Last-minute Christmas shoppers rush to central London as capital readies to slow down for the holidays December 24, 2021 Many Londoners rushed to Oxford Street and other major shopping districts in the capital this afternoon for their last-minute Christmas shopping, as the country readies to shut slow for Christmas Day tomorrow. Despite the army shoppers this afternoon, footfall in central London has dropped more rapidly than elsewhere in the country over the last week [...]
A British icon is now Thai: Weston family pockets £4bn after completing sale of Selfridges December 24, 2021 The sale of luxury retail group Selfridges to Thai family-owned retail and hospitality Central Group and European real estate group Signa has been completed by the Weston family. A statement released early this morning by Central Group said the acquisition would “create one of the world’s leading omni-channel luxury department store groups”. The sale was [...]
Last order: Number of pubs in England and Wales continues to fall as 400 more disappeared this year December 23, 2021 The number of pubs calling last orders flatlined despite the toll of the pandemic, with more than 400 pubs disappearing from communities in England and Wales, according to new figures. New analysis has revealed the number of pubs across England and Wales in 2021 was largely unchanged from last year. Analysis of official Government data [...]
ING quits French retail banking market in strategic overhaul December 21, 2021 Dutch financial services company ING today announced it is ditching its French retail banking business, in a move that could jeopardise the jobs of its 460 employees, who were also informed of the move today. “A social plan concerning our 460 employees affected has been agreed on with local unions,” the group said in a [...]
Helical buys 100 New Bridge Street office site for £160m December 17, 2021 Real estate firm Helical has bought City office site 100 New Bridge Street for £160m. The deal – which is considered a Class I transaction – is conditional to shareholder approval at the firm’s general meeting, to take place in early February. “The acquisition of 100 New Bridge Street provides us with the opportunity to [...]
Abrdn ramps up digital push and seals the £1.5bn deal for Interactive Investor December 2, 2021 FTSE 100 asset manager abrdn has finalised its £1.5bn takeover of Interactive Investor, the UK’s second-largest fund supermarket, in its third major digital investment this year. In a deal that adds Interactive Investor’s over 400,000 customers and assets under administration of around £55bn to its portfolio, abdrn will acquire 100 per cent of the platform’s [...]
Exclusive: Homebase among 40+ retailers to offer Bitcoin cash back November 18, 2021 Major UK retailers including Homebase plan to give online shoppers cash back in Bitcoin it has been claimed. Homebase is among more than 40 retailers which will be added to a crypto rewards scheme powered by London-listed fintech Mode, the company announced today. When UK customers make purchases at participating retailers their Mode wallet will [...]
The most popular source of investment ideas for Gen Y and Z? Social media November 17, 2021 A new survey has confirmed the trends we saw during the pandemic, when retail investing became part of the zeitgeist due to a combination of social isolation, boredom, spare cash and rapidly innovating fintechs. Over half (56 per cent) of 18-34 year olds in the UK who invest attribute their strategy to ideas published on [...]
Abrdn confirms talks underway for £1.5bn Interactive Investor acquisition November 8, 2021 FTSE 100 asset manager Abrdn has confirmed it is in talks to snap up Interactive Investor, the UK’s second-largest fund supermarket, in a £1.5bn deal that would represent its third major digital investment this year. In a move that would represent another push into UK adviser and consumer markets by CEO Stephen Bird, who took [...]