Retail sales in biggest drop for three years January 26, 2012 Retail sales suffered their biggest annual fall in nearly three years in January, as shoppers reined in spending after picking up pre-Christmas bargains, an industry survey showed on Thursday. The Confederation of British Industry distributive trades survey’s balance for reported sales volumes plunged to -22 in January from +9 in December, its lowest level since [...]
Asda takes George brand to Middle East January 25, 2012 ASDA, the British arm of US retailer Wal-Mart, has signed a franchise deal with a Lebanon-based firm to take its George budget fashion brand to the Middle East. The UK’s second largest supermarket said in a statement yesterday that the Azadea Group, headquartered in Beirut, would explore options for its George label in the Middle [...]
Asda takes George brand to middle East January 25, 2012 Asda has signed a franchise deal with a Lebanon-based firm to take its George budget clothing brand to the Middle East. Britain’s second biggest supermarket group behind Tesco said the Azadea Group would open George franchise stores in the Middle East. Last year Asda announced plans to establish a small number of pilot George stores [...]
BEST OF THE BROKERS January 24, 2012 RYANAIR Espirito Santo rates the airline “buy” and has a target price of €4.60. The broker is expecting the firm to post a net loss of €18m in its quarterly results next week, on revenues of €806m. It thinks Ryanair’s current trading is on track and that the firm’s decision to cut capacity over the [...]
Forget the Kate Effect: we need Maggie Power January 24, 2012 IT’S a very dreary landscape out there right now for retailers. Unless, of course, you happen to be one of the lucky few – Burberry is one such brand. It can do no wrong, it seems, and never less so than when the Duchess of Cambridge is seen sporting its togs. After being spotted wearing [...]
Ocado shares fall as finance chief resigns January 23, 2012 OCADO saw its shares fall yesterday after the online grocer announced that Andrew Bracey, its chief financial officer, has quit to join the recruiting agency Michael Page as its finance director. Bracey, who joined Ocado just 18 months ago ahead of its controversial flotation in 2010, will step down in April after completing the group’s [...]
Asda plans £500m expansion January 23, 2012 ASDA has announced it will create 5,000 new jobs in 2012 by opening 25 new stores and three depots across the UK. Britain’s second largest supermarket chain has earmarked £500m for the investment that will also expand and refurbish 43 of its existing stores. The 25 new shops will add over 600,000 square feet of [...]
Asda to invest over £500m and create 5,000 jobs January 23, 2012 Asda, the British arm of US retailer Wal-Mart Stores has said it it will invest over £500m this year, opening 25 new stores and three depots and creating up to 5,000 jobs. Britain’s second-biggest supermarket group behind Tesco also said it would extend and refurbish 43 existing stores. The 25 new stores will add over [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING January 22, 2012 FINANCIAL TIMES EU PLANS RAISE HOME FORECLOSURE RISK UK homeowners could face higher mortgage costs and find themselves at greater risk of foreclosure as early as next year because of an obscure clause in the bank capital directive being worked on by the European parliament. US FUNDS RETURN TO EUROPEAN BANK PAPER US money market [...]
Ernst and Young: expect a jump in profit warnings January 22, 2012 PROFIT warnings soared in the final quarter of 2011, with Ernst and Young claiming yesterday that the growing gap between “star performers” and “zombie” companies points to more this year. The three-month period saw a 70 per cent jump in warnings – the highest quarterly rise since early 2001. Quoted companies issued 88 profit warnings [...]