ECONOMIC DIARY February 7, 2010 AFTER the Bank of England announced that it would be pausing, at least for now, its quantitative easing policy, the big event in the UK this week will be the quarterly inflation report on Wednesday morning. The Bank is expected to revise down its growth forecast while revising up its inflation predictions and will give [...]
Slope back to the mountains one last time February 7, 2010 IT is around this time of year that the travel negotiations begin in earnest. At Christmas time, in our house anyway, the trading begins with: “I’ll see your night out with the boys, and raise you one spa weekend with the girls.” Now, with the “big” winter holidays behind us, there’s a desperate dash going [...]
Golden girls are back on the glory trail February 7, 2010 NICOLA Minichiello set her sights on Olympic gold the moment the curtain fell on the 2006 Turin Games – but with her day of destiny looming the bobsleigh star is lucky to be seeing at all. The 31-year-old former heptathlete, and partner Gillian Cooke, looked nailed on for a podium place in Vancouver after storming [...]
BA reports ‘better than expected’ £50m loss February 5, 2010 BRITISH Airways has reported a £50m pre-tax loss for the third quarter as passenger numbers fell. The result for the three months to December 31 was better than the £151m forecast by analysts. The airline’s deficit for the first nine months of its financial year was £342m. BA boss Willie Walsh said the better-than-expected results [...]
Carpetright sales slow on snow chaos February 3, 2010 Carpetright, Britain’s biggest floor coverings retailer, saw sales growth slow in the three months to January, missing forecasts as trade in the early part of 2010 was hit by heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures. The firm’s stock fell three per cent to 943p, making it the top midcap loser, though chairman and chief executive Lord [...]
A IS FOR… A TOUCH OF ACRIMONY AT ALCHEMY February 2, 2010 PROOF, if it were needed, that the old adage about time being the best healer does not always ring true. Private equity veteran Jon Moulton is in the preliminary throes of building his new business, Better Capital, after quitting his former firm Alchemy Partners last September amid a boardroom bust-up over strategy. (His resignation letter [...]
Dairy Crest creams profit after a promotions spree February 2, 2010 DAIRY CREST has announced strong trading for the nine months to the end of December, buoyed by its performance in the run-up to Christmas. Pre-tax profit was slightly ahead of analysts’ expectations, but the maker of Cathedral City cheese and Clover spreads remains cautious about the year ahead. “The trading environment for 2010 is tough for [...]
Sherry and mince pies leave people £52m deeper in debt February 1, 2010 BRITISH consumers embarked on a festive spending splurge in December, running up credit card debts and using their overdrafts. Overall borrowing outstripped the amount being paid back for the first time since June, according to the Bank of England. Credit card use was the main force driving unsecured consumer leverage up by £52m over Christmas [...]
FULL DISCLOSURE February 1, 2010 SOME passengers using Heathrow and Manchester airports must now pass through new full body scanners or be they will be barred from boarding their flights. New rules drawn up in the wake of the failed attempt to bomb a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas day stipulate that selected passengers must agree to be scanned.
Amazon profits soar thanks to book reader January 29, 2010 AMAZON profits surged by 71 per cent in the final three months of 2009. The online bookseller said its Kindle electronic book reader had driven the sales boom. The device – Amazon’s bestselling product – will face competition from Apple’s new iPad, which was unveiled this week. Overall sales at Amazon – which now offers [...]