magazine archive
magazine archive
Story In Numbers
'Real' London house prices to fall
Thursday 09 Nov 2017Real estate business Savills ( SVS ) is forecasting London house prices will increase by just 7.1% in the next five years. This is materially short of the expected rate of inflation out to 2022 (9.5%) and well below what is pencilled in for every other region in the UK. This would reverse a trend...
International Consolidated Airlines set to increase capex by 24%
Thursday 09 Nov 2017British Airways owner International Consolidated Airlines ( IAG ) is to increase annual capital expenditure by 24% to €2.1bn. The leisure giant says the new spending plan will run from 2018 until 2022. Its previous capex guidance was an average of €1.7bn annually between 2016 and 2020. ‹ Previous...
Pottermania continues to fire up Bloomsbury
Thursday 02 Nov 2017It has been more than two decades since the publication of the first book which started the worldwide Harry Potter franchise. Much to many people’s surprise, the spell cast by the JK Rowling-penned series is continuing to pay off for publishing firm Bloomsbury ( BMY ) . The company generated a 20%...
Oil breaks through $60
Thursday 02 Nov 2017The price of oil is rising as traders look for an OPEC-led production cut to be extended beyond its current expiry date of next March through the whole of 2018. The international benchmark Brent opened above $60 per barrel on 30 October – close to its highest level since July 2015. This could help...
Inchcape’s a Brexit beater
Thursday 02 Nov 2017Multi-brand car distributor and retailer Inch cape’s ( INCH ) sales sped 14.6% higher to £2.3bn in a strong third quarter, the top line boosted by weak sterling and a South American distribution acquisition made at the end of 2016. Stripping this deal out, revenues still rose 9.4% higher. Inchcape...
UK M&A activity leads Europe
Thursday 26 Oct 2017The UK tops the table for number of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals in Europe year-to-date and also leads by total value of the transactions for the region. Data from Thomson Reuters shows that the UK has notched up 2,175 deals worth a combined $132.2bn. This represents a 23% increase on...
IWG profit warning triggers major earnings downgrade
Thursday 26 Oct 2017The world’s largest service office group IWG ( IWG ) , previously known as Regus, saw almost a third of its value wiped off following a profit warning on 19 October. Stockbroker Numis slashed its 2017 and 2018 earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) forecasts by 23% to £161m and £...
Shares in ConvaTec now trade below IPO price
Thursday 26 Oct 2017Shares in FTSE 100 woundcare specialist ConvaTec ( CTEC ) have fallen below the price at which it joined the stock market exactly a year ago. At 214.4p, they now trade 4.7% below the 225p IPO (initial public offering) price. Supply issues have ‘severely impacted’ ConvaTec’s advanced wound and...
Nikkei 225 hits highest point in 21 years
Thursday 19 Oct 2017In Japan, the Nikkei 225 reached its highest level in more than two decades on 11 October at 20,881. That level was last achieved in December 1996. Speculation that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to stay in power following the general election later this month helped support investor sentiment...
WH Smith’s encouraging direction of Travel
Thursday 19 Oct 2017Stationer and bookseller WH Smith ( SMWH ) grew sales in its Travel division by 9% in the year to 31 August. Pre-tax profit increased 7% to a better-than-expected £140m. This continued strong growth means the Travel division’s revenue has overtaken High Street for the first time and is now the...