 5, 2023 A group of Asian suppliers has accused Matalan of “cowboy buying practices,” after the value retailer reportedly attempted to haggle for 20 per cent price cuts on some orders. The disgruntled supplier said the fashion and homewares brand displayed some of the “most aggressive, unreasonable buying practices” they had ever seen, speaking to The Times [...]
Bitcoin and Ether tick over as crypto markets await interest news with bated breath July 5, 2023 Bitcoin and Ethereum have dipped into the red this morning as investors wait for the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s June meeting.
New car market ‘growing back and growing green’ with EV surge – but rate hikes peak concern July 5, 2023 Britain’s new car market recorded its 11th consecutive month of growth in June with registrations rising 25.8 per cent – but it might not be smooth driving in the near future. Just under one million new cars were registered in the first half of 2023, up 18.4 per cent on the previous 2022, according to [...]
Quiz warns over ‘tough’ sales conditions as inflation weighs on shoppers July 5, 2023 Fashion chain Quiz has posted a jump in profits for the past year but cautioned over “tough” trading conditions in recent months as shoppers come under pressure from inflation. The womenswear business said it saw a “strong recovery” over the year to March but has seen sales slide more recently. Quiz recorded a 15 per [...]
Redde Northgate has record revenue and profit as soaring van hire demand outstrips supply July 5, 2023 Vehicle hire firm Redde Northgate posted a record financial performance this morning on the back of strong vehicle hire demand, with appetite for light commercial vehicles (LCV) continuing to “outstrip supply.” The Darlington-headquartered firm saw revenues of over £1.4bn, up 19.8 per cent year-on-year with pre-tax profits at £178.7m, up 34.7 per cent. Redde Northgate [...]
Topps Tiles stays in black as soaring costs on supplies cools July 5, 2023 Topps Tiles was on track to deliver profit in line with expectations, as it was aided by strong sales in the third quarter and an easing of supply pressures. The home supplies retailer said inflationary pressures on the cost of goods and shipping costs reduced during the period, despite overall UK inflation still sitting at [...]
AO World swings back to profit thanks to reduced costs while revenue down 17 per cent July 5, 2023 AO World swung back into profit on reduced costs and better margins as the firm said it made a 17 per cent loss in revenue in its annual results. The white goods retailer said revenue decreased by 16.8 per cent to £1.1bn compared to £1.3bn in the same period last year ending 31 March, as [...]
Electric vehicle transition to drag up car insurance premiums, warns report July 5, 2023 The transition to battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will “force a whole-scale adaption of the motor insurance sector” as it struggles to find a solution to the additional costs involved in insuring the new technology, a new report has warned. BEV claims are already 25.5 per cent more expensive than their combustion engine counterparts and could [...]
The Notebook: Neil Bennett on Thames Water’s future, Iceland’s remarkable recovery and Twitter’s new rival July 5, 2023 The Notebook is where interesting people say interesting things. Today it’s Neil Bennett, global co-chief executive of advisory firm H/Advisors Where next for Thames Water? However big and powerful they appear, businesses are in reality fragile creatures. Many thousands of them fail every year for all sorts of reasons, and today’s behemoth is tomorrow’s insolvency [...]
The UK must protect Hong Kong activists from China’s wrath July 5, 2023 Not too long ago, our opinion pages featured Nathan Law, the pro-democracy protestor and youngest ever Hong Kong legislator. He lives in the UK now, alongside thousands of others from the territory, hounded out of their homes by ever more draconian crackdowns ordered by Beijing and enacted by Hong Kong’s supine authorities.Now Nathan, and seven [...]