All City & finance articles – Page 547
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OpinionWaterstone’s must turn the page
Has HMV’s takeover of Ottakar’s paved the way for Waterstone’s high street domination as opponents of the deal predicted?
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News
Equity markets ‘open for business’
The equity markets are still open for business if retailers and investors are willing to collaborate, according to industry observers.
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NewsInterest rate held at 0.5 per cent
The interest rate has been held at 0.5 per cent by the Bank of England.This is the second month in a row that the Bank of England has held the interest rate after it consecutively cut the rate to a record low over a six-month period to try and stimulate ...
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News
MPs call for more scrutiny of pre-packs
MPs have called for tighter regulations and more scrutiny of pre-pack administrations.A report by the Business and Enterprise Committee into the actions of the Insolvency Service found that public confidence in insolvencies would be damaged “unless prompt, robust and effective action” is taken to ensure pre-packs are “transparent and free ...
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OpinionKeep going, there’s still stuff to be done
The UK’s largest shopfitter has unveiled what can only be termed as a catastrophic set of results — but Styles & Wood’s 23 per cent fall in sales also means is that retailers are still handing out 77 per cent of the fit-out contracts that they were in the prior year.
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News
N Brown looks abroad to continue its growth
Home shopping group N Brown will focus on new markets and an enhanced customer offer to continue to increase sales after a strong full-year performance.
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NewsReassuring updates propel retail shares again
Once again, the only way was up for store stocks as the general retailers’ rally maintained momentum following a raft of reassuring updates and results.
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OpinionIs retail seaworthy again?
Are investors in retail shares, like the Jumblies, going to sea in a sieve?
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NewsWHSmith considers increasing presence in overseas airports
WHSmith is contemplating further overseas expansion of its travel business by opening in more foreign airports.
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NewsDebenhams to cut down concession space
Debenhams will reduce its concession space by 450,000 sq ft as sales from own-bought ranges drive performance.
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AnalysisRetail finance directors: More than just number crunchers
No longer just bean counters in ivory towers, the role of the finance chief has evolved, and those who can marry the maths with commercial nous are in high demand.
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News
US retail ‘undertaker’ sets up shop in UK
US-based retail restructuring and liquidation giant GA Asset Advisors has arrived in the UK in expectation of continued turmoil in the stores sector.
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NewsConsumer confidence levels rise for third month
Consumer confidence improved in April to levels not seen for more than a year.Confidence in the general economic situation over the next 12 months reached an index level of -15, which was a 16-point improvement on the previous month and the strongest showing since August 2007 research carried out by ...
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NewsHMV reports strong growth but books remains weak
HMV UK and Ireland has reported like-for-like growth of 4.3 per cent for the 16 weeks ending April 25 while Waterstone’s like-for-likes slumped 4.5 per cent.
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NewsCarpetright like-for-likes continue to slump as margins slip
Carpetright’s like-for-like sales have continued to tumble but it has successfully renegotiated its banking terms.
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News
Primark sales hit £1bn but harder second half looms
Primark broke the £1bn sales barrier in its first half but has warned of increasing pressure on margins.
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NewsTesco outperforms as profits rocket to £3bn
General retail stocks have outperformed the supermarkets lately, but that pattern was reversed this week as Tesco’s full-year results exceeded City expectations.
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News
Ideal to improve online offer after £4m loss
TV shopping group Ideal Shopping Direct has said it will focus on improving its online offer after a turbulent year led to a pre-tax loss of £4m.
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Opinion
Resenting bankers won’t get us far
The media’s and politicians’ campaign of vilification against individual bankers makes good copy but is just a convenient diversion from the real economic problems.
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OpinionCarpetright on solid ground
The latest BRC retail sales figures showed that while some sectors were up after several months of poor trade, the furniture and floor coverings sector worsened. But next week we may well see one retailer faring better than most in its sector – Carpetright.