Kingfisher: French trading dampens performance of B&Q owner March 25, 2025 Kingfisher, the parent company of B&Q and Screwfix, has reported a drop in sales driven by the weak consumer market in France. Sales fell 1.5 per cent to £12.78bn in the year ended January 31, Kingfisher told markets this morning. This drop was overwhelmingly driven by a 6.2 per cent drop in sales in France, [...]
Co-op invests further in lower prices as ‘trolley wars’ beckon March 25, 2025 Co-op Group has invested millions in lower prices as all the grocers gear up to battle for value-seeking customers. The business, which is owned by its 5.5 million members, will invest more than £70m into matching prices with Aldi on 100 everyday essentials for its members. The move will take the co-operative’s investment into lowering [...]
FCA chief vows to support growth agenda ‘with urgency’ March 25, 2025 The chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has said the watchdog is “going so much further” on its mission to boost growth in the UK, amid pressure from the government for regulators to cut red tape. Writing in City AM this morning, Nikhil Rathi said the FCA had presented the Prime Minister with [...]
Runcorn by-election: Reform UK reveal Sarah Pochin as candidate March 24, 2025 Reform UK have unveiled Sarah Pochin as their candidate for the Runcorn and Helsby by-election ahead of their first major electoral test since the general election. The party announced on Monday that the former magistrate would stand in the upcoming ballot to replace former MP Mike Amesbury, who stood down following his assault conviction. Pochin, [...]
Heathrow fire ‘not believed suspicious’ but under Met counter-terror probe March 24, 2025 The cause of the fire which shut down Heathrow Airport is “not believed to be suspicious” but is under investigation by the Met Police counter-terrorism squad, a minister has said. Transport secretary Heidi Alexander updated MPs on the “unprecedented” power outage which shut Britain’s busiest airport over the weekend in the House of Commons on [...]
UK board members brace for wave of takeover bids March 24, 2025 Non-executive directors of UK companies and bracing for a wave of takeover bids throughout 2025 as British firms face continual share price weakness. As many as 80 per cent of non-executive directors said that their companies are more vulnerable to a takeover bid, according to data from investment bank Peel Hunt. Last year, a host [...]
Property and the Spring Statement: Is anything going to change? March 24, 2025 Labour faces some tough choices with its Spring Statement: after increasing business taxes and public spending last autumn, the government now has to grapple with unhappy companies and a maxed-out credit card. The last budget was a mixed bag for the property market: there was widespread concern amongst landlords that the government would hike up [...]
BAE: UBS hikes price target to 2,450p March 24, 2025 UBS analysts have claimed that markets are failing to account for an expected jump in defence expenditure by European nations despite the recent surge in the value of weapons companies, such as BAE. In an analyst note, UBS analysts upgraded BAE’s stock price target from 1,600p to 2,450p and European weapons dealers Saab and Thales [...]
Third Eurostar challenger steps up March 24, 2025 A third operator seeking to challenge Eurostar’s monopoly on Channel Tunnel services has been announced. Gemini said on Monday it had submitted an application to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) regulator for access to Eurostar’s Temple Mills depot, which is the only place in the UK to park and maintain high-speed, cross-Channel trains. [...]
Spring Statement 2025: Reeves urged to fund Bakerloo Line and HS2 Euston March 24, 2025 London’s property sector has called on Rachel Reeves to introduce new funding models in the Spring Statement to prevent critical transport projects, such as HS2 Euston in the UK capital from stalling. The London Property Alliance, which represents real estate developers and investors, said the government “must be bold” if it wants to move forward [...]
