The Commerce Department has revealed the world’s largest economy grew by 1.3% on an annual basis in the April to June period – higher than an initial estimate of 1%. The figure was also slightly higher than analysts’ expectations of 1.2% and follows a 0.4% growth rate in the first quarter of the year. The [...]
Accountancy firm BDO has warned Britain’s retailers should prepare themselves for some tough times as pressure builds on consumers in the run-up to Christmas. According to the firm’s High Street Sales Tracker, sales figures for August fell 2.2% among mid-market retailers, attributed to the riots and cooler weather during the month. The riots, in particular, [...]
Music, books and games retailer HMV has today reported a pre-tax profit of £28.9 million in the 12 months to the end of April – a fall of 61% compared with the £74.2 million in the same period a year earlier. Furthermore, like-for-like sales have dived 11% over the past year as it struggles with [...]
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 [...]
Shares in troubled music, books and games retailer HMV have risen today after it emerged that it has secured a new refinancing deal with its lenders. The deal, worth £220 million, will see the taxpayer taking a stake in the company. The group’s main lenders are taxpayer-backed Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group. [...]
According to a survey commissioned by BBC One’s Panorama programme, employees are £1,088 a year worse off than they were two years ago as take-home pay fails to keep in line with inflation. At the start of this year, the typical British worker earned £20,149 – a drop of 5% from what they were earning [...]
Music, books, DVDs and games retailer, HMV, has watched its shares plummet 20% today after the firm issued another profits warning. It also revealed it would currently fail to meet the conditions of its loan agreements in April. The retailer, which also owns Waterstone’s bookshops, in January said it was struggling to meet the terms [...]
Music, books, DVDs and games retailer, HMV, has today said it is planning to close 60 stores over the next year. The announcement came after it revealed sales were hit by the recent heavy snowfall. The chain also continues to struggle amid tough competition from supermarkets and internet companies, such as Amazon. Shares in the [...]
First-time buyers (FTBs) are still struggling to get a foot on the ladder, despite a steep rise in the number of mortgage products available. Mortgage deals for those with a small deposit has doubled, according to Moneyfacts.co.uk, with more than 1,000 mortgages on the market for those with a 20% deposit or less. However, while [...]
The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) has today reported a further fall in repossessions – the fourth consecutive quarter in which they have fallen. According to the Council, lenders seized 8,900 properties in the July to September period – representing a fall of 5% compared with the second quarter. Experts argued, though, that many homeowners [...]
According to housing charity, Shelter, there has been an increase in the number of mortgage holders who are struggling to meet their monthly repayments. A survey carried out by YouGov shows that three million people are struggling each month with their mortgage repayments – a staggering increase of 80% compared with a year ago. Worryingly, [...]
Operating profits at British Gas soared by 58% last year to £595 million, compared with £379 million in 2008. Its parent company Centrica said the figures beat the previous high of £573 million in 2007. While British Gas announced earlier this month it was reducing its gas prices by 7%, the results will no doubt [...]
Troubled Japan Airlines (JAL) is expected to enter bankruptcy proceedings within the next couple of days, according to reports. It is believed the state-owned Development Bank of Japan has already agreed to the bankruptcy. The airline, which is Asia’s largest carrier, is grappling with a mountain of debt and it is currently under the watchful [...]
Struggling Japan Airlines (JAL) yesterday saw its shares close at a record low of 87 yen on the Tokyo Stock Exchange after it emerged that Mitsui & Co broking house had sold all its shares in the carrier. A spokesperson for Mitsui & Co said it had sold all of its 11.7 million shares between [...]
WHSmith has abandoned talks with bookshop chain Borders, which is set to see Borders UK enter administration unless a sale is imminent. Borders is understood to not have sufficient cash to see it through to Christmas as it has suffered amid increased competition from supermarkets and online retailers, such as Amazon. As a result, the [...]
Business group, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), is claiming that small and medium-sized firms are still struggling to access finance. The report comes despite the £200 billion injected into the UK financial system to boost lending. According to the BCC, one third (33%) of companies surveyed said that accessing finance had been more difficult [...]
As part of its ongoing global cost-cutting programme, Swedish telecoms equipment maker Ericsson is to eliminate 700 jobs from its research and development operation in Coventry. The cuts will be made by the middle of next year and the company said after that time, the facility would no longer be viable. Ericsson has been in [...]
The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) said there is a growing increase in the number of consumers struggling with fuel debts. During April to September 2009, the CAB in England and Wales reported a 46% increase in the number of clients with fuel debts compared to the same period a year ago. David Harker, chief executive [...]
Research from the Local Data Company (LDC) has revealed the tough times retailers have experienced during the economic downturn. The economic downturn has meant consumers have tightened their purse strings, having a devastating affect on trade. The iconic department store, Woolworths, collapsed under a mountain of debt at the end of last year, while other [...]
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, [...]
About | Privacy | Disclaimer | Resources | XML Feeds | Press Releases | Directory | Contact us
