Avatar’s success gives boost to struggling cinemas but future is still uncertain January 23, 2023 The highly anticipated Avatar sequel has ranked as the sixth-highest grossing movie ever, giving cinemas a much needed boost, although some analysts warn they are not yet in the clear. After six weeks on the big screens, “Avatar: The Way of Water” surpassed a staggering £1.6bn ($2bn) in box office sales on Sunday, Disney estimates. [...]
Glass half-full: Why Fuller’s chief remains optimistic despite strikes leaving a £4m dent in Christmas sales January 23, 2023 Pub chain Fuller’s lost £4m in sales due to the impact of strikes over Christmas and new year, as its chief warned of lower expectations for the full year. Chiswick-based Fuller, Smith and Turner reported in the 43 weeks to January that like-for-like sales were up a fifth on the Covid-impacted previous year – despite [...]
The deja vu of Nicola Sturgeon shaking her fists at Westminster in the courts January 23, 2023 Holyrood and Westminster have been locked in a gender reforms fight. But if Sturgeon thinks she has good chances to win this battle in the courts, she should think twice, writes Eliot Wilson
Cocktail of costs: How inflation is expected to squeeze spirit-maker Diageo’s sales and profit despite Christmas boost January 20, 2023 Spirits giant Diageo is expected to report a slowdown in sales and profits next week as consumer spending steadies. However, analysts have predicted that the Johnnie Walker and Baileys maker could deliver a resilient showing when it reveals its half-year update to shareholders on Thursday, January 26. A consensus of analysts have predicted that the [...]
Hands up if you’ve ever heard of Bitzlato… anybody? No? Us neither January 20, 2023 Jason Deane rounds up the crypto week's news narratives, starting with the all important question - what the heck is a Bitzlato?
Retailers blame Royal Mail strikes for Brits abandoning online shopping in the run up to Christmas January 20, 2023 Thousands of Brits appear to have abandoned online purchases following a series of strikes by Royal Mail employees, according to figures from the Office for National Statistics. Figures released by the ONS show that the proportion of online sales slipped by 0.5 per cent to 25.4 per cent in December. Retailers laid the blame on [...]
Recession risks return as Brits brace for cost of living crisis to make 2023 a ‘bumpy ride’ January 20, 2023 UK consumer confidence dipped for the first time in two months in January, raising the risk the economy will slip into recession after all despite a string of better than expected data recently, a closely watched survey out today reveals. A credit card debt hangover from the Christmas spending splurge and energy bills looming has [...]
The Apprentice recap: Tonight’s most ridiculous moments, ranked January 19, 2023 If you haven’t lost the will to live yet and you’re still tuning in, it’s week three of The Apprentice. Endured another hour of people screaming and shouting at each other for one man’s approval? Well done, now enjoy our favourite three moments from episode three, another absolute corker. (Don’t worry, this is totally spoiler-free…) [...]
Dunelm sales rise as shoppers buy heaters and thick duvets January 19, 2023 Homeware and furnishings retailer Dunelm has revealed a jump in sales for the past quarter as shoppers bought heaters and thick duvets to offset the rocketing cost of heating their homes. The Leicestershire-based retailer said annual profits are set to beat market expectations following a strong Christmas period. Total sales increased by 18 per cent [...]
Dr Martens takes a kicking from shareholders as distribution disruption wears down profits January 19, 2023 Shares in Dr Martens have dropped an eye-watering 22 per cent this morning - after the bootmaker downgraded profit expectations.