Get the real story: more substance, less fluff and puff. Keep up to date with news and views from around the electrical industry with Get Connected

UK bank lending “will contract in 2012”

Small and medium sized enterprises will be most affected

The influential Ernst & Young Item Club forecasting group has predicted that bank lending will contract this year for the first time since 2009. Total lending is forecast to drop by 2.2%, and corporate lending will be down by 5.7%, and small and medium-sized businesses will be hit hardest by the funding squeeze. read more...

06 Feb


UK businesses plan to reduce capital investment

SMEs “most likely to create jobs” over next 12 months

A report from the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) suggests that UK businesses are cutting back on capital investment and job creation, and the UK may be heading back into recession in 2012. The ICAEW/Grant Thornton business confidence monitor shows that the outlook has dipped sharply into the negative, registering -9.3 in the third quarter, as compared to +8.1 in the same quarter a year earlier. read more...

06 Feb


Government puts up £1 million for UK High Streets

12 run-down High Streets will win “golden ticket” funding

The Government announced over the week-end that it is making £1 million funding available to help UK High Streets develop and implement initiatives to win back shoppers lost to out-of-town shops and the internet. The pilot scheme is inviting applications from local retail groups, as part of the measures proposed by Mary Portas. read more...

06 Feb


January footfall impacted by December Sales

Shoppers spent out

Retail footfall figures released by Ipsos Retail Performance today show that shopper visits to non-food stores declined 5.5% year-on-year in January. The month-on-month figure was more extreme, at -29.2%, as early discounting in December impacted the traditional Sales period. read more...

03 Feb


LG stems losses

Q4 sales up 7.1%

LG Electronics reported a net loss of KRW 112 billion in fourth-quarter earnings, down from a loss of KRW 414 billion in Q3 2011. Sales in the quarter increased 7.1% to KRW 13.8 trillion, compared to KRW 12.9 trillion in the third quarter. read more...

03 Feb


Last pieces in Comet deal jigsaw fall into place

Supplier issues reportedly settled at meeting with John Clare

The sale of the Comet chain to retail turnaround specialist OpCapita for £2 has been in the air for so long now that it has been assumed to be a done deal, but concerns expressed by Comet’s suppliers following uncertainty about the future status of Comet’s trade credit insurance cover have until now prevented its final conclusion. read more...

03 Feb


Panasonic posts Q3 350 billion yen pre-tax loss

Forecast for full-year net loss is record 780 billion yen

Panasonic has announced a pre-tax loss of 350 billion yen for the three months ending 31 December 2011, the Corporation’s third fiscal quarter, and has warned that the net loss for the full year to 31 March 2012 will be a record 780 billion yen. read more...

03 Feb


Electrolux posts Q4 and full-year results

Q4 profits fall

Electrolux posted Q4 earnings just ahead of forecast and said it expected flat or falling demand in the European market this year. read more...

02 Feb


Birmingham youngster wins Beko Mums United competition

6-year old striker nets £1,000

Six-year old striker Aidan Smith from Castle Vale, Birmingham has won the monthly Beko Mums United Facebook competition, after family and friends agreed to sponsor every goal he scores this season to raise money for the family of his best friend Callum Henry, who died in a car accident in September. read more...

02 Feb


Digital listening continues to rise

Half of all radio listeners choose digital platforms

Q4 2011 RAJAR figures, released today, reveal that listening to digital platforms is now at 29.1%, up 16.4% year-on-year and representing half of all radio listeners. read more...

02 Feb


 

 

© Copyright 2012 Get Connected. Mud Hut Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved. | Sitemap | Website built by iQ interactive | Design by <Will Dobson Creative>