Coincidence? Retailers’ profit margins have been squeezed since Black Friday hit UK shores, KPMG reveals November 24, 2017 The Black Friday phenomenon seems to be sticking around in the UK, as more and more retailers have extended offers on both sides of the big day. But there could be a darker side to the shopaholic frenzy, according to KPMG. Data compiled by the accountancy firm has found that profit margins of the UK’s [...]
William Hill confirms Down Under tie-up talks over digital bookmaker CrownBet November 24, 2017 William Hill has confirmed it is in talks over a prospective merger with CrownBet after media speculation over a potential tie-up. But don’t bet on a deal being announced anytime soon, as the bookmaker said it was in “very preliminary discussions” with the online wagering business over a possible tie-up with its Australian subsidiary. “There [...]
Autumn Budget 2017: Chancellor Philip Hammond’s speech in full November 22, 2017 You can read the chancellor's Budget speech in full here: Mr Deputy Speaker I report today on an economy that continues to grow, continues to create more jobs than ever before and continues to confound those who seek to talk it down. An economy set on a path to a new relationship with our European [...]
Oil and commodities prices: Mining firms drag the FTSE down as commodity prices drop November 15, 2017 Commodity prices tumbled this morning, dragging miners and oil firms down and causing Britain’s blue-chip index to dip. Metals including copper, nickel, zinc and aluminium came under pressure as concerns mounted over weaker economic data in China. Chinese industrial production fell to 6.2 per cent in October, missing estimates of 6.3 per cent growth and [...]
New Bond Street overtakes Champs Élysées to become Europe’s most expensive shopping street November 15, 2017 London’s New Bond Street has overtaken the Champs Élysées to become the most expensive place in Europe for retailers to have a store. With a price of $1,720 (£1,305) per square foot per year, New Bond Street is the third most expensive shopping hotspot in the world, after Upper 5th Avenue in New York and [...]
How are Apps Using Bitcoin? November 14, 2017 Found on both IOS and Android, Bitcoin is used in apps ranging from wallets to apps that can help convert bitcoin to physical currency. There are also an increasing number of games that use Bitcoin as a reward to users completing engagements within their apps. Bitcoin can be used as a proxy to Bitcoin [...]
Kantar figures: Lidl maintains position as UK’s fastest growing grocer as Sainsbury’s outpaces Big Four November 14, 2017 Lidl has kept its crown as the UK’s fastest growing grocer for a fifth quarter in a row, as Sainsbury’s becomes the best performing of the Big Four. Figures published by Kantar Worldpanel this morning show that sales were up 15.1 per cent at Lidl in the 12 weeks to 5 November, with 10.6m households [...]
Barclays is working with startup Flux to make your receipts digital and paperless November 13, 2017 Barclays is the latest major bank to turn to a startup as we approach the era of Open Banking, when high street banks will have to work even harder to keep up with newer and more digital rivals. The bank is working with Flux, a UK fintech, for making receipts digital, initially in a trial [...]
Barclays is working with startup Flux to make your receipts digital and paperless November 13, 2017 Barclays is the latest major bank to turn to a startup as we approach the era of Open Banking, when high street banks will have to work even harder to keep up with newer and more digital rivals. The bank is working with Flux, a UK fintech, for making receipts digital, initially in a trial [...]
Fears of a nightmare before Christmas for UK retailers as footfall and spending dip November 13, 2017 Retail analysts fear a nightmare before Christmas for British shops as figures published today show weakness ahead of the crucial holiday spending spree. Footfall in UK retailers fell by two per cent year-on-year in October, according to figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) and Springboard. The decline in the number of shop visits was [...]