Anxiety about soaring living costs weighs down UK consumer confidence September 24, 2021 Intense anxiety about sharp rises in the cost of living is weighing down Brits’ confidence levels, according to fresh data published today. Consumer confidence in the UK slid five points to minus 13 in September, driven by Brits sharpening their focus on the spectre of inflation and tax hikes looming over their living standards. Empty [...]
French Connection shares jump 15 per cent following takeover offer September 23, 2021 French Connection’s share price has surged after the ailing company announced it had received a generous takeover offer from a group of shareholders. The British retailer, made famous by its controversial FCUK logo, has struggled during the pandemic making an operating loss of £11.7m in 2020 after sluggish sales caused revenue to fall by 40.4 [...]
Brexit-proof: City’s share of European investment management market larger than Frankfurt, Paris and Zurich combined September 23, 2021 The City of London’s share of the European investment management market is larger than the combined total of Paris, Frankfurt or Zurich. It is by far the largest investment management hub in Europe with a market share of 37 per cent, according to new data shared with City A.M. today. The City of London and [...]
Cloudy outlook to prompt MPC to hold fire on rates and QE September 23, 2021 A slowing economic recovery from the Covid-19 crisis, sharp energy price rises and tax hikes squeezing Brits’ household incomes are likely to prompt the Bank of England’s committee of rate setters to err on the side of caution today. The Bank’s monetary policy committee (MPC) will announce its latest decision on rates and the fate [...]
Bank of England’s reputation is at stake in the interest rate tragicomedy September 22, 2021 Misplaced expectations often lead to wasted time. Pip, Vladimir and Estragon waiting for Godot, and even England fans crying out for the arrival of Jack Grealish during Euro 2020. These stories teach us that banking on something to happen can lead to opportunities going amiss. The Bank of England could be lumped into that group [...]
Pernod Ricard to acquire The Whisky Exchange September 21, 2021 Global drinks giant Pernod Ricard will acquire the online spirits retailer The Whisky Exchange. The drinks producer signed an agreement to acquire The Whisky Exchange – which also operates a trio of central London stores – for an undisclosed sum, it announced on Tuesday. The brands will collaborate on private sales and online auctions of [...]
Exclusive: ASOS and Boohoo lead the pack as online-only retail sales hit record £16bn September 20, 2021 Sales at the UK’s 20 biggest online-only retailers have reached a record £16.4bn in the last year, rising 22 per cent from £13.2bn the previous year, according to calculations based on Companies House data. This growth continues to be driven by the success of fashion retailers, which increased their revenues by 14.2 per cent to [...]
Next to run Gap’s UK operation in joint venture September 17, 2021 Next will manage Gap’s online business in the UK and Ireland as a franchise partner, after the companies finalised an agreement. The fashion companies announced they will form a joint venture with Next owning 51 per cent and Gap owning 49 per cent. Next will operate Gap’s e-commerce business across the Next Total Platform, host [...]
Retail sales fall as reopening bounceback runs out of steam September 17, 2021 Retail sales volumes dropped 0.9 per cent last month as Brits rushed to dine out at restaurants when lockdown restrictions eased and stores faced supply disruption. A dip in food store sales of 1.2 per cent and a 1.5 per cent jump in automotive fuel sales suggests that people leaned into post-lockdown freedoms by travelling [...]
Rallying travel stocks lift London markets September 16, 2021 London’s FTSE 100 edged up today on a rally among travel stocks, helping to partly reverse yesterday’s poor performance. The capital’s premier index gained 0.16 per cent to hit 7,027.48 points, partly evening out losses registered on a choppy day on London markets yesterday. The likes of aerospace engineer Rolls Royce and British Airways parent [...]