Businesses ‘clearly anxious’ as budget approaches, survey shows October 8, 2024 The BCC's quarterly economic survey showed that 48 per cent of firms cited taxation as a worry, up from 36 per cent the quarter before.
Oasis tickets and discounts ensure September spending doesn’t slide away October 8, 2024 Retail sales in the UK have held up despite a dip in confidence, driven by widespread discounts and a spike in entertainment spending after Oasis‘ tickets went on sale. Consumer card spending increased 1.2 per cent year on year in September, after returning to growth in August, according to data from Barclays. Discounting pushed spending [...]
The Notebook: New draft of renters’ rights bill risks inflating prices (even more) October 8, 2024 Two key changes in Labour's bill could impact the rental market
Turnover rise for Kenco maker despite coffee lovers buying less after price rises October 7, 2024 Sales at Jacobs Douse Egberts, whose brands include the likes of Kenco and L’or, increased despite fewer people buying coffee after the group upped its prices. The Maidenhead-headquartered UK division of the Netherlands giant said consumers bought less coffee during its latest financial year because it rose its prices because of “exceptional levels of input [...]
Sweet Dreams for bed retailer as sales near milestone October 7, 2024 Sales at bed retailer Dreams increased towards a new milestone as its profit remained steady during its latest financial year. The Buckinghamshire-headquartered chain has reported a turnover of £395.4m for 2023, up from the £387m it achieved in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show its pre-tax profit dipped slightly from £50m to £49.3m [...]
Wedgwood owner slumps to loss despite strong Harrods and Selfridges sales October 7, 2024 The owner of historic fine china and porcelain brand Wedgwood has slumped into the red despite strong sales through Harrods and Selfridges. Fiskars UK, which is based in Stoke-on-Trent, is also behind the Waterford, Royal Doulton and Royal Albert brands. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House have revealed that the business fell to a pre-tax loss [...]
JLL cans dividend as profit slumps but predicts turnover boost October 7, 2024 Profit has been slashed at the UK arm of global real estate services giant JLL as “increased market uncertainty” hit its earnings. The London-headquartered division has reported a pre-tax profit of £21.9m for 2023, down from the £60.9m it achieved in 2022. Newly-filed accounts with Companies House also show that its turnover reduced from £460m [...]
UK house prices rise for third straight month ahead of Budget October 7, 2024 House prices rose for the third consecutive month in September, taking the average price of a property to the highest level in more than two years. House prices increased by 0.3 per cent month on month in September, and 4.7 per cent year on year. The average property now costs £293,399 – compared to £292,540 [...]
How Labour can deliver an industrial renaissance October 7, 2024 Energy transition can be economic transition, writes Aniruddha Sharma, Chair & CEO of Carbon Clean Blink and you could have missed it, yet a brief sentence in the King’s Speech in July signalleda huge statement of intent in generating economic growth. The new government’scommitment to establishing an Industrial Strategy Council sent an encouraging signal tobusiness. [...]
Here’s what the government should do to fix business rates October 7, 2024 Businesses are calling for certainty. What they don’t need is a knee-jerk reaction on business rates from the government, writes David Jones