Travelodge hits record profits as staycation breaks continue post-pandemic May 15, 2023 Travelodge, the UK’s largest independent hotel brand, has reported results significantly ahead of its previous record year in 2019, as Brits continued to opt for staycation breaks and business travel. The London-listed hotel company, which offers cheap beds in the UK Spain and Ireland said that revenues were up 25 per cent from 2019 to [...]
£233bn stuck in zero-interest accounts as pressure grows on banks to improve advice May 15, 2023 As banks come under fire for offering “measly” rates to savers, new figures reveal many are leaving hundreds of billions of pounds lying idle in zero-interest accounts. Some £233bn is being held in zero-interest accounts, according to Bank of England Data analysed by asset management firm Bowmore. This is up from the total held in [...]
Burberry hopes to be back in fashion thanks to China reopening May 15, 2023 Luxury retailer Burberry could prove its buyers have been sheltered from cost-of-living pressures when it unveils its full-year financial results on Thursday. The historic British brand, which has benefitted from the reopening of the Chinese economy this year, is expected to show a jump in profits and sales for the year ending in March. The [...]
Banks set to ramp up lending as UK economy dodges recession May 15, 2023 Banks are expected to ramp up their lending this year as the UK economy dodges the gloomiest recession predictions and the housing markets shows signs of some revival, according to a panel of top economists. Total UK bank loans are now expected to rise 1.2 per cent this year, a net increase of £29bn, upgraded [...]
Mike Lynch: UK tech tycoon who founded software firm Autonomy is extradited to US May 12, 2023 British technology tycoon Mike Lynch has been extradited to the US to face criminal charges. The founder of software firm Autonomy, who was once dubbed the UK’s Bill Gates, will stand trial on charges including fraud, which he denies. It comes weeks after he lost an appeal last month following an almost four-year court battle [...]
Burberry: Luxury British brand’s investors hopeful of China spending resurgence May 12, 2023 Luxury retailer Burberry could prove its buyers have been sheltered from cost-of-living pressures when it unveils its full-year financial results on Thursday. The historic British brand, which has benefitted from the reopening of the Chinese economy this year, is expected to show a jump in profits and sales for the year ending in March. The [...]
FTSE 100 live: London’s premier index closes the week up after Beazley bump and UK economy growth May 12, 2023 The FTSE 100 has ended a mixed week on the up after a bump for Lloyds of London insurer Beazley this morning and growth in the UK economy. London’s flagship index ended the week with a gain of around 0.63 per cent after ONS figures this morning showed GDP edged 0.1 per cent higher in [...]
Disney woes and health of banks edged Wall Street lower May 12, 2023 Wall Street edged lower on Thursday, weighed down by a sharp drop for the Walt Disney Company and flaring fears about the health of some US banks. The S&P 500 lost 7.02 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 4,130.62, with two out of every three stocks in the index falling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average [...]
Chelsea respond to supporters’ warning with season ticket price decision May 11, 2023 Chelsea have bucked the Premier League trend and announced a freeze on their cheapest general admission season ticket prices for next season. The majority of teams in English football’s top division, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City, have hiked their prices for the 2023-24 campaign. But Chelsea chiefs have decided to maintain their [...]
Hospitality: BoE interest rates hike could ‘significantly impact businesses’ May 11, 2023 The hospitality sector has expressed concerns that the Bank of England’s decision to raise interest rates could “significantly impact business viability,” as the interest rates on loans many pubs and restaurants took out to survive the pandemic are now set to rise. “Hospitality was the business sector most affected by the pandemic, with a large [...]