UK small businesses ‘optimistic for the future’ despite coronavirus crisis July 15, 2020 Most UK small and medium sized businesses (SMEs) are optimistic about the future despite the huge challenges created by the coronavirus pandemic, according to the latest research. In total 60 per cent of UK SME owners are hopeful about the future of their business, making the UK the most optimistic in western Europe, alongside the [...]
Furnishings retailer Dunelm predicts £21m fall in profit July 15, 2020 Dunelm said profit for this year could drop by as much as £21m, as the home furnishings retailer assesses the impact of coronavirus on sales. The company, which sells furnishings ranging from cushions and bedding to kitchen equipment, was forced to close its store network for several months under lockdown rules — relying on its [...]
Premier Oil shares slide as explorer hits reduced production guidance July 15, 2020 Shares in midcap Premier Oil slipped this morning as the company announced that it had hit its reduced production guidance of 65,000 to 70,000 barrels of oil per day. Earlier this year, the exploratory firm reduced its output guidance from 70,000 to 75,000 barrels a day after difficulties at one of its flagship fields. However, [...]
McCarthy & Stone swings to a loss as completed projects halve July 15, 2020 McCarthy & Stone posted a £25m loss for the first half of 2020 this morning, and warned of further difficulties as the pandemic continues. The retirement-home builder said coronavirus had dampened housing transactions, affecting the number of sales it was able to complete in the six months to the end of April. McCarthy & Stone [...]
UK inflation beats expectations but stays well below Bank target July 15, 2020 UK inflation increased for the first time this year in June as non-essential shops reopened from coronavirus lockdown, official figures have shown, although it was still well below the Bank of England’s target. UK inflation as measured by the consumer price index came in at 0.6 per cent in June, the Office for National Statistics [...]
Office clusters are as crucial to productivity as they ever were July 15, 2020 The Prime Minister is now demanding that offices reopen to revive economic activity in the centres of towns and cities. But there is not much sign of a return to work. The preferences of the workforce are an important factor in the very slow pace of return. Fears expressed about the safety of public transport [...]
The future of the Covid generation rests on putting skills first July 15, 2020 Throughout my career, the skills crisis has never felt more acute than it does now — and nor has the momentum to address the challenge been greater. We are reminded today, UN World Youth Skills Day, that while the pandemic has amplified the problem, it is not the cause. Even before Covid-19 took its grip [...]
Number of jobs available in London plummets due to coronavirus July 15, 2020 The number of jobs available in London during the second quarter plummeted as the coronavirus crisis took hold. In April, there was a 72 per cent drop in the number of job vacancies with just a one per cent decrease in job seekers across the period, according to Morgan McKinley research. By the end of [...]
Stamp duty holiday: Estate agent enquiries into homes worth £500,000 soar July 15, 2020 Estate agents have seen a spike in enquiries for homes priced between £400,000 and £500,000 since the government announced a stamp duty holiday for homebuyers. The government last week lifted the threshold for stamp duty from £125,000 to £500,000 in a bid to reignite the housing market after months at a standstill during the coronavirus [...]
Supermarket sector tops customer service list for pandemic performance July 15, 2020 The supermarket sector topped the list for customer service during the coronavirus crisis, according to the latest research, as grocers stepped up to the challenge to serve shoppers throughout the lockdown. The sector’s score increased four per cent compared to last year, according to analysis by KPMG. Financial services, which was the next best performing [...]
