Interest Rates
This coverage explores UK interest rate movements and their impact on the retail industry, focusing on monetary policy decisions, borrowing costs, consumer spending, and retailer financing strategies. Reporting highlights how rate changes affect sales dynamics, investment planning, and operational budgets — providing insight for executives, finance leads, and business strategists navigating economic volatility.
-
Oct- 2024 -14 OctoberNews-In-Brief
Today’s news in brief-14/10/24
Mulberry’s majority shareholder has rejected an increased bid from Frasers Group, which had offered £111m to take control of the luxury fashion brand. Frasers, already owning 37% of Mulberry, raised its offer to 150p per share after a previous £83m bid was turned down. However, Mulberry’s majority shareholder, Challice, expressed…
Read More » -
3 OctoberSupermarkets
Sainsbury’s chief calls for Budget action on consumer confidence
Sainsbury’s boss Simon Roberts has called on the government to introduce measures to improve consumer confidence in the Budget this month. He told Reuters that despite falling inflation, higher wages, and solid employment levels, UK shoppers remain nervous about spending on bigger ticket items. Recent surveys have shown UK consumer…
Read More » -
2 OctoberSupermarkets
Booths narrows pre-tax losses to £1.6m
Supermarket chain Booths has narrowed its losses from £4.0m in 2023 to £1.6m and has reported a 6.7% rise in sales to £318.7m for the year ending 30 March 2024. The group attributed the performance to increased footfall and basket spend, partly due to inflation and the benefit of an…
Read More » -
1 OctoberNews
Sleepeezee pre-tax profits dip to £159k in FY23
Bed retailer Sleepeezee has reported a pre-tax profit of £159,261 for the year ended 31 December 2023. According to statements filed at Companies House, the business saw its turnover fall from £39m in 2022 to £38.7m. The bed manufacturer said that retail performance was impacted by rising interest rates and…
Read More » -
Sep- 2024 -23 SeptemberClothing & Shoes
Oliver Bonas profits fall to £6.8m amid high inflation
Oliver Bonas profits dropped to £6.8m for the year ended 31 December 2023 as the company struggled with growing interest rates and high inflation. Although profit before tax fell 5%, EBITDA rose by 11%. Turnover for the company was also up 18% to £136m. In addition, on the digital side,…
Read More » -
19 SeptemberEconomy
BoE holds interest rates at 5%
The Bank of England (BoE) has decided to hold interest rates at 5% this month, having lowered them for the first time in four years in August. The bank voted by a majority of 8-1 to keep the rate the same in a bid to help “sustain growth and employment”.…
Read More » -
Aug- 2024 -23 AugustClothing & Shoes
Fred Perry PBT jumps 11.5% to £18.5m
Fred Perry has revealed its profit-before-tax jumped 11.5% to £18.4m in the year ended 31 December 2023. In its most recent filings to Companies House, the clothing and sportswear retailer, founded by the eponymous Wimbledon champion, revealed its turnover also jumped 10% to £154.1m as its European and and International…
Read More » -
9 AugustDIY
CMO sales fall by 17% in H1 amid poor weather
CMO has seen H1 sales fall by 17% to £30.3m, down from £36.9m the prior year, after first quarter sales were hit by poor weather during the period.Over the half-year period, Building sales fell by 13%, while Plumbing was down by 12.4%. Its Tiles business was the most impacted, however,…
Read More » -
1 AugustEconomy
BoE cuts interest rates for first time in 4 years
The Bank of England (BoE) has cut interest rates for the first time in four years, with the rate falling to 5%. The bank voted by a majority of 5–4 to reduce the rate by 0.25 percentage points to 5%, marking the first fall in inflation since March 2020, where…
Read More » -
Jul- 2024 -17 JulyHigh Street
The Perfume Shop profits fall despite rise in revenues
The Perfume Shop has reported a fall in profits from £23.7m to £21.4m despite a 4.6% rise in revenues to £302.4m for the 52-week period ending 30 December 2023. Its profit after tax also dipped to £15.4m. The group stated that consumer sentiment remains subdued as inflationary pressures and high…
Read More »
