Christmas Star still burning bright! January 13, 2011 CHRISTMAS was lovely, but there was something missing – and I’m not talking about sprouts or brandy butter. Well, that something was Kempton’s King George which was claimed on Boxing Day by the frost and will finally be run tomorrow. Regular readers of this column were advised before Christmas to take the even money available [...]
Fallback in US data shakes faith in recovery January 13, 2011 US JOBLESS claims jumped to their highest level since October last week while food and energy costs lifted producer prices in December. However, a surge in exports to their highest level in two years helped narrow the US trade deficit in November, an encouraging sign for fourth-quarter economic growth. Despite a string of recent data [...]
Ferrovial revives plan to sell off BAA stake January 13, 2011 Spanish group Ferrovial is pushing ahead with a plan to sell a ten per cent stake in British airport operator BAA, operator of London’s Heathrow, a move aimed at halving its 24.5bn euro (£20.46bn) debt. The company said it would seek offers for the stake, estimated last year to be worth about 200M euros, in [...]
Dixons year profit to be at bottom end January 13, 2011 Dixons Retail, Europe’s No. 2 electricals retailer, forecast full-year profit around the bottom end of market expectations after Christmas sales in the UK were hit by December’s poor weather. The company, which runs the Currys and PC World chains in Britain, UniEuro in Italy, Elkjop in Nordic countries and Kotsovolos in Greece, said it expected [...]
Home Retail Group sales rally January 13, 2011 Home Retail said sales had fallen less than analysts expected at both its Argos and Homebase units in the run-up to Christmas, and forecast yearly profit in line with its own previous forecast. The company said it expected full-year pre-tax profit to be around the mid-point of its previously indicated range of £250m to £275m. [...]
Tesco sales hit by snow chaos January 13, 2011 Tesco posted a 6.2 per cent rise in Christmas sales as strong growth in its overseas markets helped offset a weaker than expected performance in its main British market. The supermarket group, which accounts for about one in every seven pounds spent at British retailers, said on sales at UK stores open over a year [...]
UK Mail blames poor weather conditions for profit warning January 12, 2011 SHARES in UK Mail dropped more than nine per cent yesterday after the delivery firm warned on its full-year profits, prompting Investec to cut its earnings and dividend forecasts and its target price to 400p from 420p. “Whilst we were able to manage our operations such that over 99 per cent of our Christmas parcel [...]
Uniq figures up despite snow January 12, 2011 Convenience food maker Uniq has announced that its Christmas trading was close to expectations despite bad weather. It also said that talks were continuing over a restructuring of its pension scheme and a new banking facility. The company is in discussions with the pensions regulator and its main trustee over its proposed deficit-for-equity swap. Uniq [...]
Sainsbury’s sees record festive sales January 12, 2011 J SAINSBURY reported its best ever Christmas sales as customers splashed out on more expensive ranges over the festive period. The supermarket group, which this month overtook Asda as the second largest supermarket in the four week run-up to Christmas, said in a trading statement yesterday that like-for like sales for the 14 weeks to [...]
SuperGroup in Xmas boom January 12, 2011 SHARES in SuperGroup, the firm behind the Superdry fashion brand, jumped more than 19 per cent yesterday after the company reported its best ever Christmas trading. For the nine weeks to 2 January, total sales almost doubled to £65.1m from a year ago. The company said it had managed to counter the impact of rising [...]