Dunelm’s profits dip as end of home improvement boom and high inflation eats into margins February 15, 2023 Homewares retailer Dunelm today said its profits have dipped since the pandemic due to soaring inflation and the end of the Covid house improvement boom. The Leicestershire firm said higher prices and slower sales had caused its pre-tax profits to drop by 16.6 per cent to £117.4m. Dunelm’s results come as the amount of [...]
Supermarket wars: Waitrose to invest £100m in own brand products as it squares up to discount rivals February 15, 2023 Waitrose is to invest £100m in cutting prices on hundreds of its own-brand products amid intense competition in the sector as consumers battle record inflation. The upmarket grocer is reducing the prices of almost a third of its lowest-priced Essential Waitrose range by an average 14%, while almost a quarter of the cuts, which come [...]
Institutions will continue to back blockchain February 14, 2023 The crypto world has been forcibly thrust into a renewed need for maturity, and institutions aren't phased by volatility, says Norman Wooding.
Citi eyes £6.6bn sale of Mexican bank Banamex as it retreats from international markets February 13, 2023 Citigroup is nearing the sale of its Mexican retail bank Banamex in a deal that would be worth $8bn (£6.6bn), the Financial Times reported, despite government interference scaring off potential bidders. According to three people familiar with the matter, the owner of Mexico’s largest mining company, Germán Larrea, is in exclusive talks to purchase Banamex. [...]
FTSE 100 live: London index under pressure despite easing of UK recession woes February 10, 2023 The FTSE100 index was trading slightly lower, down 0.24 per cent, this morning despite the UK narrowingly avoiding recession. London’s premier index had fallen to 7,892.06 points – down from yesterday’s close – while the domestically-focused mid-cap FTSE 250 index was off 0.55 per cent. Standard Chartered’s shares fell nearly five per cent in early [...]
ASOS announces new interim CFO as fast fashion chain attempts to rebuild after £32m loss February 10, 2023 Online fashion giant ASOS has brought in an experienced new interim CFO with as it continues its post-pandemic overhaul to plug on-going losses. The pandemic darling announced that 75 per cent of its new 12-person decision-making team has been filled, as part of a major turnaround bid called ‘Driving Change’. Its new ‘reinforced leadership and [...]
Watches of Switzerland revenues tick past £400m as buyers ‘invest in a rational indulgence’ February 9, 2023 Watches of Switzerland has seen its revenues soar in the three months ending 29 January with the group crediting a demand for luxury watches for the sales boost. The UK-based retailer, which stocks Swiss watches such as Rolex and Tag Heuer, brought in revenues of £407m in its third quarter, up 17 per cent from [...]
SocGen takes bad loan hit but claims 2023 is a ‘transitional year’ with ‘key deals’ ahead February 8, 2023 Societe Generale, France’s third biggest bank, favoured financial prudence over quick returns to shareholders as it prepared for the arrival of a new chief executive in May tasked with reviving its valuation in an uncertain economic climate. SocGen said it had hiked provisions for bad loans fivefold in the fourth quarter, cutting its net income [...]
High Street retail race: Marks and Spencer predicted to overtake John Lewis by 2026 February 8, 2023 Marks & Spencer will overtake John Lewis in the rankings of the UK’s biggest retailers by 2026, according to a new sales forecast. Tesco will retain its position as the largest retailer, followed by Sainsbury’s, but Amazon is on track to move into the top three within the next few years, industry title Retail Week [...]
More than £18bn was added to non-food retail sales by inflation as 80 per cent of retailers prepare to raise prices February 8, 2023 Inflation is set to add £18.2 billion to UK non-food retail sales this year, a report suggests. Sales values are expected to hit £249 billion in 2023, but the 2.6 per cent increase – or an additional £18.2 billion of spending on last year – will be driven entirely by rising consumer prices, according to [...]