Investors set to be cheered by Bunzl’s climbing profits December 18, 2022 Specialist distribution group Bunzl is set to have waded through cost inflation and supply chain challenges and emerged with strong sales at the end of the year. The FTSE 100 company, which sells global businesses a wide range of products from coffee cups to cafes, food wrap to supermarkets, and cleaning materials to hospitals, will [...]
Matalan’s founder John Hargreaves makes last attempt to retain control December 18, 2022 John Hargreaves has reportedly made a last attempt to keep control of Matalan, making a 50-50 offer with Elliot Advisors’ private equity arm. The 78-year-old businessman, who floated the company almost 25 years ago, is among one of Matalan’s four potential buyers. The other three are the retailer’s senior lenders and private equities Alteri and [...]
City eyes final economic data before Christmas shut down December 18, 2022 Although investors will be readying to get away over the Christmas break, there are a few economic data sets to get through before the City shuts down. Last week, London’s FTSE 100 index slumped nearly two per cent to close at 7,332.12 points as traders were bombarded by a barrage of global economic news. FTSE [...]
November sales down as online retail flops despite Black Friday December 16, 2022 Sales have slumped this November as Black Friday didn’t give online stores the boost it needed. Figures published today by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that retail sales volume contracted by 0.4 per cent following a 0.9 per cent rise in October. Online shops were hit the most as non-store retailing sales volumes [...]
JP Morgan raises China growth forecasts as country braces for Covid-19 spike December 15, 2022 JP Morgan has hiked its growth forecasts for China, after the sudden removal of its ‘zero-Covid’ laws paves the way for a brighter economy. The US bank now expects China’s gross domestic product (GDP) to grow by 30 basis points to 4.3 per cent next year. “The most important development in the past month is [...]
Currys slashes profit forecast as boss warns ‘tough environment’ isn’t going anywhere December 15, 2022 Currys has booked a loss as its chief executive warned that a “tough environment” showed little signs of disappearing in the short-term. The laptop-seller slashed its full year outlook from an initial target range of £130m to £150m to a lower target of £100m to £125m. It posted a group adjusted loss of £17m for [...]
Watches of Switzerland backs full-year guidance as luxury demand still buoyant December 14, 2022 Watches of Switzerland has said it is sticking to its full-year guidance for 2023 as there continues to be strong demand for luxury watches. In half-year results, the London-listed retailer said revenue from luxury watches made up 87 per cent of group revenue, with sales growth of 31 per cent versus the previous year. Group [...]
Profit surge for Zara owner Inditex despite shoppers’ fears of inflation December 14, 2022 Zara owner Inditex has seen sales and profit boosted, against a backdrop of a torrid consumer environment for fashion firms. The Spanish fashion giant posted a 24 per cent jump in net profit in the first nine months of its financial year, despite what CEO Óscar García Maceiras described as a “challenging context.” Sales online [...]
In a world first: New Zealand imposes lifetime tobacco ban on anybody born after 1 January 2009 December 13, 2022 New Zealand today passed into law a unique plan to phase out tobacco smoking by imposing a lifetime ban on young people buying cigarettes. The law says that tobacco cannot ever be sold to anybody born on or after January 1, 2009. It means the minimum age for buying cigarettes will keep going up and [...]
Poundland owner Pepco to accelerate plan for new stores as profit booms December 13, 2022 Poundland owner Pepco will accelerate its store rollout strategy as it looks to entice cash-strapped shoppers, after posting elevated profit. The discount retailer said it was taking an increased focus on new stores in Western Europe and a refit programme in Central and Eastern Europe. Pepco was upping its annual capex spend to between €350m [...]