Grocers see more than £1bn wiped off value after Tesco profit warning April 14, 2022 Supermarkets had a total of more than £1bn chipped off their market value on Wednesday, after a warning over inflationary pressures from Tesco. Grocers including Ocado and Sainsbury’s suffered poor performances on Wednesday, after Tesco warned that profit could be hammered by rising costs and shifts in shoppers’ behaviour. Ocado took a hit on the [...]
Supermarkets drag down London indexes on spending jitters April 13, 2022 London’s top indexes were muted today as investors ditched shares in supermarkets despite Tesco posting bumper profits. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index edged 0.05 per cent higher to 7,580.80 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index, which is more aligned with the health of the UK economy, dipped 0.12 per cent to 20,984.45 [...]
Spending cool down weighs on London-listed supermarkets April 12, 2022 Early signs of consumers pulling back on spending drove supermarkets lower today in the City, dragging down London’s top indexes. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index dropped 0.55 per cent to 7,576.66 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250, which is more aligned to the health of the UK economy, fell by the same amount [...]
Waitrose left with £4m hole in pocket after brief deal with online partner April 12, 2022 Supermarket Waitrose is owed some £4m after a four-month partnership with an insolvent venture launched by an Ocado founder. According to a report in The Times newspaper, Waitrose is the second-largest trade creditor of online grocery business Today Development Partners, which collapsed last month. This was laid out in a progress report by administrators at [...]
Retailers lead the way in London after industrials give up gains March 29, 2022 High street retailers lifted London’s top indexes today despite a sharp drop in oil prices prompting investors to ditch industrial giants. The capital’s premier FTSE 100 index climbed 0.86 per cent to reach 7,537.25 points, while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index surged two per cent to 21,491.97 points. Traders are seemingly upbeat about the [...]
Last minute Mother’s Day idea: Try the Pan Pacific hotel March 25, 2022 Mother’s Day is on the horizon and with canny timing the Pan Pacific hotel has launched an afternoon tea centred around childhood memories in its elegant Orchard Lounge. Award-winning executive pastry chef Cherish Finden recalls her own Singaporean childhood during either a traditional English tea or a fully Asian affair, the latter of which I opted for. We [...]
Michael Grade named Ofcom chair March 24, 2022 Michael Grade has been named the government’s preferred candidate for the Ofcom chair, the Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries announced today. Lord Grade has had a long career in broadcasting, encompassing London Weekend Television, the BBC, ITV, as well as over nine years as Chief Executive of Channel Four Television. In May 2004 he was appointed [...]
Letters: Ocado can stay strong March 23, 2022 [Re: Shoppers spend less at Ocado after offices reopen and Covid measures ease, March 17] Many of the headlines writing off Ocado this week missed the big picture. Far too little attention was paid to a crucial statistic: Ocado’s retail sales in this quarter were 31.7% higher than pre-pandemic levels. Shoppers may be shopping online [...]
The City View: P&O Ferries in hot water, and the Fed and BoE hike rates March 17, 2022 Today Andy Silvester returns to host The City View — he chats to City A.M.’s Economics and Markets reporter Jack Barnett about the Fed and Bank of England’s rate hikes, and the Monetary Policy Committee statement that further tightening of monetary policy may be needed in the next few months. Andy also takes us through [...]
Shoppers spend less at Ocado after offices reopen and Covid measures ease March 17, 2022 Ocado customers are spending less through the online grocery delivery service as pandemic habits return to normal. In an eight week trading update, Ocado said its average basket size came in at £124, 15 per cent lower than last year. This was reflective of changing shopper behaviours as customers return to physical supermarkets and offices. [...]