Co-operative campaign sustaining momentum April 19, 2011 TWO months ago we looked at the impact of The Co-operative’s “good food within easy reach” advertising campaign that launched at the start of the year. We saw that it had had the effect of increasing perception scores for The Co-operative, taking it, almost overnight, from being below the average for the supermarket sector and [...]
Seeking out the resources to keep up with global demand April 18, 2011 GOLDMAN Sachs may have slowed the charge of the commodity bulls last week by suggesting that investors take profits on a basket trade of crude oil, cotton, copper, soybeans and platinum that it recommended in late 2010, but this week the markets have carried on regardless. But with political turmoil affecting the established commodity rich [...]
THE TIPSTER April 18, 2011 SHARES in supermarket Morrison have been on the rise since the end of March, as shoppers still favour promotions in an attempt to offset the squeeze on income from rising prices. Products on promotion account for 40 per cent of sales, which is now at a record high. They are really bringing the competition to [...]
All3Media to crack the US by trade sale April 10, 2011 THE TELEVISION production company behind Peep Show, Shameless and Midsomer Murders, All3Media, has called in UBS to undertake a strategic review of the firm as it eyes the US to fuel its global growth ambitions. Following reports at the weekend that ITV has rejected the idea of buying the TV production group, the most likely [...]
M&S poaches top man from Wm Morrison April 7, 2011 MARKS & Spencer chief executive Marc Bolland has poached one of his former Wm Morrison colleagues, Christopher Taylor, to take charge of his convenience stores . Taylor, who was leading Morrisons’ expansion into smaller convenience stores, is the first of Bolland’s former executives to be hired by M&S since Bolland was himself poached as chief [...]
M&S sales in surprise lift April 6, 2011 MARKS and Spencer yesterday lifted some of the gloom surrounding the retail sector with a slim sales rise – but the company warned that times will get tougher. The chain – which had been expected to report a sales slump – was given a boost from its food section. Overall its UK like-for-like sales rose [...]
FTSE nears seven-year high as M&S boosts retail sector April 6, 2011 BANKS helped drive Britain’s top shares to a near seven-week high yesterday following a Portuguese debt auction, while Marks & Spencer rose on better-than-expected sales, lifting sentiment in retailers. The FTSE 100 ended up 34.07 points, or 0.6 per cent, at 6,041.13, its highest closing level since 18 February. Lex van Dam, hedge fund manager [...]
ITV may buy to boost its studios arm March 28, 2011 ITV may grow its struggling studios division through acquisitions, according to its chief executive Adam Crozier. The broadcaster is desperate to strengthen the division to provide a revenue stream that is less volatile than advertising income. A bounce-back in the ad market trebled ITV’s pre-tax profits to £321m last year. However, it saw a steep [...]
ANALYST VIEWS: WHAT HAS CAUSED THE SLOWDOWN AT SAINSBURY’S? March 23, 2011 NICK BUBB | ARDEN Sainsbury’s was very pleased with itself for delivering 3.6 per cent like-for-like growth in its third-quarter, but once higher VAT and the benefit of store extensions were stripped out the performance wasn’t so impressive. We maintain a ‘weak Hold’ view. We would switch to Morrisons. CLIVE BLACK | SHORE CAPITAL The [...]
Betting on the Budget March 21, 2011 IT’S Budget week, the Wimbledon of financial news, so will the Chancellor’s announcements be champagne and strawberries for CFD traders, or “new balls, please”? Unless the Chancellor of the Exchequer takes leave of his senses, the tax free status of spread betting is not going to be under threat. At the same time, the capital [...]