Quitting net zero tsar Skidmore is wrong on North Sea oil and gas, says Hunt January 6, 2024 The Chancellor has hit back at the former net zero tsar after he quit the Conservatives over the Government’s decision to increase domestic oil and gas drilling. Jeremy Hunt said he “profoundly” disagrees with Chris Skidmore’s reasons for resigning as an MP, with the former energy minister’s exit due to trigger another challenging by-election for [...]
Diageo: Guinness maker shares hit lowest level in four years amid China trade row January 5, 2024 Shares at Diageo are now trading at their lowest level since November 2020, in the face of weakening sales and trouble with Chinese trade.
‘Premiership top six battle makes up for stragglers at foot of table’ January 5, 2024 At last there’s some good news in English rugby with record attendances and millions watching from home across two Premiership rounds over the holidays. Of course it must be taken with a pinch of salt, the figures always tend to be skewed slightly at Christmas, but it is at least a sign of retained interest [...]
More misery for London retail as footfall flatlines January 5, 2024 London retailers took yet another battering over December as footfall fell -1.4 per cent on a year-to-year basis, according to new figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Festive cheer did not appear to be enough to drag shoppers back to the capital’s high streets, with the figure widening from -0.4 per cent the [...]
JD Sports sees £2bn wiped off market value but analysts are holding out hope January 4, 2024 JD Sports has not started the new year on the right foot. Nearly £2bn has been wiped off the firm’s market value after it posted an unusually weak Christmas performance. A warning from the ‘king of trainers’ that it would struggle to meet its ambitious £1bn profit target kicked the retailer’s share price down by 25 [...]
Littler given spot on Premier League Darts roster after reaching world final January 4, 2024 Teenage darts sensation Luke Littler has been handed a surprise spot on the lucrative Premier League Darts circuit after reaching the final of the World Championships on Wednesday. Littler, who at 16 reached the final of the World Darts Championship at Ally Pally on Wednesday before losing to world No1 Luke Humphries, had previously stated [...]
Boots enjoys record sales as IPO rumours swirl January 4, 2024 Boots.com reported sales up 17.5 per cent, with November its biggest ever month, while overall it had an 11th straight quarter of market growth.
Sainsbury’s injects £200m for staff pay as bumper Christmas helps stave off Lidl and Aldi threats January 4, 2024 Some 120,000 employees at Sainsbury’s and Argos are set to have their hourly wage increase, as the supermarket injects £200m into improving pay. Staff at the ‘Big Four’ grocer will now be handed £12 per hour, in line with the Real Living Wage. For workers in London this will leap to £13.15. Sainsbury’s has increased [...]
Two charged with arson after fire at Tory MP Mike Freer’s London office January 4, 2024 The pair have also been charged with arson without intent over a fire at the back of a restaurant in Long Lane, north London, at about 11pm the same night.
Consumers keep borrowing to spend despite higher interest rates data shows January 4, 2024 The data suggests that, so far, households are weathering the pressure from higher interest rates.