The impact of AI in a transformed world June 3, 2020 Artificial intelligence has entered the mainstream and the fourth industrial revolution is continuing apace, leading sceptics to question what this means for the average employee. As we look towards the re-opening of the economy, it is clear that AI offers huge potential for a new world of work that is safer, more productive and more [...]
Marks & Spencer shares rise on coronavirus revamp, despite blow to profit May 20, 2020 Marks & Spencer’s full-year profit sank 21 per cent as it took a £212m hit from coronavirus at the end of March, the retailer revealed today. However, investors pushed M&S’ share price up 4.6 per cent to 89.8p as the pandemic forced the British high street brand into an overhaul to save over £1bn. The [...]
FTSE 100 breaks 6,000 barrier as vaccine hopes and Fed pledge boost markets May 18, 2020 The FTSE 100 broke through the 6,000-point milestone in a positive start to the week’s trading today, buoyed by hopes of a vaccine and more Federal Reserve stimulus. Easing lockdowns and lower infection rates in Europe infection hotspots Italy, the UK and Spain also boosted London’s blue-chip index. The FTSE 100 closed 4.5 per cent [...]
Tesco bosses receive bonus boost after Ocado removed from competitor list May 14, 2020 Tesco bosses received a bonus boost last year after the grocer removed online supermarket Ocado from a list of competitors. Tesco chief executive Dave Lewis would have missed out on around £1.6m in shares if the online rival had remained on the list used to compare Tesco’s performance against its competitors. Before Ocado was removed, [...]
High street suffers biggest ever decline in footfall as Brits obey lockdown May 11, 2020 The UK high street suffered its greatest ever decline in footfall last month as Brits steered clear of shops during the coronavirus lockdown. Retailers were hit with an “unprecedented” 80 per cent plunge in footfall in April, with high streets and shopping centres the worst affected. Retail parks were the most resilient thanks to the [...]
Retailers call for shop reopenings based on safety standards May 10, 2020 The reopening of shops after the coronavirus lockdown should be based on safety standards rather than size or business type, a top retail chief has said. Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium (BRC), said she expected a “gradual lifting” of the restrictions, with schools and transport the first to reopen. But she [...]
Markets live: FTSE 100 rises as countries lift coronavirus lockdowns May 6, 2020 The FTSE 100 and European stocks have risen, boosted by gains in healthcare even as dire economic data lays bare the effects of coronavirus. Britain’s FTSE 100 index was trading 0.65 per cent higher before falling slightly to trade up 0.17 per cent at 5,859 points. It climbed around 1.8 per cent yesterday. The mid-cap [...]
Card Factory opens new distribution centre to cope with surge in online demand May 6, 2020 Card Factory has opened a new distribution centre to keep up with a surge in online orders during the coronavirus lockdown while maintaining safety measures for warehouse staff. The retailer said the Card Factory website saw sales soar 267.5 per cent during lockdown, while its Getting Personal brand reported a 57.5 per cent jump in [...]
Ocado retail sales surge 40 per cent in second quarter on stockpiling May 6, 2020 Ocado retail sales have jumped 40 per cent year on year after ramping up capacity to meet delivery demand amid shopper stockpiling during the coronavirus crisis. The online supermarket, which stopped accepting new customers for its delivery service amid the stockpiling craze at the start of the UK lockdown, today said that trend has now [...]
Activists and coronavirus: Funds will target devalued firms after crisis May 5, 2020 Much has been made of the comparison between the coronavirus crisis and the global financial crash over a decade ago. The pandemic has left dozens of listed UK companies in need of a lifeline, with the travel and leisure sectors devastated by government-imposed restrictions. FTSE firms across all sectors have witnessed their stocks implode as [...]