Sales slow at Asda but boss stays upbeat February 21, 2012 ASDA, owned by US retailer Wal-Mart Stores, yesterday posted a slowdown in sales growth in its fiscal fourth quarter as shoppers cut back due to rising prices, muted wages growth and an uncertain economic outlook. Chief executive Andy Clarke said he was instinctively optimistic about prospects in 2012 but said it was too early to [...]
House sales up 23% on last year February 21, 2012 There were 64,000 UK property sales in January, up 23 per cent compared the same month last year, according to figures from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). Sales numbers endured the traditional post-Christmas dip, falling from 86,000 in December. But the January figures are the highest since 2008. Yesterday the Council of Mortgage lenders said [...]
Forget cycling machines, try the Wattbike February 20, 2012 FIT IN THE CITY I must admit, I’m not a huge fan of cycling – I tend to associate it with boredom and bulky thighs. But, given that last weekend saw the track World Cup at the new velodrome, coupled with the fact that cycling’s one of the few feasible medal-winners for the Brits come [...]
JJB sales fall but margins improve February 20, 2012 JJB Sports, which is in the middle of a turnaround plan, saw its like-for-like sales fall. The company’s sales for the five weeks to 29 January have fallen 5.7 per cent . However, its gross margin increased by 32.1 per cenT. Meanwhile like for like sales in the second half of the financial year for [...]
Payment via mobile moves a step closer February 20, 2012 THE UK’s largest telecoms companies are making headway in bringing cashless payment via mobile phone to the masses, as the cluster intends to file an application with the European Commission (EC) soon. Orange and T-Mobile (under umbrella group Everything Everywhere) joined forces with Vodafone and O2 parent Telefonica last year with the aim of creating a [...]
Rising footfall boost for shops February 20, 2012 BRITAIN’S shops have drawn strong crowds over the winter period, according to new data released this morning. Footfall across the UK was up 1.8 per cent across November, December and January, compared to the same period one year earlier. “For the first time in five years December saw footfall up on the previous year as [...]
Desert island dream in remotest Philippines February 19, 2012 AS the plane rumbles along from Manila to Busuanga in the Palawan peninsula in the Philippines, the smiling stewardess at the front starts playing a game of “Show and Tell” to an enraptured audience, in the absence of TVs to divert us. First person to hold up a… pen, wins a thermos flask. Next person [...]
UK retail sales in surprise 0.9pc jump February 17, 2012 UK retail sales rose 0.9 per cent in January compared with the precious month, official figures showed. The surprise lift followed a 0.6 per cent rise in December, according to the figures from the Office for National Statistics. Sales rose at thir fastest pace since April 2011, as consumers splashed out on furniture and sports [...]
Consumers are paying debts and saving more February 16, 2012 HOUSEHOLDS boosted savings and cut borrowing in the final quarter of 2011 despite the pressures of Christmas, research from ING Direct showed today. Cash savings rose by an average of £73 in the fourth quarter, following three consecutive quarters of decline. The extra saving took the median balance in accounts to £1,574. Most of this [...]
News from the boutiques February 16, 2012 ● KENSINGTON boutique the Watch Gallery is one of the most esteemed watch shops in London, and it’s no longer one of a kind. Having been acquired by DM London, the independent retailer with its “Time2” shops in Westfield and Covent Garden and the luxury watch concession in Selfridges, it is now lending its name [...]