Pound’s rally fades ahead of crucial US jobs data September 3, 2024 The pound’s stunning rally has stalled as traders look for direction amid a quiet week in the data calendar for the UK. Sterling was trading 0.2 per cent lower against the dollar at around $1.311 having lost over one per cent against the greenback in the past five days. The dollar has been trading around [...]
Ashtead: Profit down at equipment giant as revenue slows September 3, 2024 Equipment rental group Ashtead’s revenue grew just two per cent, and profit fell during the three-month period ending 31 July, as a construction slowdown across the US hit the company. The equipment hire giant, the FTSE 100’s 25th largest firm, reported revenue of $2.75bn (£2.1bn) for the period, up from $2.7bn (£2.06bn) in the prior [...]
Workers’ rights fines will harm growth and jobs, small businesses warn September 3, 2024 The government risks “reversing economic growth” and disincentivising hiring if it pursues plans to issue “punitive” fines to businesses that breach its workers’ rights plan, industry leaders have warned. Businesses face paying thousands of pounds in fines if they fall foul of the new protections that Labour are hoping to introduce, it was revealed on [...]
‘Little luxuries’ and warm weather boost card spending September 3, 2024 The summer heatwave, along with the ‘sweet treat economy’ pushed card spending to return to growth in August, although it remained below consumer inflation. Card spending grew by one per cent in August, below the CPIH inflation rate of 3.1 per cent. Almost half of consumers said they continued to spend on small, luxury purchases [...]
Easyhotel chief hails ‘era of the mega-event’ as driving force behind bookings surge September 2, 2024 The boss of budget chain Easyhotel said the company had the rising cost of ‘mega-event’ tickets to thank for its recent surge in revenue, which rose by almost half in 2023. Karim Malak, who became chief executive of the British business just over two years ago, said the company had experienced a boom in bookings [...]
UK manufacturing activity reaches highest level in 26 months September 2, 2024 Activity in the UK’s manufacturing sector grew at its fastest pace for more than two years last month, a closely-watched survey has suggested, in another positive sign for the economy.
Culture secretary Nandy slams ‘vastly inflated’ Oasis ticket prices September 2, 2024 The UK’s culture secretary has slammed the “vastly inflated” selling of Oasis tickets as “depressing”, as she announced that dynamic pricing will be included in an upcoming government review of the secondary gig sales market. Over the weekend, standard tickets to see Mancunian duo Liam and Noel Gallagher reunite surged in price on some resale [...]
Meet the fund managers: Sticking by ESG as it falls out of fashion September 2, 2024 In this weekly series, investment reporter Elliot Gulliver-Needham sits down with a fund manager for a Q&A. This week, we’re hearing from Yolanda Courtines, manager of the Wellington Global Stewards fund. What makes the fund stand out from its competitors? We have 35 to 45 names in the portfolio, with a history of high returns [...]
Water firms’ industry body: Dividend payouts haven’t affected infrastructure investment September 1, 2024 Water companies would be in a similar state today even if they hadn't paid out millions in dividends, the boss of their industry body claimed.
Ashtead: Equipment firm looks to manage expectations ahead of results September 1, 2024 Expectations have been kept low for equipment hire specialist Ashtead Group as it reports its first quarterly results of the firm’s fiscal year on Tuesday. The FTSE 100-listed firm has seen its shares slump 12 per cent from the two-and-a-half-year highs it reached in the spring. It had been one of the big beneficiaries of [...]