July Budget 2015: Living wage bill hurts retailers and small firms July 8, 2015 Retail and hospitality industry insiders warned yesterday that their sectors face a huge rise in labour costs after a Tory pledge to introduce a minimum wage of £9 for over-25s by 2020. From April next year, businesses will be required to pay £7.20 per hour to workers over the age of 25, rising to [...]
Marks & Spencer AGM: Setback for M&S as clothing sales slide off hanger July 7, 2015 Investors and retail observers allowed themselves a small sigh of relief in April when Marks & Spencer brought 14 consecutive quarters of falling general merchandise sales to a halt. After efforts to improve the quality and style of its clothing and to win back disillusioned customers, it seemed to have broken a spell. [...]
Marks & Spencer slips back into decline after just one quarter of growth July 7, 2015 Marks and Spencer's general merchandise arm has slipped back into decline following just one quarter of growth. The figures: M&S' story is pretty much the same as it has been for many months. Total sales in general merchandise were up 0.2 per cent but like-for-likes were down 0.4 per cent, reversing a solitary [...]
House builders’ reports will be corporate focus – London Report July 5, 2015 THE EMERGENCY Budget on Wednesday will see chancellor George Osborne pressing ahead with major cuts to welfare and government departmental spending. However, economists have said that the Budget is unlikely to bring with it any major change in economic policy. Instead, the main focus of Osborne’s speech on Wednesday will be around the £12bn of [...]
St Modwen hails record profits as New Covent Garden Market scheme boosts net asset value June 30, 2015 St Modwen posted a 21 per cent surge in net asset value (Nav) in the first half of the year thanks to its New Covent Garden Market scheme in Nine Elms, which achieved unconditional status in April. The developer reported an Nav per share of 394p after its planned overhaul of the UK’s biggest fruit [...]
Tesco tops suppliers’ naughty list over groceries code June 22, 2015 Tesco has been on the receiving end of more than half of issues raised by suppliers with the new Groceries Code adjudicator in the last year. The troubled supermarket was at the centre of 54 per cent of complaints made, with 11 per cent of Tesco's suppliers going to the new government ombudsman, according [...]
National Grid boss Steve Holliday preparing to step down in 2016 June 21, 2015 National Grid boss Steve Holliday is to leave the company in early 2016, after 14 years with the company and nine as chief executive. Holliday previously worked at US oil major Exxon and was a non-executive director of Marks & Spencer until July last year. The FTSE 100 company may be considering a number of [...]
The importance of income: Regular dividends will make a massive difference to your portfolio June 18, 2015 Most new investors build a portfolio in the hope of capital growth. You put money into shares, the price rises, and you sell out with a handsome profit. But investing in assets which make regular payments can make a real difference to the overall performance of your portfolio, and some of the world's most successful [...]
FTSE pushed down by Greek debt fears and grocery losses – London Report June 17, 2015 BRITAIN’S top share index turned lower by mid-session yesterday as losses in grocers and caution before a Federal Reserve announcement later in the day weighed on the market. The blue-chip FTSE 100 closed 0.4 per cent lower at 6,680.55 points. The FTSE, which fell to its lowest since late January on Tuesday, has lost around [...]
Dettori delight as he brings up Royal Ascot 50 June 17, 2015 THREE-TIME Champion Jockey Frankie Dettori thanked Qatari racing supremo Sheikh Joaan Al Thani after becoming only the fourth man to ride 50 winners at Royal Ascot. Dettori piloted Richard Hannon-trained 13-2 shot Osaila to victory by a nose in the Sandringham Handicap to join a select group that includes Lester Piggot, Pat Eddery and Willie [...]