FTSE ends lower as retailers reveal a miserable Christmas January 12, 2012 BRITAIN’S leading shares fell yesterday after a profit warning from Tesco triggered sharp falls in retailers and eclipsed a lift for banks from a successful Spanish debt auction and restructuring at RBS. The FTSE 100 index closed down 8.40 points, or 0.2 per cent, at 5,662.42, once again missing out in a tilt at the [...]
Tesco’s marketing strategy needs a new broom in 2012 to sweep away its Clubcard January 12, 2012 THESE were bad figures, Tesco can’t get away from that. Britain’s biggest retailer reported its worst Christmas sales performance for decades on Thursday and warned it would see minimal profit growth next year. Down 1.3 per cent like-for-like (including VAT) in the UK was much worse than any other figures we’ve had from the major [...]
Djokovic dominance to continue in Melbourne January 12, 2012 AUSTRALIAN OPEN Does anyone fancy Novak Djokovic to better his incredible 2011 season? The Serbian won three Grand Slams, a record-breaking five Masters 1000 titles and 10 tournaments overall. He earned over $12 million last year alone, the same as fifth-ranked David Ferrer’s career earnings. Djoko’s achievements are no less impressive when you remember that [...]
Banks steady FTSE but retailers dive January 12, 2012 The FTSE 100 index saw modest rises this morning as banks performed well in stark contrast to the retail sector which was pulled down by a string of poor results from heavyweights including Tesco. Investors were also digesting the results of a Spanish sovereign debt auction which showed yields going in a positive direction. Spain [...]
Tesco hit by dismal Christmas January 12, 2012 Tesco, Britain’s biggest retailer, reported its worst Christmas sales performance for decades on Thursday and warned it would see minimal profit growth next year as it invests in winning back shoppers. The world’s third-largest stores group said on Thursday it now expected minimal trading profit growth for 2012/13 against analysts’ forecasts for a 10 percent [...]
Home Retail to slash dividend as Argo sales plunge January 12, 2012 Home Retail, Britain’s No. 1 household goods retailer, said it anticipated a significant cut in its full-year dividend as it posted a further slump in sales at its Argos business over the Christmas trading period. The firm said on Thursday the trading environment had been both “volatile and demanding” and forecast at year to end-February [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING January 11, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES BANK OFFERS TRADES FOR EUROZONE SHORTING Credit Suisse is offering its hedge fund clients off-the-shelf products that allow traders to replicate hypothetical gains made by betting against European stock indices that include equities covered by Eurozone short selling bans. The bank has made five shortable baskets “optimised” to track leading European indices as [...]
The proof is in the pudding at Sainsbury’s January 11, 2012 J SAINSBURY has reported a record Christmas despite the gloomy economic backdrop, as cash-strapped customers treated themselves during the festive season. Britain’s third largest supermarket said like-for-like sales excluding fuel and VAT and rose 1.2 per cent in the third quarter to 7 January, above analysts’ consensus of 0.9 per cent. The grocer reported 26m [...]
ANALYST VIEWS: HOW DID SAINSBURY’S FARE AGAINST RIVALS? January 11, 2012 PHILIP DORGAN | PANMURE GORDON A continued strong performance from Sainsbury… we believe that it continues to be underestimated by the market. True, its reported sales growth period is longer than for Morrison… but we believe that it had a good Christmas. KEITH BOWMAN | HARGREAVES LANSDOWN In all, Sainsbury has again surprised on the [...]
Supergroup posts robust sales growth January 11, 2012 SUPERGROUP, the company behind Superdry fashion label, has reported robust trading during the Christmas period as it held off from discounting its clothing and put warehousing problems firmly behind it. The group, which has expanded to 70 stores in the UK including a new store opening on Regent Street, said like-for-like sales increased by 5.8 [...]