John Lewis sales up almost 10pc December 4, 2011 JOHN Lewis, Britain’s biggest department store group, said sales rose 9.6 per cent last week, with the increase flattered by snow disruption a year ago. The employee-owned group, seen as a retail bellwether, said yesterday department store sales rose to £113.6m in the week to 3 December. “While the figures were flattered by the snow [...]
Ocado running late more often December 4, 2011 ONLINE grocer Ocado has seen the punctuality of its deliveries slip in the face of increasing demand. The listed company, which sells Waitrose goods, is understood to have delivered 90-95 per cent of its shopping early or on time in the past three months, compared to an average punctuality rate of 95.5 per cent in [...]
Volatility will continue for firms in 2012 December 4, 2011 GLOBAL businesses face increasing volatility in 2012, as weak economic performance and declining prosperity continue to aggravate tension and increase scrutiny on corporate practices. With growth prospects hampered by ongoing debt and political crises across the world and social unrest likely to continue as food and fuel costs increase, international businesses will face unprecedented challenges [...]
Blow to Putin as exit polls show support for United Russia falling December 4, 2011 TWO exit polls have shown that Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s ruling party suffered a big decline in support in a parliamentary election yesterday, winning less than half of votes cast. According to the poll from state pollster VTsIOM, Putin’s United Russia party won 48.5 per cent of the vote followed by the Communists with [...]
City says Osborne’s Autumn Statement won’t boost GDP December 4, 2011 THE policies unveiled in George Osborne’s Autumn Statement are unlikely to boost growth, according to the City A.M. / PoliticsHome.com Voice of the City panel. Some fifty-seven per cent of panellists said they were “sceptical” that the measures would boost growth, compared to 19 per cent who said they were “somewhat confident” and just one [...]
Duncan Smith admits hike in benefits will discourage work December 4, 2011 IAIN Duncan Smith, the welfare secretary, yesterday admitted that the Treasury had discouraged people from working, after it increased out-of-work benefits in line with inflation while freezing various tax credits for those in employment. Duncan Smith’s comments came after George Osborne used his Autumn Statement to freeze the working tax credit and to cancel plans [...]
IEA: Plan B would result in extra debts but no growth December 4, 2011 MORE government spending would create extra government debt and not more growth, according to research published today by the Institute for Economic Affairs. Comparisons to the Great Depression are ill-founded, the report argues, as current levels of government spending are now far higher than in the 1930s meaning “looser fiscal policy would have even less [...]
Goodwin set to be spared in FSA report December 4, 2011 THE City regulator’s report into the collapse of Royal Bank of Scotland is set to spare Sir Fred Goodwin and Sir Tom McKillop any detailed criticism when it is published next week. The results of the Financial Services Authority probe, due to be published next Monday after a series of delays, are expected to avoid [...]
JC Flowers eyes up £1.5bn of deals for UK mortgage books December 4, 2011 PRIVATE equity house JC Flowers has built a £1.5bn cash pile to spend on British banks’ mortgage books after failing in its attempt to buy part of Northern Rock. The US buyout giant, which focuses on financial services, is believed to have changed its strategy after losing out to Virgin Money in the bidding war [...]
Australia’s UGL acquires DTZ Holdings for £77.5m December 4, 2011 AUSTRALIAN engineering firm UGL said overnight it had acquired all the trading operations of real estate services company DTZ Holdings for £77.5m. DTZ was placed into administration in the UK immediately prior to the acquisition. In a statement, UGL said that, after the buyout, it will have combined annual revenues of A$5.1bn (£3.4bn) and 53,000 [...]
