Brand Index: There’s still time for M&S’s autumn range to blossom October 15, 2013 LAST week Marks & Spencer’s general merchandise arm was dealt a blow when a number of respected analysts warned that it is continuing to lose market share in women’s fashion, leading to a fall in its share price. Autumn sales figures won’t be released until next month, but if the naysayers turn out to be [...]
Q and A: Royal Mail share sale: what’s next for the postal service? October 14, 2013 Q What’s happening today? I thought Royal Mail was already listed. A Shares were allocated to investors last Friday and conditional trading began the same day. But the formal float process is only completed today, meaning buyers actually come into possession of shares listed on the stock market. Q Does this mean I can finally [...]
Retailers set for best Xmas sales since pre-crisis October 14, 2013 BRITISH retailers are set to enjoy their best growth in Christmas sales since the financial crisis, according to a report published yesterday that forecast consumers would spend at least £2bn more than in 2012. Market research specialist Verdict predicted that spending in the fourth quarter would rise 2.2 per cent from the same period in [...]
Argos’ MyTablet aims for mobile retail shoppers October 14, 2013 ARGOS has become the latest retailer to join the tablet market fray with the launch of its £99 MyTablet today. The release follows Tesco, which launched its own Hudl tablet on 30 September with a massive in-store advertising push. The new device is targeted at enabling customers to make further Argos purchases on the tablet, [...]
Christmas sales to be strongest since crisis October 14, 2013 Christmas sales this year are forecast to be the best since the pre-recession levels of 2007, according to a report released by Verdict Retail. Consumer spending is expected to reach £88.4bn in the fourth quarter, a 2.2 per cent increase from last year. Online sales are set to reach £11.6bn, a 12 per cent rise [...]
Christmas toys to inspire little professionals October 13, 2013 GONE are the days, it seems, when young boys and girls dreamed vaguely of becoming a policeman or ballerina. These days, according to John Lewis’s top five toy list, those careers are being moulded by their favourite television programmes and the stars they see. According to the retail store, youngsters aspiring to be the next [...]
Jump in City jobseekers as pay recovers October 13, 2013 THE NUMBER of jobseekers entering the market for a new position in financial services rocketed by more than one-fifth in September, according to data out today from City recruiters Morgan McKinley. A total of 7,082 new jobseekers came onto the market last month, up 21 per cent from 5,816 new entrants in August, the agency [...]
Glamp it up October 13, 2013 Away from the hustle and bustle of Cowes Week, Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight are the perfect destinations for a family break – or something a little wilder SO AFTER a summer of festivals, beach holidays, muddy British weekends and garden play dens, chances are your tent has seen better days. The last thing [...]
Chocolatier Thorntons in festive mood as growth gathers pace October 9, 2013 THORNTONS yesterday said sales had got off to a strong start in the first quarter of the year as the confectioner’s turnaround strategy continued to gather pace. Revenues rose 2.1 per cent to £47m in the 14 weeks to 5 October, driven by sales to supermarkets and other third party retailers, which leapt 11 per [...]
Manufacturing to boost growth in third quarter October 8, 2013 MANUFACTURERS are reporting some of the strongest growth on record, according to the most recent quarterly survey by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). Released today, the report shows some of the strongest balances ever seen by the manufacturing sector, beating every quarter since 1989. Indexes for employment, cashflow, turnover confidence and operating at full [...]