Retail sales soared in April as Brits came out of third Covid-19 lockdown May 21, 2021 Retail sales soared in April as Brits came out of third Covid-19 lockdown
FTSE 100: Early gains fade as mining stocks drag down index May 20, 2021 London’s FTSE 100 fell 0.3 per cent this morning as declining mining stocks cut out early banking gains. The blue-chip index had advanced 0.4 per cent in early trading, with home retailer Kingfisher adding 3.6 per cent after raising its first half profit outlook. But those gains were dragged down by mining stocks including Fresnillo, [...]
Watches of Switzerland eyes first £1bn year after pandemic fails to dampen desire for posh watches May 20, 2021 Appetite for posh watches and luxury jewellery has not waned during the pandemic, as Watches of Switzerland reported a group revenue increase of 18 per cent in its 2021 financial year. Luxury watches at the company – the UK’s biggest Rolex retailer – were responsible for £788.4m in revenue, while luxury jewellery pulled in £60.8m. [...]
Investor confidence booms for UK and European markets May 19, 2021 Investor confidence has risen for both UK and European markets, with the accelerated roll out of vaccines likely to be driving the renewed optimism. Investor confidence in the UK rose another four per cent to a record high for the year, while confidence in Europe is up 28 per cent compared with April 2021, according [...]
Olympic chief Bach promises ‘safe’ Tokyo 2020 as record Covid-19 deaths in Japan fuel opposition to the Games May 19, 2021 Olympic chiefs have attempted to calm an increasingly fretful Japanese public that the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games can take place safely this summer. Covid-19 deaths and serious cases continue to reach new daily highs in Japan, the country’s health ministry said on Wednesday. Tokyo and Osaka remain in a state of emergency, while the latest [...]
Dunelm sales better than expected thanks to lockdown living space upgrades May 19, 2021 Homeware’s retailer Dunelm enjoyed a better-than-expected sales lift over the tail end of the UK’s third national lockdown, the group said today, despite only being able to trade for five weeks after the 12 April easing of restrictions. Customers were able to flock to stores in mid-April after a winter lockdown, despite the reduced trading [...]
Future’s revenue surges 89 per cent with eCommerce and media lockdown boost May 19, 2021 Specialist media platform Future saw its revenue surge 89 per cent in the six months to 31 March, following growth in its eCommerce and media divisions amid global lockdowns. The group, which bought Marie Claire US earlier this month and the UK edition last year, saw its revenue lift to £272.6m from 144.3m in the [...]
West End landlord Great Portland Estates swings to loss as tourists and Londoners stay at home May 19, 2021 West End landlord Great Portland Estates slump as tourists and Londoners stay at home
Sneakers Unboxed: Studio to Street at the Design Museum May 18, 2021 I don’t usually give much thought to my footwear when visiting an exhibition. But before setting off to the Design Museum this week I spent a couple of minutes mulling over the dozens of pairs of trainers I’ve accumulated over the years. I glossed over the three pairs of Nike Internationalist – mustard, burgundy and [...]
Wall Street rises on retail boost as jobs data helps FTSE 100 tick up May 18, 2021 Wall Street opened marginally higher this afternoon after better-than-expected retail results boosted optimism about rising consumer confidence. The Dow Jones ticked up 0.07 per cent at the open, while the S&P 500 edged 0.06 per cent higher. The tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.28 per cent at the opening bell. The modest gains came after Walmart and [...]