London house prices edged closer to £500,000 in November January 17, 2017 The average house price in the capital edged closer to the half a million pound mark in November, rising to £482,000 for the first time. Figures published this morning by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed house prices in the capital jumped 8.1 per cent in the year to November, rising 1.9 per cent [...]
A Christmas sales boost will help Greggs beat expectations in its full-year results January 17, 2017 Pasty maker Greggs announced a strong finish to the year and said its final results will be slightly ahead of previous expectations in a trading update today. The figures Total sales were up seven per cent for the year ended 31 December, while company-managed shop like-for-like sales were up 4.2 per cent. Greggs' share price was up 3.8 per [...]
Golf’s world top 10 has never been as strong as it is now – and it makes for a fascinating season January 16, 2017 When Graeme Storm stepped off the last green at Vilamoura in October, having just missed the par putt he needed to retain his European Tour card, his world must have been shattered. Storm had been among a number of players still vying to make the top 111 on the order of merit – the cut-off [...]
H&M’s share price falls after sales figures disappoint January 16, 2017 Swedish international clothing retailer H&M's share price fell 2.76 per cent in trading today after it reported disappointing Christmas sales figures. The group's total sales in December rose six per cent year-on-year in local currencies, but analysts had forecast a sales increase of eight per cent. Read more: Bow down, John Lewis – H&M drops a Christmas [...]
British Airways assures customers it will operate all long-haul flights during the 72-hour walkout from Thursday January 16, 2017 British Airways has assured passengers it will operate all of its long-haul services to and from Heathrow during a three-day cabin crew strike that will start this Thursday. It will cancel one per cent of short haul flights, merging these services, but has said customers affected "will be able to fly slightly earlier or slightly [...]
Italian banking crisis: Monte dei Paschi boss to produce new business plan by February January 16, 2017 The boss of Monte dei Paschi di Siena is drawing up a new business plan for the troubled lender, with the aim to get it polished off by February. Shortly before Christmas last year, the bank's private sector rescue deal, designed to pump €5bn (£4.4bn) of capital into the lender's coffers, collapsed after it failed to get [...]
These are the key trends in retail in 2017 – and who will benefit from them January 16, 2017 The Christmas reporting season isn't over yet – the market is awaiting updates from Dixons Carphone and WH Smith – but the figures that have been reported so far have indicated some of the key retail trends investors should watch out for this year. Read more: Brexit vote boosts Hugo Boss The outlook for the UK consumer [...]
Think you have what it takes to be a Dyson software engineer? Solve this cryptic puzzle January 16, 2017 Think you have what it takes to be a software engineer at Dyson? The company, which is slowly becoming Britain's answer to Google, said today it is hiring 110 new software engineers – but only if they can solve a cryptic puzzle. The company said it will build a Crystal Maze-style "pop-up challenge" in London, designed [...]
Reiss boosts sales on the back of international expansion January 16, 2017 Reiss, the high-end fashion retailer favoured by the Duchess of Cambridge, reported a robust sales increase over Christmas. In the six weeks to 7 January, sales growth in the UK was 11.6 per cent, which the company said was "driven by like-for-like growth and e-commerce". Read more: Reiss rocks the high street after doubling full-year [...]
Theresa May gives cautious welcome to Trump’s trade promise January 16, 2017 Prime Minister Theresa May has welcomed the "energy and enthusiasm" of President-elect Donald Trump's comments on a US-UK trade deal, but maintained the UK will stick to its obligations as an EU member. Trump has said that he hopes to rapidly seal a new trading relationship with the UK, with May expected to visit Washington in [...]