Topps Tiles profits rise by a fifth as homeowners go on shopping spree December 1, 2015 Topps Tiles said profits jumped by a fifth last year, thanks to a surge in people doing up their homes and the retailer’s own efforts to modernise its brand and its stores. The FTSE 250 retailer reported a 19.3 per cent jump in pre-tax profits to £20.4m in the year to 3 October. Revenue rose [...]
Marks & Spencer looks to solve legal wrangle with former landlord BNP Paribas December 1, 2015 It’s not just individuals that quibble with their landlords. Marks & Spencer (M&S) is tomorrow hoping to settle a long-running dispute with former landlord BNP Paribas over rent it claims to have overpaid on its old Paddington offices. In July 2011, the high street retailer exercised a break in its leases and served notice on four floors of [...]
St Modwen on track to hit profit targets thanks to New Covent Garden Market boost and regional revival December 1, 2015 St Modwen said it is on track hit full-year profit forecasts, spurred on the by ongoing recovery in the regions, strong investor demand, and a massive valuation gain from its New Covent Garden market scheme. The FTSE 250 company, which is redeveloping Britain’s biggest flower and vegetable market, said occupational demand for its offices in the [...]
Shares in Home Retail rally over Homebase bid rumours December 1, 2015 Shares in Home Retail Group rose more than three per cent yesterday on the back of reports that the former boss of Garden Centre Group is considering a bid for Homebase. Nicholas Marshall, who stepped down as chief executive of the rival garden retail chain – now called Wyevale Garden Centres – in 2012, told [...]
London airport expansion: Heathrow plan set for a bumpy landing December 1, 2015 An influential group of MPs has poured cold water on calls for a swift government decision on airport expansion today by questioning the legality of building a third runway at Heathrow Airport. In a new report out this morning, the environmental audit committee told the government not to give the go-ahead to expanding the west [...]
Lord Lamont talks Osborne, Varoufakis and the EU referendum December 1, 2015 One wouldn't normally expect a former Conservative chancellor to agree with a controversial left wing ex-finance minister, but Lord Norman Lamont robustly defends his friend Yanis Varoufakis. “Varoufakis was disputing the rules of the European Union, rather than what they had discretion over, whereas the EU was responding by saying these are the rules; you [...]
The Fed will clear things up for Aberdeen and co. November 30, 2015 Aberdeen Asset Management boss Martin Gilbert was in a bullish mood yesterday, insisting that his firm posted "a great set of numbers considering emerging markets are so out of fashion”. Emerging markets did, indeed, fall out of fashion earlier in the year – largely accounting for the £12.7bn worth of outflows that Aberdeen racked up [...]
UK poised to launch air strikes in Syria as David Cameron sets vote for Wednesday November 30, 2015 Prime Minister David Cameron has announced there will be a debate on Wednesday followed by a vote on UK air strikes against Islamic State in Syria. His decision comes after opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn was forced to back down on plans to make his divided party formally oppose the strikes. Instead, Corbyn has granted Labour [...]
Sanctions will cost Turkey and Russia billions, IHS economists warn November 30, 2015 The Russian and Turkish economies will both suffer heavy losses after Moscow imposed economic sanctions in response to the downing of a fighter jet, a new economic report has warned. Turkey was a major beneficiary of sanctions imposed on Russia by the EU last year in response to its involvement in the annexation of Crimea in [...]
Jupiter’s finance chief Philip Johnson to step down amid shake-up November 30, 2015 Jupiter Fund Management has announced that chief financial officer Philip Johnson is to step down due to changes to the asset manager’s executive committee. Johnson, who was part of the team that saw Jupiter float on the London Stock Exchange in June 2010, said it was a privilege to play a role in the company’s [...]
