Last Week in the City: Amazon buys a pharmacy June 29, 2018 Garry White, chief investment commentator, looks at the market-moving events that have shaped the UK equity markets this week (25 to 29 June 2018). The FTSE 100 traded little over the week, despite a rally in oil prices. There was more bad news from the retail sector after The John Lewis Partnership warned on profits [...]
Stop thinking in straight lines or get left behind by the revolution June 28, 2018 Revolutionaries from the past have a tendency to morph into romantic icons; think Che Guevara, Rosa Luxemburg, Lenin, Robespierre. From the safety of history, it’s possible to admire their determination and dedication without condoning their often destructive and violent tactics. Yet living revolutionaries are not always so popular beyond their immediate following. They threaten the [...]
City Moves for 26 June 2018 – who’s switching jobs at Shop Direct, Eversheds Sutherland and Blippar? June 26, 2018 Today's City Moves cover retail, legal eagles and tech. Take a look at these movers and shakers: Shop Direct Shop Direct, the UK’s second largest pureplay digital retailer, has appointed Emma Alexander as fashion director, heading up its branded and own brand clothing and footwear offerings. She will report to group product director and executive [...]
Is the high street really doomed? June 26, 2018 UK high street retailers have endured a torrid time over the last few years. A slew of store closures, job losses and administrations don’t make for pretty headlines, and illustrate just how difficult it is for those looking to invest in the retail sector. Discount retailer Poundworld followed electronics firm Maplin and toy retailer Toys [...]
Pure Gym buys Soho Gyms to bulk up London presence June 22, 2018 Pure Gym has snapped up the 10-strong London Soho Gyms chain and will convert all the branches to the Pure format. The addition of the Soho portfolio, which includes sites at Tower Hill and Farringdon, will bring the number of Pure sites in London up to 59. Pure charges significantly less than Soho, with a [...]
Focus On Tufnell Park: This often overlooked north London spot is attracting more professional and upsizers from Hampstead June 22, 2018 Tufnell Park is a small, quiet, in-between sort of place. Sandwiched in between the leafy village life of Hampstead, with its heath and its cafe culture, and the edgier, up-and-coming Holloway, Tufnell Park is the place for keen observers – close enough to all the action without the need to get involved. “The area was [...]
Interiors: We see what’s on offer at London’s Japan House, a new restaurant, shop and exhibition space in Kensington June 22, 2018 Since the jet age, tourism to Japan has grown slowly and steadily, but recently it has shot up, doubling in the past four years. The government can see that tourism is a big earner, the language is no longer a stumbling block, and, as hosts to the Rugby Wold Cup 2019 and the Tokyo 2020 [...]
Last Week in the City: Markets Trumped by trade fears June 22, 2018 The week was dominated by trade war fears as Donald Trump said he would slap further tariffs on Chinese goods should there be any retaliatory measures. Despite this, Nasdaq hit a record high, although the Dow Jones Industrial Average erased all its gains in 2018 so far. The FTSE 100 fell 0.5% over the week [...]
Brexit vote two years on: seven charts that tell the story June 22, 2018 On 23 June 2016, the UK public voted on whether or not to stay in the European Union (EU). Many expected the UK to remain in the EU, but by a majority of 52% to 48% the Leave campaign won. The UK is scheduled to leave the EU at 23:00 UK time on 29 March [...]
House of Fraser closure vote looms as politicians fear jobs cuts and end to iconic stores June 21, 2018 Politicians and landlords fear thousands of job losses and the death of beloved high street stores ahead of House of Fraser’s vote on store closures tomorrow. The struggling retailer’s creditors will decide tomorrow whether to approve a company voluntary arrangement (CVA), which will result in 31 of the 59 House of Fraser stores closing down. [...]