Boohoo mulls linking bonuses to ESG improvements April 24, 2021 Boohoo is considering linking top bosses’ bonuses to improvements in the fast fashion firm’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, following a scandal surrounding factories used by the retailer’s suppliers. The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) said that Boohoo had agreed to look into the idea of linking senior executive remuneration incentives to ESG improvements. In [...]
London stocks end the week lower despite strong economic data April 23, 2021 London’s blue-chip stocks were little changed on Friday but finished the week lower as growing concerns over a surge in global coronavirus cases eclipsed optimism from recent data pointing to a rapid UK economic rebound. The exporter-heavy index ended the session flat, with a fall in heavyweight energy shares and large dollar earning companies including [...]
Franco Manca owner Fulham Shore says reopening sales beat pre-Covid levels April 23, 2021 Franco Manca owner Fulham Shore said sales had boomed since outside trading at its restaurants reopened, beating pre-Covid levels. Group sales in the week ended 18 April were ahead of the same wee in April 2019, before the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK. Following the “very encouraging” first week of outdoor trading, Fulham Shore said [...]
UK PMIs: Reopening boom brings surge of activity for British businesses April 23, 2021 A flurry of new orders swept through British businesses in April as the country eased Covid restrictions, according to a survey released today which pointed towards a rapid economic rebound. The preliminary ‘‘flash’’ reading of the UK Composite Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 60.0 in April from 56.4 in March. This signalled its highest [...]
Biden’s proposal to double capital gains tax turns fragile rebound on its head April 23, 2021 Any economic recovery became a lot harder after last night’s selloff in US markets on reports that President Biden was looking to increase the rate of capital gains tax to 39.6 per cent for those Americans earning $1m a year or more, up from the current rate of 20 per cent, with some wealthier individuals [...]
UK retail sales surge higher in March ahead of lockdown easing April 23, 2021 Retail sales continued to recover in March with a monthly increase of 5.4 per cent as the nearing of Covid restrictions loosening boosted consumer spending. This exceeded a prediction from economics of a monthly increase of 1.5 per cent, data from the Office for National Statistics showed on Friday. Sales were 1.6 per cent higher [...]
Co-op to axe team manager roles in shake-up affecting 2,000 jobs April 22, 2021 Convenience store chain Co-op has announced plans to overhaul its worker structure, in a move that is expected to impact around 2,000 staff members. The retailer will reportedly axe the team manager role across most of its sites, although no compulsory redundancies are expected to be made. Instead, Co-op will offer those affected by the [...]
Shopper, drinker and diner numbers recover as UK retailers and hospitality firms reopen April 22, 2021 Restaurant and pub reservations soared and shoppers headed back to the high street in vast numbers as coronavirus restrictions on outdoor hospitality and retailers lifted. The latest data showed that UK seated diner reservations on Saturday reached 60 per cent of the levels seen on the equivalent day in 2019, pre-pandemic. Figures were even higher [...]
Boozy Brits stock up on hangover cures as pubs in England reopen April 21, 2021 Britons stocked up on hangover “cures” in the week that English pubs were allowed to resume outdoor trading. Figures showed sales of painkillers surged in the week beginning 12 April as pubs reopened their beer gardens for the first time in months. Data from pharmacy chain Superdrug showed that co-codamol sales surged 64 per cent [...]
Hammerson completes retail park exit with £330m sale to Canadian private equity player April 21, 2021 Property giant Hammerson has confirmed that it has sold seven retail parks to private equity firm Brookfield in a £330m deal that completes the retail landlord’s exit from the struggling sector. The £330m price tag represents an eight per cent discount to the 31 December book value of £357m, and the deal concludes Hammerson’s disposal [...]