FTSE lifted by a housebuilders and AB Foods – London Report July 9, 2015 BRITAIN’S top equity index moved further away from this week’s six-month lows yesterday, lifted by well-received results from Associated British Foods and Barratt Developments. AB Foods, the owner of Primark, gained 5.1 per cent to 3,082p to be the top riser on the blue-chip FTSE 100 after it posted robust results, maintaining guidance and with [...]
Contemporary luxury comes to the North Bank: The Westminster penthouses that are challenging traditional power architecture July 9, 2015 Westminster has drawn the pious and powerful for a millennia, but the only homes to service them seem to be stuffy period numbers with no central heating and little natural light. Sure, there’s plenty of Old England charm in a Georgian terrace, but it’s hardly the height of modern luxury anymore. Interiors from the [...]
Barratt Developments to beat forecasts with 45pc rise in profits July 9, 2015 The figures Housebuilder Barratt Developments is expecting a 45 per cent increase in profits for the year to the end of June, it said in a trading update today. The company is set to beat analysts’ forecasts, with a full-year pre-tax profit up to around £565m, while total forward sales are expected to have risen 29.6 per [...]
FTSE up despite hit for UK housebuilders from budget reforms – London Report July 8, 2015 A RALLY in Barclays after a management shake-up helped Britain’s top share index gain yesterday, but housebuilders took a hit from reforms introduced by finance minister George Osborne. The FTSE 100 closed 0.9 per cent up at 6,490.70 after posting its lowest close since mid-January in the previous session. However, London-exposed housebuilders and estate agents [...]
Tesco shareholders encouraged to revolt at AGM over Dave Lewis’ pay, Philip Clarke’s golden goodbye and John Allan’s appointment as chairman June 23, 2015 Tesco shareholders are being encouraged to stage a revolt at the supermarket's AGM on Friday, with investor group Pirc advising they vote against key resolutions. Chief executive Dave Lewis' pay could come under particular scrutiny if Pensions and Investment Research Consultants – one of the largest investor groups in the UK – gets its [...]
William Hill’s finance chief Neil Cooper trades in horseracing for housebuilding at Barratt Developments June 18, 2015 Bookmaker William Hill yesterday said that its group finance director Neil Cooper is leaving after five years to join Barratt Developments. Cooper is going back to his housebuilding roots, having previously held the role of finance director at Bovis Homes before joining William Hill. His contract has a 12 month notice period, but his actual [...]
FTSE pushed down by Greek debt fears and grocery losses – London Report June 17, 2015 BRITAIN’S top share index turned lower by mid-session yesterday as losses in grocers and caution before a Federal Reserve announcement later in the day weighed on the market. The blue-chip FTSE 100 closed 0.4 per cent lower at 6,680.55 points. The FTSE, which fell to its lowest since late January on Tuesday, has lost around [...]
Barratt Developments boss Mark Clare warns Tories over housing May 13, 2015 The boss of Britain’s biggest housebuilder has called on the new Tory government to accelerate its sell-off of public sector land in order to help solve the country’s housing crisis. Mark Clare, the chief of Barratt Developments, said the election outcome ushered in a “positive political and economic environment” for housing, with the Conservatives [...]
UK house prices: Barratt Developments storms to highest ever number of forward sales May 13, 2015 Housebuilder Barratt Developments just beat its record for the highest number of forward sales. UK house price growth may have slid from the dizzying heights of last May, but Barratt is reaping the benefits of consistent market growth. The figures Throughout the 19 weeks to 10 May, Barratt said: “market conditions have remained strong throughout [...]
General Election 2015: Tory election victory triggers London luxury property market surge as mansion tax fears dissolve May 10, 2015 In the hours after it became clear that the Tories had won a majority government at the general election, London estate agents reported a surge in luxury property sales as buyers' fears over Labour's proposed mansion tax were allayed. Over £100m worth of top-end central London property was sold on a frenzied Friday as estate [...]