WPP to slash 3,500 jobs as it launches new streamlining strategy December 11, 2018 Advertising group WPP is cutting 3,500 jobs as it restructures the business and shifts its focus to technology in a bid to stave off competition from tech giants. WPP today said it will spend £300m over the next three years as it simplifies the business, aiming to make annual savings of £275m by 2021. The [...]
Can Interserve clean up its mess, or is it destined for the same fate as its failed rival Carillion? December 11, 2018 It feels like we’ve been here before, doesn’t it? It was almost a year ago when outsourcing giant Carillion collapsed, and now there are some worrying signs that rival FTSE firm Interserve could wind up suffering the same fate, serving a huge blow to UK businesses and the livelihoods of its 75,000 employees. On Sunday [...]
Investors on the look-out for sales and dividend ahead of Greene King results November 25, 2018 The City will be looking to see whether Greene King can maintain its dividend this week, with interim results set to reveal whether the pub and brewing giant has been able to carry its bumper summer spell of higher sales into the autumn trading period. Analysts have forecasted that full-year sales will reach £2.17bn in [...]
FTSE round up: Index drops on oil and mining share sell-off following fears of oversupply November 23, 2018 The FTSE 100 closed 0.14 per cent down this week after falling to 6,950.82, driven by a sell off in oil and mining shares. The biggest faller was silver and gold miner Fresnillo which saw a 6.98 per cent decrease to 746.4p as the company continued to feel the effects of being downgraded by Morgan Stanley [...]
Johnson Matthey shares jump as clean air tech the catalyst for profit boost November 21, 2018 Chemical technology company Johnson Matthey’s share price rose by 14.3 per cent today after it posted a strong rise in profit in its half year results. The company, which develops emissions control technologies such as catalytic converters, reported double digit year-on-year growth across several key metrics and said it expected its full year performance to [...]
Water giant United Utilities forecasted to hit higher profits November 18, 2018 United Utilities, the UK’s largest listed water firm, is forecasted to post a rise in earnings and profits when it reveals its first-half results later this week. According to City estimates the FTSE 100 group is set to report earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of £360m in the first six months of the financial [...]
Next shares drop as online shopping boost masks high street malaise October 31, 2018 Clothing and home products retailer Next managed to balance out falling high street sales with its growing online business, its third quarter trading update showed today. Store sales for the quarter were down eight per cent year on year and 6.3 per cent in the year to date compared with 2017. But online sales shot [...]
Seven top tips if you want to retire early October 24, 2018 Picture this: a life of lie-ins and long holidays – all when you’re still spritely enough to enjoy the free time. For many of us, the prospect of retiring early will seem like a pipe dream. It’s true that there is no magic formula – whether you can afford early retirement is usually a question [...]
Lloyds and Schroders sign £80bn joint venture deal October 23, 2018 Lloyds Banking Group and Schroders struck one of the City’s largest ever wealth management alliances this afternoon, joining forces in a multi-billion pound deal aimed at financial planning for wealthy customers. As part of the joint venture, Schroders will take on an £80bn investment contract from Scottish Widows, which is owned by Lloyds. Schroders, which [...]
FTSE 100 falls to seven-month low amid Europe-wide sell-off of stocks October 23, 2018 The FTSE 100 fell to a seven-month low this morning as a Europe-wide sell-off of stocks saw shares drop 1.1 per cent. The index opened below the 7,000 mark today as investors were rattled by world events including Italy’s expansionary budget, Brexit, Saudi oil prices and a poor run of third quarter results this morning. It [...]