Mortgage data expected to hint at improvement – London Report June 28, 2015 MORTGAGE approvals data from the Bank of England, out today, is expected to show an improvement in housing market activity during May. The bank is expected to reveal that mortgage approvals for house purchases rose modestly further to be at a 15-month high of 68,500 during the month. GDP growth is likely to be revised [...]
Natoora’s Franco Fubini on why he prefers Italy’s food to its labour laws June 28, 2015 It is a promising time for Britain’s premium food sector. Last year, sales of organic food rose by 4 per cent to £1.86bn and specialised suppliers have been looking to capitalise on a disenchantment with supermarkets. Franco Fubini is one of them. “I was in the fresh produce section of a chain of delicatessens [...]
My mid-life crisis over technology stocks – CNBC Comment June 22, 2015 Nostalgia is a dangerous thing. A couple of years ago I broke a golden rule of mine. I went to a LIFFE market reunion. It was a big mistake. There is nothing worse than a bunch of greying, balding, slightly tubby middle aged men (mostly) banging on about how great times were “back on the [...]
Sinking supermarkets: Tesco has had a disastrous year. Can it recover? June 18, 2015 The UK’s supermarkets were once investment darlings. The likes of Tesco and Sainsbury’s emerged on the stock markets, radically changed our shopping habits and then rose to dominance on the FTSE 100. But times have changed, and the supermarkets have been down on their luck. Are they still worthwhile investments? “Part of the [...]
Sainsbury’s and Tesco ditch Transport for London’s Tube station Click & Collect scheme June 17, 2015 It seems the retail revolution is still a little way off, after supermarket giants Sainsbury's and Tesco ditched a scheme introduced by Transport for London (TfL) to let shoppers collect their groceries at Tube stations. Read more: TfL given the green light to turn its HQ into flats The scheme, introduced amid much pomp and [...]
Ocado’s making robots that will help in the workplace June 10, 2015 The online grocery company Ocado is getting into the robot business as work begins today on developing technology which will become humanoid helpers to workers. The company will work with leading researchers across Europe to combine artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced vision technologies to create robot support worker which can lend a helping hand. [...]
Price war prompts a record high of bets against Supermarket giants June 9, 2015 HEDGE funds are making record bets against the health of the supermarket sector, with the average interest in the UK’s four listed grocers breaking the 11 per cent barrier for the first time. Sainsbury’s and Morrisons are now the two most-shorted constituents of the FTSE 100 behind oilfield services provider Petrofac, according to a report published [...]
Mix it up: Breathe new life into your G&T with these artisan gins June 9, 2015 Familiarity can breed contempt. Prior to the recent resurgence, such was the state of Britain’s relationship with the gin and tonic. The fire had gone out: it had become a cocktail of convenience. It wasn’t always thus. Like all good love stories, British affection for the G&T was born in battle. It was a [...]
Supermarket price war attracts short sellers to record positions in sector June 9, 2015 It's no secret UK supermarkets have been under the cosh both in terms of the ongoing price war with discounters Aldi and Lidl, as well as several problems of their own making. Now it seems short sellers are making hay while the sun shines. The sector has attracted record interest from short sellers, with [...]
Apple Pay in the UK: These are the retailers and restaurants signed up for the July launch June 9, 2015 Some of the UK's biggest retailers are lining up to start accepting Apple Pay when it launches in the UK next month. As well as being able to use your iPhone or Apple Watch to seamlessly glide through ticket barriers on the Tube, the Silicon Valley giant has its finger hovering over the button [...]