UK mattress startup Simba Sleep raises £40m and is heading for profit in some markets December 17, 2017 Simba Sleep, one of several startups hoping to disrupt the world of sleep, has bedded fresh cash to fuel global expansion as it nears profitability in some markets. The £40m series B round of investment comes from previous backers Nigel Wray, a City heavywight and chairman of Saracens rugby club, Wharton Asset Management and Swiss [...]
Binary ban: European regulators to ban popular trading product and crackdown on spread betting December 16, 2017 European regulators last night revealed plans to outlaw one of the most popular trading products available to the public. The European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) wants to ban the sale of binary options to retail clients. The prohibition is part of a wider clampdown on the spread betting sector that would also see contracts [...]
Whether it has peaked or not, we’re playing a waiting game with inflation December 14, 2017 On Tuesday, official data showed Consumer Price Inflation crept up slightly to 3.1 per cent in November. It was enough to oblige the Bank of England Governor Mark Carney to write a letter to the Chancellor, an event not unlike a naughty schoolboy writing a letter of apology to the headmaster. Mr Carney wrote to Philip [...]
Christmas shopping: UK high street benefits from rise in customer numbers at start of Christmas shopping season December 11, 2017 The UK high street benefited from a slight rise in footfall last month as retailers started selling their Christmas ranges. Footfall rose by 0.2 per cent in November, according to data from Springboard. This was a significant improvement on last year, when footfall fell by one per cent year-on-year. Read more: Bright spot for BrightHouse? [...]
No royal rally can change Britain’s harsh economic realities November 29, 2017 What a difference 24 hours makes. Monday morning’s headlines in Britain were dominated by the familiar themes of Brexit-inspired political tension and economic listlessness – yet by Tuesday morning Brexit was briefly forgotten as the nation digested the news of a royal engagement. The Daily Mail’s coverage was typically low-key, with readers treated to a [...]
UK small and mid cap shares: in search of growth November 28, 2017 For equity investors seeking exciting growth companies the UK market offers some compelling opportunities. Investors in UK-quoted companies have two key markets from which to choose: the main market of the London Stock Exchange with its well-established FTSE indices and 319-year pedigree (see footnote 1), and relative newcomer the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). For active [...]
Staying afloat: What the string of shelved IPOs means for investors November 28, 2017 It takes a brave business leader to list their company on a public stock exchange, and while the success of an IPO is largely based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals, it’s also a delicate act of timing. This month, we’ve seen a string of British companies shelve their plans to float, including the likes of [...]
Bricks or clicks? Rumours of the high street’s demise have been greatly exaggerated November 28, 2017 The way we shop may have changed markedly over time, but the nation’s appetite for shopping is as voracious as ever. This was shown, once again, in the frenzy around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, now important landmarks in the retail calendar. Early estimates suggest that spending exceeded £7bn. The fundamental shift has been driven [...]
After the hype, this year’s retail extravaganza of Black Friday was a short-lived frenzy November 27, 2017 Just three years ago Black Friday became synonymous with images of customers fighting over heavily discounted goods. The ugly scenes accompanied reports of police and ambulance services being called to stores across the UK, with several people injured in the melees. Fast forward to 2017 and the madness turned to mirth over the weekend as [...]
DEBATE: Is there any point to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in Britain? November 27, 2017 Is there any point to Black Friday and Cyber Monday in Britain? Olga Kotusr, chief executive and founder of retail startup Mercaux, says YES. Black Friday has matured into a major event in the UK retail calendar. While some may be sceptical about it (and the new “Cyber Monday” craze that now follows it), for [...]