Original Factory Shop closes all stores amid collapse April 16, 2026 The Original Factory Shop has closed all 137 stores and its head office, after the retailer collapsed into administration amid growing industry fears over weak consumer confidence and high taxes. The discount department store was put into administration along with Claire’s Accessories earlier this year, as private equity firm Modella Capital said government policy was [...]
Dunelm shares slump after Iran war profit warning April 16, 2026 Shares in Dunelm have slumped after the homeware and furniture store warned its profits could dip as the Iran war damages consumer confidence. The FTSE 250 firm’s share price fell as much as 7.9 per cent on Thursday, to 789p, leaving the stock down more than 26 per cent in the year so far. The [...]
Hermès and Gucci shares tank in ‘dismal’ week for luxury brands April 16, 2026 Investors have fled from leading luxury stocks like Hermès and Gucci this week after they revealed tumbling sales as a result of the Iran war. The market was quick to respond to the poor results from several top fashion houses, as doubts swirl around the Middle East’s role as a key market for luxury brands. [...]
Beauty Tech Group profits jump following London IPO April 16, 2026 The Beauty Tech Group has posted stronger-than-expected annual results after its London listing last year, with revenue and profits surging as demand for at-home beauty devices continued to grow across international markets. The Manchester-founded business, which floated on the London Stock Exchange in October at a valuation of about £300m, told markets on Thursday that [...]
Tesco shares jump as profit surges despite Iran ‘uncertainty’ April 16, 2026 Tesco shares jumped in early deals this morning after the retailer reported a better-than-expected profit for the year to the end of February. The supermarket giant made an operating profit of over £3.1bn in the year to February 2026 compared to its own forecasts of between £2.9 and £3.1bn. The supermarket expects to make an [...]
Tesco nears crucial update as Iran war threatens food inflation April 15, 2026 As the bosses of the country’s biggest supermarkets crowded into the chancellor’s office earlier this month, no voice will have been as loud as that of Ken Murphy, chief executive of Tesco. Rachel Reeves summoned grocery executives to discuss how the Iran war will impact Brits’ weekly shops, and Tesco’s results tomorrow will pull back [...]
Morgan Stanley and Goldman Space X IPO plan to curb post-float selloff April 14, 2026 The Wall Street banks elected to work on Space X’s anticipated listing are drawing up plans to curb a post-IPO slump that could have detrimental effects to its valuation. Advisers on the deal are exploring whether insiders and early investors could be allowed to sell shares before the standard 180-day lock up has passed, according [...]
Procook sales surge as young Brits get taste for dinner parties April 14, 2026 Procook has toasted surging sales as the kitchenware retailer cashed in on young Brits’ growing appetite for hosting dinner parties. The London-listed firm posted sales of £85.5m for the year to end March, a rise of just under a quarter on the previous year and ahead of market expectations of £83.5m, after demand outperformed the [...]
OK computer: will AI be telling you how to shop? April 14, 2026 Hyped as a “seamless” user experience and an opportunity for retailers to access “hundreds of millions” of consumers via ChatGPT, OpenAI walked back from its Instant Checkout shopping function at the end of March, just months before unveiling it. The tool would have allowed users to complete purchases entirely within ChatGPT, but the Silicon Valley [...]
High street spending gets ‘much-needed boost’ but cost alert sent to shoppers April 14, 2026 High street spending in March remained robust though travel companies suffered from holidaymakers’ fears about organising a trip to the Middle East, research has suggested. Retail surveys have suggested that high street shops were boosted by shoppers’ Easter hunt for food, computers and toys last month. Research by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) suggested that [...]