These are the key trends in retail in 2017 – and who will benefit from them January 16, 2017 The Christmas reporting season isn't over yet – the market is awaiting updates from Dixons Carphone and WH Smith – but the figures that have been reported so far have indicated some of the key retail trends investors should watch out for this year. Read more: Brexit vote boosts Hugo Boss The outlook for the UK consumer [...]
Latest ONS data expected to show inflation at 1.5 per cent January 15, 2017 Data released by the Office for National Statistics this week is likely to show an uptick in inflation, a sign that the fall in the value of the pound is having an impact on prices. An inflation rate of 1.5 per cent in the consumer prices index for December would be a significant increase on [...]
Britons face more price hikes with Sky next to increase costs January 13, 2017 Sky has jumped on the bandwagon of companies hiking prices, with line rental charges set to increase from 1 March. The news comes just days after free-to-air competitor Freesat pointed out that since 2010 the cost of Sky TV had risen at four times the rate of inflation and twice the pace rail fares have increased. [...]
Mitchells & Butlers reports strong festive period with sales up 4.7 per cent January 13, 2017 Pub, bar and restaurant group Mitchells & Butlers has reported an uptick in sales during the first quarter of the year, citing a particularly strong festive period. The figures Like-for-like sales growth for the year-to-date increased to 1.7 per cent in the 15 weeks to 7 January, with trading over the festive period "particularly strong [...]
Winners and losers from retail’s “Super Thursday” January 12, 2017 So many retailers decided to update the market on trading today that Shore Capital analysts published a note to complain about it. But as the morning has progressed, clear winners and losers have emerged from the data deluge. Here are our picks: Winners JD Sports put its gymwear rival Sports Direct to shame today as it scored [...]
Tesco share price falls despite sales rise in third trading quarter as investors focus on weaker Christmas trading January 12, 2017 Tesco's share price fell despite the supermarket giant reporting its first quarterly market share growth since 2011, as sales grew for the eighth quarter in a row. The figures Group like-for-like sales grew 1.5 per cent in its third trading quarter, with UK like-for-like sales growing even faster, at 1.8 per cent. The supermarket said it [...]
UK consumer spending is set to fall as inflation hits growth this year says Cebr January 11, 2017 Surging inflation is set to dent real wages and resilient consumer spending, according to an influential think tank. Inflation will almost quadruple to 2.7 per cent over the course of 2017, according to the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr). The UK’s economic growth will stutter in 2017 as the effects of the consequent [...]
Food suppliers squeezed as supermarkets play hardball in Brexit price talks January 10, 2017 Food suppliers are being squeezed as supermarkets play hardball in talks over which side should shoulder the burden for the devaluation of the pound, new figures suggest. Research from insolvency firm Begbies Traynor shows 6,000 food suppliers were showing signs of financial distress in the final quarter of 2016, an increase of 13 per cent [...]
Manufacturing giant Premier Foods to increase prices due to Brexit vote January 10, 2017 Premier Foods, the supplier of iconic brands such as Mr Kipling cakes and Bisto gravy, is in talks with its major retail customers about lifting prices due to a double whammy of weaker sterling and higher commodity costs. City A.M. can reveal that the listed food manufacturer last month opened discussions with the likes of [...]
Christmas spending splurge fails to push high street sales into positive territory January 6, 2017 High street shops ended a disappointing year with a dismal performance during the festive season, failing to land positive sales despite bumper spending in the week before Christmas. Christmas fell on a Sunday this year, meaning shoppers had an extra day to spend, but like-for-like sales growth on the high street still came in at [...]