Exclusive: Online retail sales record five years growth in 12 months due to pandemic February 12, 2021 Online retail sales recorded five years of growth in just 12 months as the coronavirus pandemic accelerated the shift to digital shopping, the latest research showed. E-commerce sales accounted for 19 per cent of retail spending in 2019 compared to 28 per cent 2020 after restrictions and lockdowns forced consumer spending online and away from [...]
Why are we so bullish on crypto? February 5, 2021 Cryptocurrency markets have exploded on to the scene. They have momentum, driven by institutional interest, technological progress, financial innovation, macroeconomic factors, and the collective power of the people. These are the most exciting times since the inception of the crypto markets and will change many lives. It is of the utmost importance to understand why. [...]
Exclusive: ‘Pool Re’ style scheme could help insurers fund Covid-19 cover, says Beazley CEO February 5, 2021 The CEO of insurer Beazley is hopeful that insurers will be able to provide cover against infectious diseases like Covid-19 in the future, but said a government backstop may be needed to press ahead. It is not possible to get insurance on Covid-19-related cancellation cover on events this year, because the chances of an event [...]
The week ahead, 1-5 February: FTSE heavyweights front up to third lockdown January 31, 2021 After a turbulent opening to 2021, with new Covid-19 lockdowns around the world, spats over “vaccine nationalism”, and chaos on both Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, a slew of FTSE heavyweights are set to update the market in what will be a crunch week for London’s indices. Despite a strong opening week, the FTSE 100 [...]
Fashion victims: What next for the high street after Topshop and Debenhams go online-only? January 25, 2021 Topshop and Debenhams are set to disappear from the high street after e-commerce giants Boohoo and Asos swooped on the beleaguered retailers, reflecting the dramatic impact the pandemic has had on the UK retail sector. The decision to take former high street stalwarts Debenhams and Topshop digital-only strengthens experts’ predictions that the growth of online [...]
Brexit friction should spark new ideas for retail exports January 23, 2021 Many retailers received a welcome boost during the Covid-19 crisis with a rise in online orders from international markets, but with exports to EU member states facing teething problems in the form of higher costs and processing delays, now’s the time for retailers to broaden their reach and tap into new markets further afield. Research [...]
Mayor of London pledges 999-year shared ownership lease to tackle unfair extension costs January 22, 2021 Sadiq Khan has stood up for leaseholders in the capital by pledging a 999-year shared ownership lease on homes until 2026. The mayor has delivered a new expectation that all shared ownership homes built under his new £4bn Affordable Homes Programme are sold on a long-lease basis. He wants London to lead by example and [...]
How finding the quality within value was crucial in 2020 January 20, 2021 There are two broad areas of value in the UK market, financials and commodities, that in aggregate make up around a third of the FTSE All Share index. Within this, however, there are vast differences in both quality and performance. (Please see the end of this article for a glossary of terms). 2020 was a [...]
Welcome to the world of decentralised finance January 19, 2021 Decentralised Finance or “DeFi” for short is an ecosystem of financial tools and services that are built on open-source networks and do not involve any centralised institutions. If you’re someone who takes an interest in the crypto space, you’ve probably heard about DeFi this year, as the space has rapidly grown from just over $600M [...]
Christmas sales hike drives strong revenue growth at Asos January 13, 2021 Sales at fashion retailer Asos surged in the four months ending in December as the online shopping boom continued amid the coronavirus pandemic. The firm said that the hike in sales had led to a better-than-expected growth in revenue over the period leading up to Christmas. As a result of the strong start to the [...]