US non-farm payroll: US adds 178,000 jobs in November as wages rise and unemployment falls December 2, 2016 US non-farm payroll data has shown that the US added 178,000 jobs in the month that saw Donald Trump win the Presidential election. Market experts had been expecting an increase of 165,000 in November, slightly above the 161,000 reported for October. Unemployment dropped to 4.6 per cent and wages were up 2.5 per cent. The jobs [...]
More Skyscanner, Arm and LinkedIn deals are on the way, say tech dealmakers December 2, 2016 Flight-booking website Skyscanner, chip designer Arm Holdings and professional social media site LinkedIn have been among the high-profile technology takeover targets of 2016. And we should expect to see plenty more next year, according to a survey by law firm Morrison & Foerster (which, in a rather hip-hop fashion, shortens its name to MoFo). Half [...]
FTSE 100 falls ahead of the Italian referendum – but the pound tries to keep its chin up December 2, 2016 The FTSE 100 slid almost one per cent in morning trading today, as jitters over the outcome of the Italian referendum and the higher oil price conspired against equities. The UK's blue-chip market was down 0.9 per cent at 6,693 points in mid-morning trading, pushed down by minters and oil giants, after oil prices jumped this [...]
The cost of Christmas dinner has dropped 10 per cent since 2009 November 30, 2016 Inflation may be creeping up, but the price of your Christmas dinner isn't – in fact, this year's festive feast may be cheaper than ever before, after a new study suggested its price has fallen 10 per cent since 2009. Good Housekeeping's Christmas index found the cheapest place to buy turkey and all the trimmings [...]
Consumers’ own-label attitudes could pose a challenge to big brands November 30, 2016 Last week, Morrisons announced it was bringing back the Safeway brand. Originally a chain of supermarkets that the retailer absorbed in the mid-2000s, Morrisons has decided to launch a new range of own-label goods under the Safeway banner. An analysis of YouGov Profiles data shows that there are notable divergences among customers of certain supermarkets. [...]
FTSE reshuffle: Travis Perkins, DFS and Countrywide are on the way out November 29, 2016 Cheap sofas, estate agents and building materials are no longer flavour of the month, it seems – with some of the UK's largest blue-chips eligible for demotion in the FTSE. The FTSE 100 and the FTSE 250 will undergo their quarterly reshuffle after market close tomorrow – and DFS, Countrywide Properties and Travis Perkins are all [...]
It might not be our problem in the future: Southern rail’s owner cuts pension costs to reflect “limited responsibility” November 29, 2016 It's been a nightmare year for Southern rail. But its owner was given a boost today after revealing its profits will leap by 38 per cent, simply by changing the way it accounts for its railway pension costs. Go-Ahead shares were one of the top movers in the FTSE 250 this morning, up over three per cent, following [...]
FTSE reshuffle: Three blue-chip relegations are on the cards this week November 28, 2016 A Russian gold producer, a builders’ merchant and a shopping centre owner could face relegation from the FTSE 100 this week. Building materials company Travis Perkins, which issued a profits warning in October, Polymetal International, which has suffered due to a gold price drop since the US election, and shopping centre owner Intu, whose shares have [...]
Tesco has unveiled its Black Friday 2016 deals: Laptops and tablets and bikes, oh my November 24, 2016 The supermarkets may be suffering from competition from discounters, but on Black Friday that all goes out of the window as they come over all Aldi and go berserk for deals. Tesco is no exception – it's so keen it's already launched some deals. Check out the best ones for Black Friday itself. Read more: [...]
Tech enthusiasts plot Black Friday spending spree, planning £425 of purchases November 23, 2016 Tech enthusiasts are planning to go wild this Black Friday, according to a new study. Some 60 per cent of those surveyed by media company Future said they were planning to make a purchase this year, compared with 34 per cent who did so last year. Read more: Morrisons are getting hunks to help lift [...]