Can online favourite Ocado make a comeback, or will its share price sink lower? March 28, 2023 Ocado’s share price fell nearly six per cent in afternoon trade as the “magic” of the online retailer’s venture with Marks and Spencer did little to buoy the confidence of investors In its start of year trading update Ocado revealed that retail revenue grew slightly by 3.4 per cent, although a 7.5 per cent decrease [...]
Andrew Bailey dismisses banking volatility as ‘testing out’ but stresses BoE remains ‘vigilant’ March 28, 2023 Andrew Bailey today dismissed recent volatility in the banking sector as “testing out” firms although he stressed that officials in the UK remained “very vigilant” for further signs of friction. Responding to a grilling by MPs on the treasury committee, the governor of the Bank of England said “there’s been quite sharp moves in markets [...]
Supermarket wars: Lidl and Aldi gain ground on Tesco as bargain-hunting Brits battle grocery inflation March 28, 2023 Lidl is the UK’s fastest growing supermarket as bargain-hunting Brits turn to the discount grocer during the cost of living crisis. With grocery inflation now at 15 per cent, new figures published by Kantar this morning show value outlets have seen an uptick in sales last month. Sales in the German supermarket Aldi rose 25.8 [...]
Ocado’s ‘M&S’ magic fails to impress as shares trade down despite revenue boost March 28, 2023 Ocado said it had helped by some “M&S magic” as the grocery chain’s joint venture with the high street stalwart boosted sales by 3.6 per cent in its first quarter. Shares in the online grocer were last trading down 1.97 per cent or 8.9p at 443.20p. The up market online grocer, which posted a pre-tax [...]
Lamborghini, Aston Martin & Dior: Why are the world’s luxury brands recession proof? March 27, 2023 Luxury brands are yet to feel the cold wind of recession, with luxury names including Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Bentley and Dior all posting a surge in revenues in 2023. The companies all cite the “resilience” of their wealthy customers in an otherwise tough economic market. Lamborghini is the latest to appear to shrug off soaring [...]
FTSE 100 close: London index falls as investors react to mixed retail figures, JD Wetherspoon and Tui March 24, 2023 London’s FTSE 100 index closed 1.31 per cent lower today as investors failed to be enthused by data showing the UK’s economy is faring better than expected following the Bank of England’s (BoE’s) decision to hike interest for the eleventh time in a row. The capital’s premier index fell 1.05 per cent to 7,424.71 points [...]
Sharp increase in retail sales amid ‘subdued’ outlook due to inflation – but is there a ‘chink of light’ with Easter holidays? March 24, 2023 British retail sales grew sharply last month compared to pre-pandemic levels, but price increases continue to deliver a “subdued” longer-term outlook. Sales volumes are thought to have increased by 1.2 per cent in February after a rise of 0.9 per cent in January, suggesting the industry is recovering from the pandemic well. Industry figures are [...]
First Kingfisher now Wickes: DIY drop off dents profit for home improvement – but it’s not all bad news March 23, 2023 Wickes has seen a drop in profits for the year as consumers’ love for home improvements took a dent from rising costs, despite the company reporting ‘record’ sales. The DIY retailer posted pre-tax profits of £75.4m down from a “record” £85.0m in 2021 when Brits were engulfed in a number of circuit breaker lockdowns and [...]
When is the Bank of England interest rate decision and what is going to happen? March 23, 2023 The Bank of England is going to deliver its interest rate decision today against the backdrop of a shock rise in inflation and a now becalmed banking mini-crisis. Before Wednesday’s surprise increase in inflation to 10.4 per cent, there was speculation about whether the Bank’s decision making body, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) would raise [...]
Superdry share price up three per cent after sale of Asian Pacific IP for £40m March 22, 2023 Struggling fashion brand Superdry has sold the intellectual property of its Asia Pacific offering to South Korean retail group Cowell Fashion Company for $50m (£40m) in a bid to boost funds. The deal will see Cowell own and sell the Superdry in the Asian market starting with its home market of South Korea and then [...]