All articles by George MacDonald – Page 256
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News
100,000 retail jobs cut this year
As tough trading continues, full scale of hidden job losses revealed – and the worst is still to come.
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Opinion
Best Buy can’t walk on water
John Browett and Hugh Harvey could have been forgiven a little Schadenfreude last week.
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News
Early Sales and consumer belt tightening hit retail share prices
General retailers’ shares plummeted as the market took fright at another step down in consumer spending, tight credit conditions and signs of early Christmas promotions.
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News
Woolworths trouble could knock rivals, City fears
The performance of Game, HMV and WHSmith are at risk as a result of the problems of Woolworths, which has held talks about a sale to restructuring specialist Hilco.
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News
Sir Stuart Rose: 'step-down' in trading in last fortnight
There has been another marked fall in consumer spending in recent weeks, Marks & Spencer executive chairman Sir Stuart Rose has said.
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News
Marks & Spencer prepares for promotional showdown with Debenhams
Marks & Spencer will launch a high-profile 20 per cent off promotion on Thursday as retailers compete more aggressively for share of Christmas spend.
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News
Inflation plunges at record rate
Inflation has fallen at the steepest rate in more than a decade, driven down by cheaper fuel and food.
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News
John Lewis sales fall again
Department store business John Lewis suffered a 14 per cent sales fall last week, it is understood.
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News
Comet hit as suppliers' insurance cover cut
Some suppliers to electricals retailer Comet have had credit insurance reduced, it is understood.
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News
Interest rate cut fails to boost shoppers' festive spending plans
The dramatic interest rate cut earlier this month has done nothing so far to stimulate Christmas spending, updated GfK NOP data shows.
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Opinion
Interest rate cut might just work
When the chief executive of Tesco reportedly breakfasts at the weekend with the Governor of the Bank of England, emphasising the extreme fragility of consumer confidence and pressing for an interest rate cut, it’s a sure sign of torrid times.
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News
Analysts hail Tesco’s Far East growth plan
The financial sun is rising on Tesco’s Far Eastern businesses, analysts believe following a tour of stores in the region.
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News
An October to forget spells out mountain to climb at Christmas
The downward pressure on retail share prices lightened a little following last week’s swingeing interest rate cut but, the scale of the industry’s difficulties were reflected in appalling British Retail Consortium sales figures.
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News
Woolworths' EUK asks customers for upfront payment
EUK, variety store group Woolworths’ entertainment supply division, has been forced to ask customers for upfront payments as the credit crunch bites.
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News
Best Buy warns on profits after 'seismic change' in shopper behaviour
US electricals giant Best Buy, which plans to make a high-profile debut in the UK next year in partnership with Carphone Warehouse, has issued a profit warning.
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News
Marks & Spencer offers international delivery to online shoppers
Marks & Spencer is offering international delivery for online shoppers as it bids to increase sales at its direct business to 500 million by 2011.
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News
WHSmith cautious on Christmas outlook
Bookseller and stationer WHSmith posted a 4 per cent rise in total sales in the first 10 weeks of its financial year but warned Christmas trading would be competitive.
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News
Sainsbury's reports interim profits leap
Supermarket group Sainsbury’s generated a surge in first-half earnings on the back of “universal customer appeal”, chief executive Justin King has said.
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News
Woolworths veteran Roger Jones dies
Veteran Woolworths director Roger Jones, who spent 50 years at the variety store group, died on Sunday.
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Analysis
DIY: Kingfisher’s pole position
It may be in the eye of the storm in the UK, but Kingfisher’s overseas operations are growing fast. George MacDonald reports from Warsaw on the retailer’s booming Polish operation.