What you need to know before the open – 16/12 December 16, 2013 Dispiriting numbers from China – the HSBC purchasing managers' index came in at 50.5 overnight, a three-month low – along with ongoing tapering anxiety, mean Europe's set for a lower open this morning. Of course, this is the last full week of trading before the Christmas break, and of 2013. ETX Capital #MorningCall FTSE [...]
London asking prices to hit record levels in 2014 December 15, 2013 INITIAL asking prices for London homes are set to rise by six per cent next year, a slowdown on 2013 but still taking London prices to new all-time records, new research out today shows. According to Rightmove’s latest house price index, the average price of property coming to market in London is up by 10.6 [...]
Prince Harry got to the Pole – but you can still help December 15, 2013 Last chance to take part in the Walking Home For Christmas appeal to help raise money for wounded troops AFTER four weeks trekking across the Antarctic Plateau, the Virgin Money South Pole Allied Challenge teams arrived at the South Pole just after noon on Friday. Prince Harry described it as an “amazing feeling” to have [...]
No Christmas cheer for struggling high streets December 15, 2013 HIGH street stores are failing to benefit from stronger economic confidence and higher consumer spending in the run up to Christmas, with footfall below last year’s level. According to worrying figures released this morning by Springboard and the British Retail Consortium (BRC), high street footfall this November was down 4.2 per cent on the same [...]
John Lewis cooks up sales growth thanks to homeware goods December 15, 2013 JOHN LEWIS said a rush for roasting tins and carving trays helped drive sales last week up 1.4 per cent on last year to £149.9m. But this growth has slowed from a whopping 11 per cent year-on-year rise in 2012, which one analyst said could be a symptom of a patchy performance on the high [...]
London Week Ahead: UK’s Christmas gift of boost to GDP and jobs December 15, 2013 FURTHER evidence that the recovery is gaining traction is expected this week with inflation figures and the release of the employment rate, which may top 30m for the first time ever. While the inflation rate, measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), is forecast to remain at 2.2 per cent – the lowest since September [...]
Christmas cheers December 15, 2013 Our very own wine buff Neil Bennett quizzes the City glitterati about their Christmas wine plans AMID the piles of Christmas wrapping paper and credit card bills, there is one gift wine lovers can give themselves on Christmas Day – setting aside a special something to share with the family. Personally, I spend far too [...]
What the other papers say this morning – 13 December 2013 December 12, 2013 FINANCIAL TIMES Bitcoin start-up fundraises $25m A Silicon Valley company that allows speculators and merchants to trade Bitcoin has raised $25m (£15.3m) in venture capital funding in the largest investment so far in a virtual currency business. As a result of the deal, San Francisco-based Coinbase will have two of the most prominent venture capitalists [...]
Superdry owner outperforms rival retailers December 12, 2013 SUPERGROUP chief executive Julian Dunkerton said the success of its fashion brand this year had “left rivals behind” as the company reported a 21 per cent jump in sales in the first half to £192m. Dunkerton, who founded the business almost 30 years ago, said the company had reached a “turning point” where it had [...]
DFS is hurt by summer heat December 12, 2013 SOFA retailer DFS blamed the hot summer weather for denting sales in its first quarter of the year but said it was confident that it would continue to outperform the market. Earnings fell by 29 per cent to £7.2m in the quarter to 26 October compared with the same time last year, whilst sales were [...]