Pearson sees shares hit by declining US revenues as profits remain on track January 16, 2019 Publisher Pearson saw its share price fall this morning after reporting a decline in its US business, despite cost savings keeping profits on track. The education group said it expects operating profit of £540m to £545m, within its guidance of £520m to £560m, and an increase in profits from the year before. Read more: Murdoch's media empire [...]
Westminster impasse over Brexit has come at just the wrong time January 16, 2019 Ongoing political turmoil surrounding Brexit has been harming the UK economy for at least a year, with data pointing towards a significant squeeze on growth in recent months. City AM recently called on MPs to consider this impact seriously when pondering their actions during the current constitutional crisis. So much for that. Investment decisions put [...]
Brexit: How the pound might react to parliament’s crunch vote tonight January 15, 2019 Sterling has been plagued by volatility in recent months as uncertainty around Brexit has heightened. Theresa May's withdrawal agreement has come under pressure from all sides, and she was forced to postpone a December vote on her deal until tonight, when MPs will get their say at 7pm. But what will happen to the pound? [...]
Hays reports strong quarterly growth as Germany boost outweighs Brexit slowdown January 15, 2019 Recruitment firm Hays delivered strong growth in the second quarter as rising fees in Germany outweighed the impact of Brexit uncertainty. The company said like-for-like net fees rose nine per cent in the three months to the end of December, with equal growth across temporary and permanent roles. Read more: Smaller companies forced to compete for [...]
DEBATE: If Theresa May’s deal fails to pass, is another referendum the best way to break the stalemate? January 15, 2019 If Theresa May’s deal fails to pass, is another referendum the best way to break the stalemate? Jo Swinson MP, deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, says YES. Brexit has become a national embarrassment. In the last few weeks, the Conservative government has lost control in parliament, and the Labour frontbench – supposedly the official [...]
Persimmon’s profits to beat expectations despite boss bonus scandal January 15, 2019 Housebuilder Persimmon today said it expects its full-year profits to be “modestly” ahead of market consensus thanks to a string of new developments. The company reported a four per cent rise in total revenues to £3.74bn for the year to the end of December, with legal completion volumes up three per cent to 16,449 new [...]
Eager for a house price fall? It’s time for a lesson in economics January 15, 2019 Would it be a good thing if house prices in the UK fell? The British public, a host of commentators on Twitter, and even some economists seem to think so. A recent YouGov poll asked Britons whether a 30 per cent fall in property values after Brexit would be a “bad thing”. Just 32 per [...]
Profiting from the retail revolution: What’s hot and what’s not? January 15, 2019 It turns out that so-called Super Thursday wasn’t so super after all. Despite being lauded as a day when retailers boast strong figures from the festive period, last Thursday proved to be a mixed basket of results. With consumers feeling the pinch and Brexit-sized uncertainty looming large over the high street, it’s not surprising that [...]
Brexit high noon spells danger for currency traders January 15, 2019 Theresa May’s ultimate showdown has finally arrived. The high-stakes parliamentary vote on her Brexit plans is due later today, and the outcomes vary wildly – from soaring success to complete political collapse. Currency traders lie in wait, hoping not to be caught on the wrong side of a sterling trade, which could whip wildly in [...]
Labour’s Brexit ambiguity is costing them in the polls January 14, 2019 The Prime Minister told MPs yesterday that their decisions over Brexit will be judged by history, but we don't have to wait that long to get a sense of the voters' verdict. Journalists travelling the country in recent days have noted a surprising amount of support for Theresa May. Whether driven by sympathy, admiration or [...]