Debenhams, which is Britain’s second largest department store after John Lewis, has today exceeded market expectations after reporting growth of 0.4% in the nine week period to the end of August on a like-for-like basis. The retailing giant said aggressive summer discounting and promotions had helped increase its market share. The company said growth came [...]
The latest survey from the Nationwide Building Society has revealed a surge in UK consumer confidence for the month of May. The building society’s consumer confidence index rose 11 points to 55 last month – the biggest monthly increase in 5½ years, and takes the index to a five-month high. However, the index is still [...]
A survey conducted between May 6 and 15 revealed a strong rise in consumer confidence. According to the survey of consumer attitudes, carried out by GfK NOP Social Research, confidence jumped to -21 from April’s two-year low of -31. May’s reading represents the biggest increase since May 1993 and surprised analysts who had expected a [...]
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has today said mortgage lending continues to remain weak, suggesting the housing market will remain subdued this year. According to the Council, gross mortgage lending for March was 2% lower in March on an annual basis. However, on a monthly basis, gross lending rose 21% to £11.3 billion, compared [...]
The Bank of Japan (BOJ) has today said the economy is emerging from a slowdown and is optimistic about future prospects. The statement comes just a day after figures revealed Japan’s economy, which is now the world’s third largest, contracted by 0.3% in the final three months of 2010. While it was marginally less than [...]
The Australian economy, which is one of the few developed economies not to have fallen into recession like its counterparts throughout the world, has today reported a slowing in growth for the third quarter as the rise in the dollar hit export earnings and consumers were hit by higher interest rates. Official figures revealed the [...]
India’s Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee, has expressed his optimism for the economy’s return to growth. According to the FM, the economy should experience growth of 9% but should make it past the double digit barrier in the next two years. He added that the economy was “on a path to rapid recovery” after the latest [...]
BDO, the accountancy firm, has today provided an optimistic report about the prospects for the UK High Street. Spending cuts and tax hikes has led many experts to suggest that consumers will rein in their spending, having a severe impact on retailers. However, BDO suggests that sales will grow by 3% over Christmas as shoppers [...]
It appears the European Commission is optimistic about the euro zone’s growth prospects after lifting GDP forecasts. According to the Commission, growth of 1.8% in the EU for 2010 is expected – slightly higher than its previous estimate of 1%. Meanwhile, for the 16-member euro zone, it is forecasting growth of 1.7% – up from [...]
The euro zone’s second largest economy has lowered its economic growth forecast following a meeting between the President Sarkozy and senior finance ministers. The French President requested that ministers interrupt their summer holidays to discuss how France is going to tackle its deficit. Following the meeting, a statement said the economy will expand by 2% [...]
British Airways (BA) today announced losses widened after the airline was hit by disruption from the volcanic ash cloud and cabin crew strikes. The company said pre-tax losses widened 10.8% to £164 million for the three months to the end of June, compared with the £148 million loss it made in the same period a [...]
A survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) today revealed shoppers hit the High Street in July, with sales increasing at the fastest pace in more than three years. According to the CBI’s monthly distributive trades survey, supermarkets, clothes and shoe shops received the most business as sales grew at the fastest rate since [...]
Wall Street banking giant JPMorgan has kicked off the banking reporting season today with better-than-expected second quarter profits – due to better credit conditions. The bank reported net income of $4.8 billion (£3.1 billion) – a 75% increase on the $2.7 billion reported in the same period a year ago. Today’s figures from JP Morgan [...]
A survey by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) today revealed a mixed June for retail sales with footwear stores hit but food and electrical retailers experienced good growth. According to the CBI’s monthly distributive trades survey, over one third of retailers reported a rise in the volume of sales during the first two weeks [...]
The Virgin Money Investors Intentions Index has revealed Independent Financial Advisers (IFAs) are confident about long-term investments from Emerging Markets and the Far East. While more than four out of five IFAs will recommend investing in UK Shares to clients over the next three months, they are more optimistic about other markets. According to the [...]
The finance ministers of the G20 group of developed and emerging economies issued optimism about the global economic recovery, after it met on April 23 in Washington, D.C. An announcement after the meeting stated that the global economy is emerging faster than expected from its worst recession since World War II. According to the G20 [...]
The Ernst & Young Item Club, a respected group of economists, believes that the UK economy will struggle to achieve 1% growth next year and it is still too early to declare a recovery. The influential think tank is forecasting some growth in the latter half of 2009 but Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will struggle [...]
It appears that many consumers believe the worst of the recession could be over after the Nationwide Consumer Confidence Index rose from a revised 65 in August to 71 in September – the highest level since April 2008. According to the Nationwide, the index is also 24 points higher than it was this time last [...]
The Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) index has revealed a fall in UK manufacturing activity in September by falling to 49.5 from 49.7 in August. The data shows that employers reduced headcount for the 17th consecutive month, while the rate of pick-up in new orders slowed. The fall was a surprise to many [...]
Britons are regaining their confidence in the UK housing market, with 35% of vendors currently prepared to stick with their asking price, rather than drop to secure a sale. According to new research from The Co-operative Bank, a change in attitude is taking place among sellers, although home buyers are holding back, with only 12% [...]
M&S Money launches 3% cash ISA
M&S Money has launched an Advantage Cash ISA paying 3 per cent, and which allows transfers in from other ISAs. It can be opened with a minimum deposit of £100 lump sum followed by minimum monthly deposits of £25. The 3% rate is variable, but there is no short-term bonus so the return won’t plummet [...]
Google suspends UK Compare Mortgages site
Google has closed its UK mortgage comparison site which it launched in July last year, after it proved to be less popular than expected. Mortgage comparison sites are designed to allow visitors to compare mortgages quickly and easily without having to visit each lender’s individual site. Google was competing with several well-established comparison sites, including [...]
AA launches ‘black-box’ policy for young drivers
The AA is launching an innovative car insurance policy called Drivesafe which could help younger drivers save up to £850 a year. Younger drivers already pay substantially higher premiums than other motorists and these costs are increasing. A new study by Confused.com suggests insurance costs for younger driver have gone up by 5.7 per cent [...]
ATOL scheme updated to protect online bookers
ATOL, a financial protection scheme managed by the Civil Aviation Authority, is being extended to protect up to six million more holidays a year. The scheme ensures that holiday makers do not lose out financially if a travel company collapses, and that they are not stranded abroad. An increase in the number of holidays booked [...]
Home repossessions lowest for four years
The number of UK homes repossessed fell to 36,200 in 2011, significantly below the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ forecast of 40,000, and lower than 2010 when 37,100 homes were repossessed. With interest rates remaining low and lenders adopting a sympathetic attitude to customers in financial difficulty, repossessions fell to their lowest level since 2007. However, [...]
Monthly pay lasting just 17 days
Workers are running out of money just 17 days after receiving their monthly pay, according to new research by the Halifax bank. This means that the average UK worker spends half the month worrying about money. The study, based on the responses of more than 2,000 adults, found that 10 per cent of workers start [...]
Women disadvantaged by auto-enrolment changes
Government proposals to increase the auto-enrolment threshold to £10,000 could put 1.8 million women at risk of missing out on a pension, the TUC has warned. Under the auto-enrolment scheme, which will be phased in from October, private sector employers will automatically enrol workers between the age of 22 years and the state pension age, [...]
Emergency household repairs company Homeserve is taking longer than expected to get back on track after its operations were suspended last October. The company expected customer numbers to fall by 5% this year but it has increased this estimate to 8% and announced the loss of 200 jobs. It estimates that renewal revenue in 2013 [...]
Sale rumoured for Yorkshire and Clydesdale banks
There is growing speculation that National Australia Bank (NAB) may sell Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank after the Australian parent company announced a strategic review of the two banks’ operations. The Australian economy is performing well and NAB reported strong profits for the final quarter of 2011 but with the UK economy at a virtual [...]
More women experiencing debt difficulties
Women in Debt, which offers female-focused debt advice, has warned that the number of UK women facing serious debt has grown significantly over recent years. The organisation believes that more women will need advice on solving debt problems in the future because they are building up an unsustainable level of indebtedness. Women in Debt’s director, [...]
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