M&S sales up 4pc but warns of tough 2011 January 11, 2011 Marks & Spencer saw a four per cent rise in total UK sales in the 13 weeks to 1 January. Clothing was the best performer with a 4.7 per cent jump over the period. On a like-for-like basis UK sales were up 2.8 per cent. Chief Executive Marc Bolland said: “Marks & Spencer traded well [...]
Sainsbury’s to create 20,000 new jobs January 10, 2011 Sainsbury’s is to create 20,000 in the next three years. The firm confirmed its plans in a meeting with prime minister David Cameron. Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King said the new posts would be a mix of full and part time jobs. The company has 900 stores and employs 150,000 people. Under the plans jobs [...]
Debenhams markets share “on the rise” January 10, 2011 Debenhams has claimed it is winning market share from rivals as it posted a small rise in sales over the key Christmas trading period that was hit by December’s snow. Chief Executive Rob Templeman said he was pleased with the department store group’s Christmas performance given the adverse weather that gripped the nation last month [...]
Virgin mulls legal action over Heathrow disruption January 10, 2011 Virgin Atlantic may take legal action against airport operator BAA over the part closure of London’s Heathrow airport last month and will withhold fees until a probe into the disruption is complete. “We’re exploring our legal options but will continue talking to BAA and want the inquiry into what happened last month to be both [...]
House prices drop in December January 10, 2011 UK house prices fell by 1.3 per cent in December from the previous month, according to figures from the Halifax. The lender said the average property ended the year 1.6 per cent lower than at the beginning of 2010. But it said the decline was less than falls seen in the second half of 2008. [...]
Persimmon beats forecasts January 10, 2011 Housebuilder Persimmon said underlying pre-tax profit for 2010 will be at the top end of market views, despite bad weather knocking sales before Christmas. The UK’s largest homebuilder by market value said it completed 9,384 homes in the year to 31 December, against 8,976 last year. Prices rose by six per cent to 167,000 pounds, [...]
Ocado sales on track despite weather January 10, 2011 Online grocer Ocado reported a 26.7 per cent rise in December sales as the popularity of internet shopping and upmarket foods helped it to thrive despite disruption from severe winter weather. The loss-making group, whose shares have been on a roller-coaster ride since they floated in July, said the rise in December gross sales followed [...]
Morrisons in slim Xmas sales rise January 10, 2011 Wm Morrison Supermarkets posted a modest rise in Christmas sales – held back by disruption from severe weather and a tough consumer backdrop. Britain’s fourth-biggest grocer behind market leader Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury’s said sales at stores open at least a year rose one per cent excluding fuel and VAT sales tax in the six [...]
US economy creates fewer jobs than forecast January 7, 2011 The US economy created far fewer jobs than expected in December, but the unemployment rate dropped to its lowest in more than 1-1/2 years. Non-farm payrolls increased 103,000, the Labour Department said, below economists’ expectations for 175,000. Private hiring rose 113,000, while government employment fell 10,000. However, overall employment for October and November was revised [...]
Euro Zone growth slows more than expected January 7, 2011 Euro zone economic growth slowed more than expected in the third quarter against the previous three months, revised data from the European Union’s statistics office Eurostat showed. Eurostat said gross domestic product in the 16 countries using the euro grew 0.3 per cent in the third quarter against the April-June period, rather than 0.4 percent [...]
