Kingfisher building on DIY June 11, 2009 Retailer Kingfisher expects Europe’s home improvements market to contract this year and to be “flattish” in 2010, but believes it will outperform rivals thanks to its scale. Chief executive Ian Cheshire yesterday said that demand for do-it-yourself (DIY) products like tools was picking up.
CITY TRADER OFFERS GAMBLERS A FLUTTER ON A LOTTERY OF HIS LIFE June 10, 2009 REMEMBER the man who, last year, decided to mend his broken heart after a divorce by selling his entire life on eBay, house, car, job and all? Well, one enterprising City boy has decided to go one better – he’s started a competition for entrants to “win a new life”, and stands to make millions [...]
See yourself as a brand to get ahead in today’s City June 10, 2009 AT a time when so many people in the City are looking for a job, the important thing is to stand out from the crowd. As a headhunter, I often help clients and candidates to market themselves. The best way to do this is to build a personal brand. But how do you do this? [...]
CAREERS CLINIC June 10, 2009 ANDREW EVANSMANAGING DIRECTOR, MORGAN MCKINLEY I lost my job as a settlements clerk within an investment bank in London back in September. I’m finding it really difficult to secure a new role in London because the market is so competitive, so what are my options? THE first thing to bear in mind is that there [...]
When weather is a matter of life and death June 10, 2009 TURBULENCEBy Giles FodenFABER & FABER, £16.99 GILES FODEN’S The Last King of Scotland was a masterful book and became a masterful film because of its compelling combination of historical fact, fiction and painstakingly realised detail in an unusual context. It is reason enough for Turbulence, his latest piece of historical fiction, to be read with [...]
Halfords gets a boost from Brits on bikes June 10, 2009 HALFORDS, the car maintenance and bicycle retailer, yesterday reported a 2.4 per cent rise in full-year profits to £92.4m as the demand for bikes and camping equipment surges in the downturn. Finance director Nick Waller said: “The demand for bikes is sustainable, people are using cycling to beat congestion, for economic reasons and increasingly to [...]
Hedge funds eye M&A deals June 10, 2009 THE beleaguered hedge fund industry is rife with talk of consolidation, as dwindling asset bases eat into these company profits, with the key barriers likely to be hedge fund managers’ egos and poor rewards for sellers. Man Group and RAB Capital have both indicated they are in the market for smaller hedge funds, while Cheyne [...]
Plus Markets sees jump in May trading volumes June 10, 2009 STOCK exchange group Plus Markets saw trading volumes soar in May this year as it continues to push itself as a major competitor in the trading arena. Volumes rose 302 per cent to a total of 6.19bn compared to May 2008, while trade value rose by 142 per cent year-on-year to £6.14bn. Average daily trade [...]
IS HALFORDS ON TRACK FOR ANOTHER IMPRESSIVE YEAR? June 10, 2009 JOHN STEVENSON KBC PEEL HUNT“Halfords announced an adjusted pre-tax profit of £92.4m, in keeping with our forecasts. Cycling and car maintenance continue to deliver healthy sales growth. While the short-term economic environment remains difficult, Halfords aims to open a further 10 stores in the second half of the year.” MANOJ LADWA ETX CAPITAL“On a day [...]
J Sainsbury gives King a royal payout June 10, 2009 SUPERMARKET giant J Sainsbury handed out £5m in pay and share bonuses last year to chief executive Justin King after he hit performance targets, it was revealed yesterday. After receiving a basic salary of £872,000 for the 52 weeks ended 21 March 2009, King then received a further £1.17m in bonuses, pension supplements and benefits. [...]
