Greggs: Baker on a sausage roll as it plots further expansion across UK January 5, 2023 Greggs has said it is on track for 150 net new stores this year as its value-proposition protects it from a wider consumer down-turn. In a fourth quarter trading update, the sausage-roll seller said its sales stood at £1.5bn, as the firm bounced back after experiencing pandemic-related disruption last Christmas. Sales had surged 23 per [...]
Next: Prices to rise in the spring – but boss hopeful inflation will ease in second half January 5, 2023 Next has warned it will lift prices further in the spring as the retailer’s chief said he was optimistic that inflation would let up in the second-half of the year. The fashion firm hiked its full-year profit guidance after seeing better than expected sales over the Christmas shopping period. The high street staple lifted its [...]
B&M: Bargains boost sales during ‘golden quarter’ – but will shares continue to rally? January 5, 2023 Bargain hunters gave discount retailer B&M a timely Christmas present as it looks to continue a share price rally that has seen its value jump 18 per cent in the last six months. In its third quarter trading update B&M reported 12.3 per cent year-on-year revenue growth of £1.5bn during the 13 week period 25 [...]
Bank of England publishes list of questions asked by suitors for its CBDC wallet January 4, 2023 The Bank of England has revealed more than 70 questions asked by applicants keen to win the contract create a wallet for its CBDC project.
Rail strikes push people to buy cars as disruption hits millions January 4, 2023 More drivers are looking to own a car as the ongoing rail strikes cause misery for millions of people, according to new data. Data published today by automotive marketplace Auto Trader shows that the percentage of people choosing to buy a car due to the unreliability of the public transport system has jumped from 36 [...]
Rishi Sunak: I’ll halve inflation and get the economy growing again January 4, 2023 Rishi Sunak has pledged to halve inflation and bring down NHS waiting lists, as he set out a fresh vision for his premiership with five promises to voters. In his first major speech of 2023, the Prime Minister promised to deliver “peace of mind” to the public, even as his Government grapples with an NHS [...]
Sainsbury’s boosts pay as part of £205m inflation package January 4, 2023 Sainsbury’s is investing £185m in pay bumps for staff as the supermarket looks to retain staff during a period of high inflation and rising cost of living. Pay will increase to £11 per hour for retail staff, with London workers paid £11.95. It represents a 10 per cent pay hike over the past year when [...]
Mortgage approvals collapse to early Covid-19 crisis levels after mini-budget chaos January 4, 2023 Mortgage approvals in the UK have skidded to their lowest level since the early days of the Covid-19 crisis, pushed down by prospective buyers retreating after Liz Truss’s botched mini-budget sent interest rates flying, official figures out today show. The number of mortgage approvals tumbled a fifth over the month to November to their lowest [...]
RMT to resume rail strikes talks with government on Monday January 4, 2023 The RMT will resume talks over ongoing rail strikes with the government this Monday, according to union boss Mick Lynch. Lynch told GB News that government officials contacted the RMT earlier this week to “get a meeting in” early next week. The announcement comes as over 40,000 workers at Network Rail and 14 other train [...]
Cost of living fears don’t stop Brits spending record £12bn in supermarkets in run-up to Christmas January 4, 2023 BRITS brushed off cost of living and recession fears to spend a record £12bn in UK supermarkets in the run-up to Christmas.