WH Smith halts sales fall with overseas shops June 11, 2014 WH SMITH, the books to stationery retailer, brought years of sales decline to a halt in the last quarter, thanks to its strategy of opening more shops in airports and travel locations around the world. Shares in WH Smith edged up 1.5 per cent yesterday as it revealed that total group sales were flat in [...]
Analyst Views: How impressed were you with Betfair’s annual results? June 11, 2014 JAMES HOLLINS | INVESTECWe are unlikely significantly to adjust full year 2015 earnings estimates. Although the market may be disappointed at no special dividend, we think it will come in the near term (revenue rising and costs very much under control due to actions by the relatively new management). We stay at Hold. NICK BATRAM [...]
GDP back at record level six years after the crash June 10, 2014 THE ECONOMY has finally grown back to pre-recession record levels, according to a group of respected forecasters, bringing an end to six years of recession, stagnation and catch-up growth. The economy grew by 0.9 per cent in the three months to May, finally pushing just above the previous peak level, set in January 2008, according [...]
London Report: BT falls on Sky’s sports news as FTSE closes flat June 10, 2014 AFTER two days of gains in which the FTSE 100 moved ever closer to its record high, London’s main share index yesterday dipped slightly as warring pay TV broadcasters dragged on the index. The London market closed on 6873.55, down 1.45 points or 0.02 per cent. BT Group fell 2.36 per cent to 396.50, the [...]
UK GDP passed its pre-crisis peak in May, says think tank June 10, 2014 The long, slow path to a GDP recovery is complete, says think tank Niesr. They estimate that GDP grew by 0.9 per cent in the three months to May, taking output above its previous all-time high. By their reckoning it’s taken from 2008 to May 2014 for GDP to recover fully. We’ll still have to [...]
UK’s scariest chart is dead: Think tank says GDP has passed pre-crisis peak June 10, 2014 The long, slow path to a GDP recovery is complete, says think tank Niesr. They estimate that GDP grew by 0.9 per cent in the three months to May, taking output above its previous all-time high. By their reckoning it's taken from 2008 to May 2014 for GDP to recover fully. We'll still have to [...]
Tesco Bank current account finally checks in June 9, 2014 After six years of delays, glitches and excuses, and a cool £600m splashed on the project… BRITONS can today open current accounts with Tesco Bank as the retailer at last becomes a fully functioning challenger to the big banks. The long-awaited milestone comes at a tough time for Tesco, which hopes a stronger banking arm [...]
Investors flood into TSB shares after low pricing June 9, 2014 Investors had placed orders for all of the TSB shares up for sale by yesterday evening, City A.M. understands. Yesterday morning the shares, amounting to 25 per cent of the new high street bank, were priced at between 220p and 290p each. The price would value the bank at between £1.1bn and £1.45bn, below the [...]
Australia set for Irish Derby run June 8, 2014 HORSE RACING: Investec Derby winner Australia is being prepared to run at the Irish Derby on 28 June, following Saturday’s victory. Trainer Aidan O’Brien, who triumphed for a third time at Epsom, says the going at the Curragh course will be the decisive factor.
O’Brien hat-trick June 7, 2014 But Orchestra not Australia could seal historic Derby treble THIS afternoon’s Investec Derby, run over one mile and four furlongs on the most unique of racecourses, remains the ultimate test for any three-year-old colt. It is the richest race for that age group in Europe, as well as being Britain’s most valuable contest with a [...]