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.
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Jan- 2024 -31 JanuaryFeatures
It’s not all just fun and games
The UK toy industry reported that its annual sales dropped by nearly £200m in 2023. Sales dropped by 5% to £3.5bn, according to the annual toy industry report by the market research company Circana. The report stated that the decline reflected the broader impacts of challenging UK economic conditions. So,…
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8 JanuaryEconomy
120,000 retail jobs lost in 2023
Almost 120,000 retail employees lost their jobs in 2023 after more than 10,000 shops shuttered over the year, according to new data from the Centre for Retail Research. It found that during the 2023 calendar year, a total of 119,405 jobs were lost and 10,494 stores were shuttered across the…
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6 JanuaryAdvice
Managing retail cash flow and finances: A comprehensive guide for retailers
Create a detailed budget – The foundation of sound financial management is a well-crafted budget. Develop a comprehensive budget that outlines your projected income, expenses, and profits. Regularly review and update this budget to reflect changes in your business operations. Manage inventory effectively – Excessive inventory ties up cash and…
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5 JanuaryEconomy
Northern Ireland records investment volumes of £338m, CBRE finds
Northern Ireland’s commercial investment sector held steady in 2023 despite economic challenges, recording total investment volumes of £338m, CBRE NI has revealed. Investment sales were accumulated across 31 transactions, exceeding 2022’s tally of £330m and marking the investment sector’s strongest performance since 2015. The standout transactions of the year included…
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3 JanuaryNews
Almost half of consumers feel less financially secure, KPMG finds
Four in 10 consumers are heading into 2024 saying they feel less financially secure than when 2023 began, according to new research from KPMG UK. Assessing confidence for 2024, KPMG’s latest Consumer Pulse survey of 3000 UK consumers shows those feeling worse about their financial security outnumber those feeling more…
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Dec- 2023 -21 DecemberNews
Today’s news in brief-21/12/23
Frasers Group has confirmed its acquisition of the Matches business from MF Intermediate Limited in a deal estimated at £52m. The deal involves the purchase of 100% of the shares of six companies, along with the senior and junior debt owed by these entities. The transaction, to be settled in…
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21 DecemberNews
4,500 retailers in critical financial distress, new data reveals
Nearly 4,500 retailers are now in critical financial distress as poor consumer confidence, “sticky” inflation, and elevated interest rates force consumers to hold back from spending big, even in the run up to Christmas, according to new data from Begbies Traynor. Following its findings, which analysed the first 10 weeks…
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20 DecemberNews
Today’s news in brief-20/12/23
New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that UK inflation has decreased to 3.9% in the year to November, marking a two-year low. The rate fell from 4.6% in October, below expectations. The ONS attributes this decline to factors such as lower fuel prices, reduced prices for…
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20 DecemberSupermarkets
Asda’s interest bill to exceed £400m
Asda is set to see its debt interest bill exceed £400m by early next year as a result of rising interest rates. The company’s chief financial officer Michael Gleeson told the Business and Trade Committee that its debt bill would rise by up to £30m by February. This is because…
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15 DecemberEconomy
Consumer confidence improves during December
Consumer confidence improved two points during December to -22 as sentiment improved ahead of Christmas. All five measures were up in comparison to last month’s announcement. The index measuring changes in personal finances during the last year is up two points at -14; this is 14 points better than December…
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