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According to a survey by Lloyds, business confidence has increased across all UK regions and sectors. The survey, which tracks business confidence for sales, orders and profits, revealed an increase in the latest positive balance which was at 30% last July and has risen to 45%, showing an increase across...
A poll of economists by the BBC has said that interest rates in the UK are unlikely to rise from their current rate of 0.5% this year.The poll said that 93% of the economists thought that rates would remain stable until at least the end of 2014, with over half...
Ian Cheshire, boss of DIY chain B&Q, has been honoured in the Queen's New Year's Honours list for services to "business, sustainability and the environment". He was appointed by the Prime Minister to advise on ways to cut EU red tape on a taskforce that included Marc Bolland of M&S...
Natwest and RBS customers who tried to pay for fuel at Tesco petrol stations have had their cards locked after a glitch at the pay-at-pump terminals.The glitch occurred when customers attempted to enter their PIN numbers at the petrol pumps with many people entering the number up to three times,...
Fashion chain Next has seen fourth quarter sales “significantly” ahead of expectations, leading the firm to raise its profit forecasts for the year.Next said that the 11.9% rise in sales between November 1st and December 24th was led by improvements in its seasonal knitwear, nightwear and gift ranges. Meanwhile, as...
A surge in online sales saw the best ever Christmas for House of Fraser.The group said like-for-like sales for the three weeks to December 28th rose 7.3%, with online sales up 57.7%.Meanwhile, net debt is expected to have lessened in the year from £157.2 million in January 2013. ...
Department store group John Lewis has laid out ambitious expansion plans, aiming to double in size over the next decade.The move follows a successful Christmas for the chain, with like-for-like sales rising 6.9% in the five weeks to December 28th. Total sales were £734 million, 7.2% up compared with last...
The head of finance at department store chain Debenhams, Simon Herrick, has left the business following a warning that profits were likely to drop by as much as 26%. Earlier in the Christmas period, the chain wrote to suppliers asking them to drop their prices in what has been dubbed...
The number of retailers going into administration fell last year, according to business advisory firm Deloitte. Research found that 183 retailers entered administration over the last 12 months compared with 194 in 2012, a drop of 6%. Lee Manning, restructuring services partner at Deloitte, said:"The high street has undergone a...
Middle class shoppers at supermarket chain Waitrose have complained that a free coffee offer to loyalty card holders is attracting a more downmarket clientele.The offer of a free cup of tea or coffee in stores for myWaitrose card holders, even if they don’t make a purchase, has attracted backlash from...
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