M&A ranks last on executives’ priority list despite record activity October 26, 2015 Driving organic growth, not M&A, should be a top priority for businesses according to a survey of senior executives released today, despite a record-smashing year of deals across the globe. The survey carried out by interim management services firm Interim Partners found that over half (52 per cent) of interim executives thought that pursuing organic growth [...]
German discounter Aldi pledges to pay all UK staff above National Living Wage October 26, 2015 Aldi has set out to trump its supermarket rivals on pay by announcing today that it will pay all UK staff "significantly" above the living wage. The discount food retailer said all UK employees will be paid at least £8.40 an hour, and £9.45 in London from February 2016. This is ahead of the government’s national living wage of £7.20 an [...]
London office rents make record recovery since the crash October 25, 2015 The City office market is in record health, according to research from Knight Frank that shows rents have made a speedier recovery since the 2007 crisis than following previous financial downturns. In its latest report, the upmarket estate agent has tracked how rents in the Square Mile have fared since their pre-crisis peak in the fourth [...]
Mortgage lending rises sharply in September for the fourth month in a row October 22, 2015 The amount of mortgage lending to UK homebuyers jumped by 12 per cent in the year to September as rising employment and earnings growth helped keep confidence levels high. Gross mortgage lending reached £20bn in September, up from £17.8bn the same time last year and two per cent higher than August’s lending total of £19.7bn, [...]
September retail sales smash economist expectations paving the way for a record UK Black Friday 2015 October 22, 2015 There was good news for the high street after retail sales surged in September, boosted by the late August bank holiday weekend and beer sales related to the Rugby World Cup. Retail sales volumes jumped by 1.9 per cent on the month, smashing economist expectations of a 0.3 per cent rise, the Office for National [...]
Argos owner Home Retail Group hits back at claims it could be the next Comet October 21, 2015 Home Retail Group’s boss hit back at claims that Argos was at risk of becoming the next Comet, the collapsed electronics chain, after a profit warning sent shares crashing yesterday. The FTSE 250 retailer, which also owns Homebase, said investment in its new same day delivery service, weak sales of electrical goods, and uncertainty around [...]
Shares fall as McColl’s looks to sell 100 newsagents October 20, 2015 McColl’s has put 100 newsagents on the block as it focuses on opening more lucrative convenience stores instead. The FTSE 250 retailer, which listed last year, has been steadily converting its newsagents into food and wine outlets at it looks to advantage of the fast-growing convenience sector and lure in higher-spending shoppers. The company said [...]
Waitrose boss Mark Price to step down amid rumours of Channel 4 job October 20, 2015 Waitrose’s managing director Mark Price is stepping down from his role at the upmarket supermarket chain amid rumours he is being lined up for the top job at Channel 4. The ebullient 55 year-old, who gave himself the nickname the “chubby grocer”, will leave in April next year after 33 years at the John Lewis [...]
Trouble for the big four supermarkets as Aldi and Lidl growth speeds up again October 20, 2015 German discounters Aldi and Lidl both saw growth rates return to over 17 per cent over the last three months, dashing hopes for the Big Four that a slowdown earlier in the year may have been part of a longer term trend. The cut-price chains have been the fastest-growing grocers in the sector for some time now. But in [...]
