| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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