Make Marston’s a large one as food and drink sales progress July 22, 2015 Brewers and pub group Marston’s yesterday announced it had made “profitable progress” in line with expectations for the 41-week period to 18 July. “In Destination and Premium [brand units], like-for-like sales for the 41-week period were 1.7 per cent ahead of last year, including like-for-like food sales growth of 1.6 per cent and like-for-like wet sales [...]
BHP Billiton beats expectations but disappoints with guidance July 22, 2015 Mining giant BHP Billiton smashed through iron ore production guidance in the year ended 30 June, posting output of 233m tonnes against a projected 230m tonnes. Petroleum production climbed by four per cent in the year, up to 256m barrels of oil equivalent, and metallurgical coal output was up 13 per cent to 43m tonnes. [...]
Danske ups its full-year forecast but prepares Belfast bank for sale July 22, 2015 Danske Bank said yesterday that it had raised its full-year forecast after high customer activity and improving macroeconomic conditions helped to drive an increase in first-half profits. Denmark’s largest lender reported in its half-yearly statement that net profit had jumped to 9.4bn Danish crowns (£879m), up 36 per cent from the same period in 2014. [...]
American Express share price slides as strong dollar weighs heavily on sales July 22, 2015 The figures American Express posted earnings that will put a smile on shareholders’ faces, but the financial services company’s sales fell short of forecasts. Revenue fell even further than expected, down to $8.28bn, against expectations of $8.45bn for the quarter. Earnings per share, however came in at $1.42, easily beating expectations of $1.33. AmEx shares [...]
US markets fall, dragged by tech giants Apple, Facebook, Twitter share price sliding July 22, 2015 US markets were weighed down by plunging tech stocks after disappointing results from several giants, with Apple leading the fall after iPhone sales missed forecasts. Wall Street was weighed down by a Silicon Valley that was decidedly glum today, with Dow Jones closing 1 per cent down and Nasdaq 0.5 per cent. After yesterday's earnings [...]
Eurotunnel wants €10m compensation from British and French governments as security costs rise to €13m due to migrant crisis July 22, 2015 The operator of Channel Tunnel, Eurotunnel, wants €9.7m (£6.8m) in compensation from British and French authorities, as it has racked up a €13m security bill due to damage caused by the ongoing migrant crisis. The escalating number of migrants coming from the Mediterranean, looking to enter the UK through Calais, has sent security costs up [...]
Apple, Yahoo, Microsoft, IBM and Twitter share prices fall as US markets open July 22, 2015 US technology shares all fell as US markets today, after disappointing results by Apple prompted a mass sell-off overnight. Read more: Apple reckons Watch sales "beat internal forecasts" The iPhone manufacturer led the fallers, with its shares falling five per cent to $124.29, after a 7.3 per cent drop in pre-market trading wiped $66bn off its [...]
Supermarket wars: The Co-op Food is going on a hiring spree July 22, 2015 The Co-op is clearly feeling bullish about growth opportunities for its supermarket. Fresh from investing £125m to back its entry in the grocery price war, Co-operative Food has just announced plans to go on a hiring spree. The supermarket has committed to hiring a further 1,000 frontline staff to work in its convenience stores. [...]
Financial Conduct Authority chief exec Martin Wheatley says he’s leaving with “a sense of unfinished business” July 22, 2015 Outgoing chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority Martin Wheatley has said that he's “disappointed to be moving on and I do so with a sense of unfinished business”. Wheatley was speaking at what will be his last annual public meeting with the financial regulator, following announcements that he will step down in September. Earlier [...]
Apple’s value loses billions and tech share prices tumble July 22, 2015 European tech stocks have tumbled this morning after a string of muted results from the likes of Microsoft, IBM and Apple, which lost billions from its value in after-hours trading following a more reserved set of numbers from its third quarter earnings. The FTSE Eurofirst 300 tech index was trading down this morning while Arm's [...]