White goods retailer AO World sees rise in sales thanks to Black Friday boost January 11, 2019 Online retailer AO World defied Christmas woes to post a rise in revenue in the third quarter, boosted by strong Black Friday trading. The white goods specialist said UK sales grew 4.4 per cent in the three months to the end of December, while overall group revenue was up 8.2 per cent. But the firm [...]
Huge rise in number of UK design companies amid creative sector boom January 11, 2019 The number of design-related businesses in the UK has soared over the last decade amid a boom for Britain's creative industries. Since 2010 there has been a 70 per cent increase in the number of UK design businesses, well above the 27 per cent average across all sectors, according to new research by the Design [...]
Telecoms tower rent stalemate could delay 5G rollout, law firm warns January 10, 2019 The rollout of 5G in the UK could be delayed by a stalemate between network operators and landlords over rent reductions, according to law firm EMW. Mobile providers and tower site landlords are locked in bitter disputes over the level of rent to be paid on telecoms tower sites, leaving the market “polarised”, the company [...]
Renault board to meet as chairman Ghosn faces fresh financial misconduct charges January 10, 2019 Renault will hold a board meeting in Paris today as the scandal surrounding its chairman Carlos Ghosn continues. The extraordinary board meeting will take place this afternoon, City A.M. understands, though it is not yet clear what will be discussed. The meeting comes a day before Japanese prosecutors are expected to indict the car executive [...]
Digital advertising firm behind Piccadilly Lights floats on London Stock Exchange January 10, 2019 Shares in the company behind major outdoor advertising spaces such as the iconic screen at Piccadilly Circus started trading on the London Stock Exchange today. Ocean Outdoor, one of the UK’s largest out-of-home advertising firms, relisted this morning after a lengthy takeover process. Read more: TfL orders £1.5bn Piccadilly Line upgrade The company, which manages major [...]
Card Factory reports flat sales for the full year amid challenging retail conditions January 10, 2019 Card Factory today reported a marginal slip in sales amid a tough consumer environment for high street retailers. The greeting card specialist said like-for-like sales dipped 0.1 per cent in the 11 months to the end of December, down from a three per cent increase the year before. The firm saw revenue growth of 3.4 [...]
John Lewis considers slashing staff bonus as it warns on full-year profits January 10, 2019 John Lewis today said it may axe its staff bonus this year as it warned of falling profits, despite a rise in sales over the Christmas period. The department store saw sales increase 1.4 per cent to £2.2bn in the seven weeks to 5 January compared to the same period last year. Like-for-like sales at [...]
Retail sector suffers worst Christmas in a decade as sales stagnate January 10, 2019 The UK retail sector has suffered its worst Christmas in a decade as sales stagnated during the crucial festive period, despite a string of positive updates offering a glimmer of hope. Overall retail sales were flat in December, the lowest level of growth since April and the worst festive performance since 2008, according to figures [...]
Murdoch’s media empire stung by losses at The Sun and The Sun on Sunday January 9, 2019 Rupert Murdoch's media empire took a hit today as the publisher of The Sun and The Sun on Sunday saw losses widen last year amid a continued squeeze in the print market. News Group Newspapers reported a pre-tax loss of £91.2m in the year to 1 July 2018, an increase from £24m the year before. The [...]
Taylor Wimpey shares jump as housebuilder maintains expectations despite uncertainty January 9, 2019 Taylor Wimpey saw its share price rise today as it remains on track to meet its full-year expectations, despite the slowing housing market. In an eagerly-anticipated trading update the housebuilder said total house completions increased three per cent in 2018 to 14,947, while total order book value was £1.78bn, up from £1.62bn the same time last [...]
