Analysts have not gone easy on Next’s “miserable” results November 2, 2016 Analysts have not pulled their punches this morning in reaction to Next's announcement that sales fell 3.5 per cent in its third quarter. Retail Economics' chief executive Richard Lim described Next's sales growth as "miserable", and said that the "conditions on the high street remain desperate". Next's share price has been climbing this morning, however, [...]
The run on the pound hasn’t finished yet and will fall further when the PM triggers Article 50 November 1, 2016 Sterling will lose a further five per cent of its value against the dollar when Prime Minister Theresa May formally pushes the button to leave the EU. A poll of analysts revealed that the pound will most likely drop to $1.15 when May triggers Article 50, but Britain's currency will keep its nose above parity against the euro. [...]
Permanent TSB completes EU deleveraging plan with sale of second slug of its mortgage book to Cerberus October 27, 2016 The fund that has spent billions hoovering up some of the UK's banks' most distressed mortgage portfolios, today splashed out €2.4bn (£2bn) to snaffle Permanent TSB's Irish housing book. US distressed debt investor Cerberus Capital Management already owns 50 per cent of Capital Home Loans, a subsidiary of Permanent TSB, and this deal completes the part state-owned lender's €8.4bn [...]
Shares in Debenhams leapt this morning on solid annual results. But analysts are still waiting to see what the new chief exec will do October 27, 2016 Department store Debenhams' share price headed north by nearly four per cent this morning after revealing a decline in full year profits that still beat analyst expectations. The figures Gross transactional values, basically the company's sales before taking into account discounting, were up by 1.3 per cent to £2.9bn. However revenues – what it says on the [...]
Marmitegate is the “thin end of the wedge” for the retail industry October 14, 2016 Tesco and Unilever's public price war is the "thin edge of the wedge" for the retail sector after the Brexit vote, analysts have said, as the prospect of higher import costs and job losses weigh on the industry. Unilever has used the fall of sterling after the Brexit vote as a basis for increasing its prices for [...]
Where next for sterling after the flash crash? October 7, 2016 The flash crash rocked currency markets overnight and has spooked investors this morning. Despite some interesting theories as to its cause, the general consensus is it was a freak event triggered by some hasty algorithmic trading in a relatively dried-up markets. Nevertheless, that hasn't calmed nerves. Before the crash sterling was hovering between $1.25 and [...]
Irish services PMI pushed down by Brexit October 5, 2016 Ireland's services sector grew at its slowest pace in over three years in September as companies reported less customer interest as a result of the UK's Brexit vote. Ireland is widely considered to be the most at risk from Britain's decision to leave the EU given its close trade ties. The Investec Purchasing Managers' Index [...]
City Moves for 5 October 2016 | Who’s switching jobs October 5, 2016 Investec Wealth & Investment Investec Wealth & Investment (“IW&I”) has appointed Louise Hall as head of the firm’s London office. She takes over from David Bulteel, who is becoming head of IW&I’s international division. Louise Hall joined IW&I as a graduate trainee in 1989 and has led the firm’s specialist charities and not-for-profit division since [...]
Rio Tinto unveils $3bn debt reduction plan September 26, 2016 Miner Rio Tinto has launched a new debt reduction programme, which analysts said could boost its credit rating. Rio announced tender offers for up to $1.5bn (£1.16bn) of its 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022 US dollar-denominated notes. It also issued a redemption notice for about $1.5bn of its 2017 and 2018 notes. The company’s shares closed [...]
Mmmm: Doughnut company Krispy Kreme prepares for London float September 18, 2016 Doughnut company Krispy Kreme is progressing with its plans for an initial public offering (IPO) in London. The UK arm of the American company, which is controlled by private equity firm Alcuin Capital, is planning to float on the London Stock Exchange next month. Read more: Premier listing: Fund manager plots London Stock Exchange flotation The float, [...]