UK distilleries on the rise as craft spirit craze continues November 12, 2018 The number of distillery businesses in the UK soared 30 per cent in a single year as demand for craft spirits grows, according to figures published today. Distilleries rose in number from 131 in 2016 to 170 in 2017, reflecting an increased appetite for unusual flavours and local spirits produced by boutique distilleries. Accountancy firm [...]
All Saints profits hit by retail storm November 11, 2018 Fashion brand All Saints has seen its profits plummet as online shopping continues to take its toll on high-street fashion retailers. The company’s underlying profits fell by more than half to £10.6m because of property losses and a drop in in-store sales. Sales rose eight per cent to £327m in the year to February. But [...]
Alibaba’s record-breaking Singles Day sales hit $10bn in first hour November 11, 2018 Online retail giant Alibaba today smashed records for the largest shopping day on the planet, making sales of over $1bn (£770.5m) in just 85 seconds. The sales came during Singles Day, the world’s largest online retail festival. Alibaba’s total sales hit $10bn after one hour and had reached over $24bn after 16 hours. The festival's sales eclipse the estimated [...]
Turkey gave Khashoggi tapes to European countries, says Erdogan November 11, 2018 Turkey has shared recordings related to the death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi with Germany, France and Britain, President Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday. Khashoggi, a prominent critic of Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was killed in the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul in October. Erdogan has stated the murder was ordered by the “highest levels” [...]
Break the chain: Spotify backers fund estate agent Nested November 11, 2018 An estate agent that helps homeowners buy their next property chain-free has received £120m from the backers of Spotify, Betfair and Revolut. Nested gives homeowners a cash advance of up to 94 per cent of their property’s value, allowing them to buy a new home before completing a sale. The rest of the value is [...]
Beazley hit with $105m hurricane costs November 8, 2018 Lloyds of London insurer Beazley today said it expects costs of roughly $105m after a series of natural disasters in the US and Asia. Beazley said the payouts following hurricanes Florence and Michael and typhoons Jebi and Trami are in line with expectations. But the insurer, which covers a range of areas including kidnapping and [...]
Watch out for Brexit scammers, says UK financial regulator November 8, 2018 Scammers might seek to take advantage of uncertainty around Brexit to trick unsuspecting Brits, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warned today. The regulatory said consumers should beware of unexpected calls, emails and text messages, and told consumers never to hand over their debit card pins. The warning came as part of a notice advising consumers [...]
3i Infrastructure ‘delighted’ as investment portfolio delivers £157m return November 8, 2018 British infrastructure investment fund 3i today hailed a rise in net asset value per share today as its portfolio delivered a return of £157m. The figures The fund's total return rose to £157m for the six months to September, up from £121m for the same period last year. This represents a 9.3 per cent return on its opening [...]
Brexit uncertainty boosts Wincanton profits November 8, 2018 Logistics firm Wincanton reported strong results for the six months to the end of September as British companies scramble to prepare for a no-deal Brexit. The figures Wincanton’s revenue was up a marginal 0.1 per cent to £581.8m. Profit before tax rose 48 per cent to £30.1m. Cash flow was up to £33.5m from [...]
Toshiba withdraws from UK nuclear power station November 8, 2018 Toshiba is pulling out of a nuclear power project in Cumbria after failing to find a buyer, it said today. The Japanese conglomerate said it would begin winding up its Nugeneration subsidiary, which was overseeing the construction of the power plant, and expects to record losses of roughly ¥15bn (£100m) as a result. The company [...]
