November sales down as online retail flops despite Black Friday December 16, 2022 Sales have slumped this November as Black Friday didn’t give online stores the boost it needed. Figures published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that retail sales volume contracted by 0.4 per cent following a 0.9 per cent rise in October. Online shops were hit the most as non-store retailing sales volumes [...]
CPI and the FED in focus December 14, 2022 Another interesting week in markets this time round, where it could end up being crunch time for the FED to make a decision on when these rate hikes are going to end. We’ve just had the November CPI print out of the US and have had some massive moves. Which begs the question, do the [...]
Food inflation hits Christmas dinner as fresh turkey prices up by 45 per cent December 14, 2022 Brits shopping for the key groceries for their Christmas dinner are facing eye-watering price increases, as the price of fresh turkey has rocketed by as much to 45 per cent. Shortages arising from an outbreak of bird flu now mean that fresh turkey prices have soared in recent weeks, while choices for consumers are also [...]
Poundland owner Pepco to accelerate plan for new stores as profit booms December 13, 2022 Poundland owner Pepco will accelerate its store rollout strategy as it looks to entice cash-strapped shoppers, after posting elevated profit. The discount retailer said it was taking an increased focus on new stores in Western Europe and a refit programme in Central and Eastern Europe. Pepco was upping its annual capex spend to between €350m [...]
Pubs optimistic ahead of England v France tonight as World Cup proves ‘shining light’ this winter December 10, 2022 Publicans will be eagerly hoping for extra time at the England v France match this evening, when venues will be hosting “one of the biggest nights of the year.” With the Three Lions set to take on the tournament’s quarter final this weekend, pub and bar bosses have said the game will draw in huge [...]
Twinings owner Associated British Foods boosted amid cost of living crunch December 9, 2022 Primark owner Associated British Foods (ABF) has said its food business will fair better this year than the last, as it faces the UK’s economic downturn with low-cost offerings. At its annual general meeting today, chairman, Michael McLintock is expected to keep the group’s full year outlook unchanged, as many businesses in the country nudge [...]
Dragons’ Den star Levi Roots on Brixton being the ‘sauce’ of entrepreneurial spirit December 7, 2022 In Brixton, the “heartbeat of the community” is its market, Dragons’ Den star and the businessman behind Reggae Reggae sauce, Levi Roots, tells CityA.M. The south London district has been Roots’ home ever since he moved to the UK as a young child from Jamaica, so it’s no surprise it is close to his heart. [...]
British farmers warn UK is ‘sleepwalking into crisis as food is under threat’ December 6, 2022 Britain’s union for farmers and growers has warned the UK is “sleepwalking” into a food supply crisis, Ahead of an emergency press conference later today, the National Farmers Union (NFU) said the Government needed to step in to assist primary producers under severe strain from soaring fuel, fertiliser and feed costs. Union president Minette Batters [...]
Christmas shopping: Sainsbury’s invests extra £50m into battling price inflation December 5, 2022 Sainsbury’s has announced it will pump an additional £50m into its cost of living value plan by March 2023. The supermarket said it has invested in a Christmas roast dinner at less than £4 a head, as part of a £15m investment plan to keep prices affordable on festive staples. Low prices and new special [...]
Week ahead: Inflation expectations numbers top City’s agenda December 4, 2022 Investors this week will be eyeing fresh data revealing how long households think high inflation will stick around in the UK for clues on the size of the Bank of England’s next interest rate rise. Last week, London’s premier FTSE 100 index climbed nearly one per cent to 7,556.23 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE [...]