Consumer confidence extends upward streak in boost to Burnham and Healey August 21, 2026 Consumer confidence rose for the fourth straight month in August in a sign that Brits are buying into the government’s push to tackle the cost of living, a leading survey has suggested. GfK’s consumer confidence index rose to -14 this month, up three points from the net score last month. Consumer confidence has been rising [...]
Fishing retailer catches sales boost to defy summer drought August 19, 2026 The UK’s largest fishing shop has posted a surge in sales to defy fears that the record drought is impacting the country’s rivers and fisheries. Angling Direct, the UK’s leading seller of fishing equipment, said it has grown its market share and is on track to meet its profit targets despite the drought, which has [...]
Next hikes targets as heatwave boosts sales August 5, 2026 Next has upgraded its profit targets for the year after breezing past second quarter expectations, putting its shareholders in line for a bumper payday. The FTSE 100 retail giant hiked its pre-tax profit expectations for 2026 to £1.24bn, around £25m higher than previously estimates. If achieved the figure would mark 7.3 per cent growth on [...]
High interest rates and low confidence put construction firms under pressure, Lords warns July 30, 2026 Construction firms have been hit by a barrage of reduced market confidence, high interest rates and rising national insurance costs, builders’ merchant Lords has warned, after it suffered its biggest-ever single-day stock fall. The London-based firm released a challenging market update on Thursday, which saw its shares plunge 20.61 per cent to an all-time low [...]
Brits dodge the high street as heatwave boosts online shopping July 24, 2026 Retail sales jumped in June as the heatwave and heavy discounting drove Brits towards online shopping. The volume of retail sales jumped by one per cent in June, having slowed slightly from 1.2 per cent growth in May, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Online shopping grew to the largest proportion of total [...]
Vance says ‘broken’ Britain must rebuild economy, not just change PM July 5, 2026 US vice president JD Vance has branded Britain’s politics “broken”, saying the country’s revolving door of prime ministers reflects a deeper economic failure that has hollowed out industry, weakened productivity and left voters demanding structural reform. In an interview with The Sunday Times, Vance said Britain’s recent political instability was symptomatic of long-term economic decline [...]
City watchdog suspends parts of £9bn motor finance scheme after industry backlash July 2, 2026 The UK’s financial watchdog has suspended parts of its under-fire £9bn motor finance redress scheme amid fierce backlash from industry and consumer groups. In a statement on Thursday, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the suspension will require firms to continue preparations for its scheme but avoid work that “may need to be repeated” if [...]
Matalan kicks off turnaround under new boss as retailer slashes jobs June 17, 2026 Matalan’s new boss has kicked off the fast fashion retailer’s wide-range turnaround which has revamped dozens of stores but caused the loss of more than 600 jobs. Henrik Nordvall, who took the reins as chief executive in November, said he is “encouraged by the progress already underway” as the clothes seller pushes to renew its [...]
WH Smith shares crater after outlook slashed on Iran war travel chaos June 10, 2026 WH Smith shares have cratered after the retailer slashed its profit forecast amid the prolonged slowdown in global travel and slump in consumer confidence caused by the Iran war. Shares in the FTSE 250 retailer slumped by 16 per cent on Wednesday’s market open to 415p, leaving the stock down more than 35 per cent [...]
Soaring petrol prices and Devil Wears Prada 2 help consumer spending return to growth June 9, 2026 Soaring fuel prices and box office hits helped consumer spending return to growth in May, according to fresh data from Barclays. Consumer card spending was up 0.8 per cent year-on-year last month, following a 0.1 per cent dip in April. The rise came as essential spending jumped 0.7 per cent, led by a near 12 [...]