WH Smith’s reports double-digit profit growth in first half – and yes, adult colouring-in books are still a thing April 13, 2016 WH Smith has delivered strong first half results, with profit and earnings up double-digits and an improvement in high street sales. But investors appeared unimpressed: WH Smith's share price was down 4.1 per cent in morning trading. The figures The stationer reported group pre-tax profit of £80m for the six months to 29 February, up 11 [...]
McDonald’s, JD Wetherspoon and Domino’s urged to crackdown on use of antibiotics in global meat and poultry supply chains April 11, 2016 A coalition of 54 institutional investors, which manages funds totalling $1 trillion, has called on 10 UK and US restaurant chains including McDonald’s, JD Wetherspoon, Wendy’s and Domino’s Pizza Group to curb antibiotic use in their global meat and poultry supply chains. The investors, which include Aviva Investors and Coller Capital, have written to ten [...]
City Moves for 11 April 2016 | Who’s switching jobs April 11, 2016 BBC Worldwide Tom Fussell has been appointed as chief financial officer at BBC Worldwide. He has extensive experience of the TV and wider media industry, having worked in global media organisations for 20 years. Most recently, Tom was finance chief of Shine from 2013 to 2015, leading a global finance function across 11 markets. He [...]
City Moves for 5 April 2016 | Who’s switching jobs April 5, 2016 Bevan Brittan Law firm Bevan Brittan has announced that Joanne Easterbrook has been appointed senior partner with effect from 1 May 2016. Joanne succeeds Bethan Evans in the post, who is returning to full-time local government client work. Joanne is a highly experienced partner and recognised specialist, leading the firm’s clinical risk practice and counting [...]
Watch out, London: Brexit could mean fewer new homes as investors eye up Paris and Berlin April 4, 2016 Houses, hotels and office blocks may start sprouting up across London at a slightly slower pace this summer, as a survey of top property investors revealed investment in real estate will take a temporary knock in the event of Brexit. KPMG asked 25 global property investors, with combined portfolios of more than $400bn (£281bn), about [...]
Panmure Gordon boss boasts of first quarter profitability despite record loss for 2015 and Brexit headwinds March 31, 2016 Panmure Gordon’s chief executive has played down the company’s record £16.7m loss for 2015, while boasting of a return to profitability in the mid cap specialists first quarter. The broker warned though that market volatility and fears over the approaching European Union membership referendum could weigh on its performance. “Headwinds aside, we’re in good shape,” [...]
Brazil: Between the rule of law and the rule of politics March 31, 2016 President Dilma Rousseff's hope of surviving a looming impeachment are becoming dimmer each day. On Monday, the Brazilian Bar association filed a new process to remove her from power on the grounds of accounting fraud. Yesterday, her party, PT, lost their largest ally in the Brazilian Congress as centrist party PMDB, presided by vice-president Michel Temer, withdrew their support [...]
There was a fire at ITV Studios this morning and London Fire Brigade made a pun about it March 30, 2016 London Fire Brigade has tackled a fire at ITV Studios this morning – but not before it meant Good Morning Britain was forced off air. Four fire engines and 21 firefighters and officers were called to ITV Studios on London’s Southbank this morning, where an IT post production room was on fire. Around 50 people evacuated [...]
UK pensions: One in five Brits expect to retire after their 70th birthday, and it’s stressing people out March 29, 2016 We hope you enjoyed your bank holiday weekend but don't get too used to the downtime – a study out today by Willis Towers Watson has found that one in five (21 per cent) Brits don't expect to retire until after their 70th birthday. Not to be too big a bearer of bad news but the study [...]
Al Jazeera network to cut 500 jobs March 27, 2016 Qatari-owned Al Jazeera has announced that it will be cutting 500 jobs. While the cuts will affect posts across the world, most of the losses will be concentrated in Qatar. Mostefa Souag, acting director general, said that he was confident the decision is "the right step". "While our decision is consistent with those being made across [...]