FTSE 100 close: Ocado drags London index into black as markets brace for inflation data July 18, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 squeezed out gains today that have pushed it back into the black in 2023, propped up by shares in online grocer Ocado soaring after a decent set of results. The capital’s premier index jumped 0.64 per cent to 7,453.68 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with [...]
Ultra-high food prices here to stay as Russia exits Black Sea grain deal with Ukraine July 17, 2023 Soaring food costs may not fall as quickly as markets had hoped, retail and pub industries have warned amid a Russian supply squeeze.
UK inflation to fall to lowest level since March 2022 but Bank of England still tipped to hike interest rates July 17, 2023 UK inflation is on course to drop to its lowest level in over a year, but lingering underlying price pressures will heap expectation on the Bank of England to keep on hiking interest rates, new figures out this week are tipped to show. The rate of price growth in Britain is expected to have dropped [...]
New data: Cost-cutting and restructuring helps keep restaurant industry alive July 17, 2023 Bank of England interest rate rises could threaten the UK restaurant sector’s return to profitability, according to national accountancy group, UHY Hacker Young. The group say the percentage of UK restaurant companies turning a profit has more than doubled from 35 per cent to 78 per cent in the past year, but recent rate increases could [...]
Explainer: A scoresheet on Rishi’s five pledges July 14, 2023 With Parliament’s summer recess approaching, it is usually a good time to draw some conclusions on the current political situation. For the prime minister, it doesn’t look good. Rishi Sunak started the year outlining his five pledges for 2023: halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce the national debt, cut NHS waiting lists and stop the [...]
Pound surges to strongest level since April last year as traders bet on further rate hikes July 14, 2023 The pound has surged to its strongest position in over a year over the past week as traders bet the Bank of England will have to hike rates further and faster than global counterparts. Since the beginning of the month, the pound has risen from below $1.27 to trade at over $1.31. The last time [...]
Poundland sales continue to surge as bargain hunters seek out best deals July 13, 2023 Poundland has once again been bolstered by a surge in shoppers seeking out value goods, with its parent company Pepco reporting a 12.5 per cent surge in revenues in the third quarter. Pepco Group said it reached revenues of €1.37bn (£1.17bn) as the group opened 141 new store openings during the third quarter across its [...]
Domino’s Pizza appoints experienced Aus boss as as new chief: ‘A textbook definition of a safe pair of hands’ July 13, 2023 Domino’s Pizza has appointed a new chief executive, bringing in the chain’s Sydney-listed head for over two decades. Andrew Rennie will get a slice of the action right at the top, having previously been its chief in France and Belgium, Australia and New Zealand, and most recently, Europe, which includes its ‘master franchise agreements’ in [...]
US inflation slumps to lowest level in more than two years and is now well below UK July 12, 2023 Inflation in the US has slumped to its lowest level in more than two years and is now far below the UK’s rate, official figures out today reveal. American inflation fell to three per cent in June on an annual basis, down from four per cent in the previous month, according to the US Labour [...]
UK families set for another year of cost of living crisis and £65bn hit to finances July 12, 2023 UK families are poised to be gripped by the cost of living crisis for nearly another whole year due to the Bank of England keeping interest rates higher for longer in a bid to vanquish inflation, a new report out today claims. Household finances will be corroded by rising living costs and elevated rates until [...]