A survey of 2,000 individuals, conducted between July 1 and 10, has revealed a fall in consumer confidence. According to the survey of consumer attitudes, carried out by GfK NOP Social Research, confidence dived by 5 points to -30 in July – edging closer to the -31 seen in April. The index was also worse [...]
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is urging the Government to cut the rate of VAT in core sectors of the economy. The suggestion comes after the FSB’s latest Business Confidence Report, which saw a sharp fall in sentiment during the second quarter. VAT was raised to 20% earlier this year to raise billions of [...]
Retail sales fell in June as households continue to be squeezed by higher inflation and rising unemployment. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)/KPMG retail sales monitor, sales fell by 0.6% on an underlying basis last month, while total sales (including VAT) rose 1.5%. Food sales growth eased a little last month but a strong [...]
Debenhams, which is Britain’s second largest department store after John Lewis, today brought some much-needed good news to the retail sector after reporting an increase in second half-sales. The retailing giant said sales at stores open more than a year, excluding VAT sales tax, were 1.5% higher in the 17 weeks to June 25. It [...]
Department store chain TJ Hughes has today revealed it is set to enter administration. The Liverpool-based store has more than 50 outlets across the UK and has a headcount of 4,000 – which are all at risk. The company said it will be appointing an administrator over the next week or so, unless a buyer [...]
Electrical goods retailer Dixons has today reported like-for-like sales fell 2% in the year to April. The results come just a day after fellow electrical goods chain Comet said sales fell 6.8% for the 12 month period. The figures are evidence of consumers reining in their spending and opting not to purchase big-ticket items at [...]
There is further evidence of consumers reining in their spending after Home Retail Group (HRG), the biggest household goods retailer, said sales fell 9.6% in the 13 weeks to the end of May. Shares in HRG sank 11% after the announcement – a 2½ year low – after it said trading conditions were challenging and [...]
Higher inflation has led to a fall in retail sales for the month of May, according to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) today. The fall was also attributed to consumers overspending in April due to the long bank holiday weekends and hot weather. The BRC said annual like-for-like retail sales fell by 2.1% in May [...]
A survey by the CBI has revealed consumer service firms have been hit by a cut back on spending. According to the CBI, firms such as hotels, bars and restaurants, saw evidence of weak demand but are optimistic about future prospects as conditions are not expected to be as challenging in the coming quarter. Meanwhile, [...]
Retailers Halfords and Carpetright have both issued profit warnings, as UK consumers are squeezed in the face of rising inflation and Government spending cuts. Car parts and bicycle retailer Halfords lowered its 2011 estimate for profits before tax to £124 million-£127 million, down from £127 million announced earlier this year. The retailer blamed the “tougher [...]
British retailing giant Marks and Spencer (M&S) has today reported like-for-like sales, which strip out new store openings, grew 0.1% in the 13 week period to 2 April. The figures were marginally better than expected and sent shares up 13.3p today to 353.5p. The 127-year-old retailer which sells clothes, food and homewares said general merchandise [...]
Retail sales fell last month - by a bigger than expected 0.8% on a monthly basis, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has reported today. The fall followed a downwardly revised gain of 1.5% in January. Sales growth for January was attributed to heavy discounts and a rush to beat the VAT hike, which came [...]
Next, which is Britain’s second largest fashion retailer, has today said consumers are tightening their purse strings in the face of soaring inflation and Government spending cuts. The retailing giant announced record profits but has warned of challenging times ahead for the High Street. It shares jumped 5% earlier today after posting record profits of [...]
Retail sales fell last month - providing further evidence of a fragile economic recovery. According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC)/KPMG retail sales monitor, like-for-like sales fell 0.4% in February on an annual basis after a 2.3% rise in January. The trade body attributed the fall to the ongoing squeeze on household incomes as fears [...]
Discount clothing retailer, Primark, has today warned of a slowdown in consumer spending, as Britons prepare to cut back amid rising unemployment and higher inflation. According to Primark’s parent group, Associated British Foods (ABF), “a noticeable slowing down of UK consumer demand” is evident despite strong trading in the first three months of the financial [...]
Consumer group Which? is concerned about surcharges imposed on to consumers who pay by debit or credit cards. It has therefore asked the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to investigate the matter - which sees retailers, local authorities, estate agents and cinemas all impose the charges. However, the “worst offenders” are said to be budget [...]
The slowdown in consumer spending looks set to continue after the John Lewis Partnership, which is regarded as a barometer of British retailing, reported a further fall in weekly sales. The renowned employee-owned chain said department store sales fell 0.9% o £49.5 million in the week to 29 January. In the week to 22 January, [...]
The John Lewis Partnership, which is regarded as a barometer of British retailing, has revealed sales slowed in the week to 15 January - attributed to the VAT hike from 17.5% to 20%. In the previous week, the renowned employee-owned department store said the bank holiday, on Monday 3 January, saw shoppers buy furniture and [...]
The rate of VAT will today rise from 17.5% to 20% as the Government looks to raise billions of pounds in order to trim the UK’s budget deficit. While many are prepared for the increase, retail sales are expected to be hit as consumers are expected to cut back on their spending over the coming [...]
Randgold Resources leads gains on 100, in London mining sector
European equities markets were lower Friday after the US Labor Department reported that there was no job growth in the United States in August, leaving the unemployment rate at 9.1 percent, and that for those with jobs, the number of hours worked and hourly earnings were both down during the month. The FTSE 100 was [...]
US unemployment rate holds steady at 9.1%
According to the Labor Department, the world’s largest economy added no new jobs last month, which was a surprise after markets had expected 70,000 new jobs. This represented the first time since 1945 that there has been a zero payrolls figure after 17,000 jobs were added in the private sector last month but these were [...]
Obama administration downgrade US economic growth prospects
There have been fears of late that the US economy could fall back into recession this year but the Obama administration does not envisage this and is predicting growth of 1.7% this year – albeit 1% less than its forecast earlier this year. Official data from the Commerce Department show the economy grew by just [...]
China manufacturing activity improves in August
Manufacturing activity in China grew for the first time in four months in August, two separate surveys have revealed. Firstly, the official China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing (CFLP) said its purchasing managers’ index (PMI) edged higher to 50.9 last month from July’s reading of 50.7. The index remains just above the crucial 50 level, [...]
UK construction growth slows further in August
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed growth in the UK construction industry weakened in August. The PMI dipped to 52.6 in August from July’s reading of 53.5 – however, the figure was in line with expectations. Furthermore, the index remains above the crucial 50 mark, which [...]
Hargreaves Lansdown leads 100 for second consecutive session on full-year results
European equities markets were mostly higher Thursday, but the Dax dropped 0.94 percent to 5,730.63 in Frankfurt after private consumption dropped by 0.7 percent in German in the second quarter and the economy there saw more imports than exports. The FTSE 100 was up 0.45 percent to 5,418.65 in London, while the FTSE 250 added [...]
Brazil in unexpected interest rate cut
Brazil’s central bank has cut the country’s key interest rate to 12% from 12.5% - a move which surprised economists. However, the bank said there had been a “substantial deterioration” in the outlook for the global economy and that was its reason for the rate cut. One analyst said the rate cut is a “huge [...]
South Korea inflation jumps to three-year high
Statistics Korea has today revealed South Korea’s inflation rate jumped to a three-year high of 5.3% in August as food costs continued to rise. The rate is up from 4.7% in July and represents the eighth consecutive month that inflation has been above the central bank’s target of 4%. Inflationary pressures are rife throughout the [...]
UK manufacturing activity hits 26-month low
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS)/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers’ index (PMI) has today revealed UK manufacturing activity contracted at the fastest pace in more than two years in August. The closely-watched CIPS/Markit manufacturing PMI fell to 49.0 last month from an upwardly revised 49.4 in July. The latest figure means the index remains [...]
BCC revises UK economic growth forecast
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has today revised its growth prospects for the UK economy. The lobby group is now forecasting growth of just 1.1% this year, down from its 1.3% forecast in June and much lower than the 1.9% it estimated at the start of the year. Meanwhile, it is expecting growth of [...]
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