John West makes first loss since 2010 after reversing failed pricing decision October 9, 2024 Canned tuna brand John West has fallen into the red for the first time since 2010 after reversing a failed decision to pass on price rises to its customers. The Liverpool-headquartered business has reported a pre-tax loss of £6.7m for 2023, having reported a profit of £2m in 2022. The last time John West posted [...]
Marston’s in ‘strong’ position as pub chain outperforms market October 9, 2024 Pub operator Marston’s has reported sales growth ahead of the wider market and said its profit this year will be in line with expectations. The FTSE-listed firm told markets this morning that total retail sales for the 52-weeks to 28 September were 5.8 per cent higher than the prior year, with growth in like-for-like sales [...]
How BT, EE, Plusnet, Talktalk, O2 and Virgin Media misled customers over mid-contract price rises October 9, 2024 Six of the UK’s biggest broadband providers, BT, EE, Plusnet, Talktalk, O2 and Virgin Media, failed to make mid-contract price increases clear to consumers, the advertising watchdog has ruled. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the companies misled consumers by placing important information about price rises separately to headline prices and in areas of less [...]
Manchester City say Premier League rule is now void. Lawyers disagree October 8, 2024 Lawyers have shot down claims by Manchester City that the Premier League’s associated party transaction (APT) rules should be considered “void” following the club’s partially successful legal challenge. In a letter to the other 19 top-flight clubs, Manchester City general counsel Simon Cliff said APT rules – designed to prevent clubs benefiting from artificially inflated [...]
London Underground: Tube strikes loom as workers to vote on walk-outs October 8, 2024 London Underground workers are being balloted on Tube strikes over pay and conditions amid a dispute with Transport for London (TfL). Members of the Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) in jobs including customer service and advising passengers in stations are being asked if they want to strike. The ballot closes on 18 October and also [...]
A wake up call: Why a talented public sector is key to protecting democracies October 8, 2024 Democracies rely on governments running a public sector that can attract the country's top talent, writes Shmuel Chafets
Gilt yields rise ahead of Budget as Chancellor Reeves set to increase borrowing October 8, 2024 Analysts suggested that the increase was largely a result of concerns that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will ramp up borrowing in the budget to fund a major investment programme.
PRS REIT reveals ‘excellent’ results as strategic review looms October 8, 2024 PRS REIT has revealed a set of strong results as the trust gears up for a strategic review following a shareholder row. The real estate investment trust reported an 11 per cent uplift in the value of its underlying assets, as rental income on its private housing portfolio surged 12 per cent on a like-for-like [...]
The ‘battle for value is on’ at UK grocers as supermarkets push discounts October 8, 2024 Higher spending at supermarkets over the last month has been driven by sales of discounted goods as grocers compete to bring financially-stretched customers through their doors, according to fresh data. Grocery price inflation increased slightly to two per cent during the four weeks to 29 September, up from 1.7 per cent last month, according to [...]
Bank of England should not adopt ‘aggressive’ rate cuts October 8, 2024 In an interview with the Guardian, Governor Andrew Bailey said there was a chance that the Bank could become a "bit more activist" on rate cuts in the months ahead.