John Lewis scraps staff bonus again despite tripling profit March 13, 2025 The John Lewis Partnership has scrapped its staff bonus for the third year in a row despite a near-tripling in profit. The company, which owns both John Lewis and Waitrose, told markets this morning that profit before tax increased from £42m to £126m over the 52 weeks to 25 January. Overall sales rose three per [...]
The Gym Group: Revenue shoots up as growth plan gathers steam March 12, 2025 The Gym Group has reported a boost in revenue and profit as its ‘Next Chapter’ growth plan, launched in 2023, continues to pay off. The London-listed firm, which has more than 250 locations across Britain, reported a pre-tax profit of £3.6m in the year ended December 31, 2024, up from a pre-tax loss of £5.5m in [...]
Reeves told to scrap ‘jobs tax’ after headline figures questioned March 12, 2025 A fresh row has erupted just weeks before Rachel Reeves‘ national insurance tax hike comes into effect after the Treasury’s headline figures were scrutinized. When announcing her 1.2 per cent hike to employers’ national insurance contributions (NIC) at the Autumn Budget, Reeves said it would raise “£25bn per year by the end of the forecast period.” [...]
FTSE 100 and European markets steady ‘Trump Slump’ March 11, 2025 Calm briefly returned to global markets on Tuesday morning after an aggressive sell-off on Monday triggered by President Trump’s comments over the weekend. What investors had previously hoped to be a ‘Trump Bump’ turned into a ‘Trump Slump’ after the President’s failure to dismiss recession fears spooked markets. The FTSE 100 was broadly flat Tuesday morning after [...]
Dominos: Pizza chain announces new chair, higher sales and a dividend increase March 11, 2025 Dominos has announced a new Chair, set to take the role in April, as well as a slight dip in revenue, higher sales and a higher dividend. Sales Dominos Pizza Group, the UK-based subsidiary of Domino’s Pizza Inc, rose two per cent to £1,571.5m in the 52 weeks to December 29, from £1,540.5m last year. [...]
Markets reeling after Trump sparks recession fears March 10, 2025 Global markets took a hit on Monday as analysts warned of a bleak economic outlook after President Donald Trump refused to dismiss recession fears. When asked whether the world’s largest economy was heading toward recession, Trump responded that a “period of transition” was taking place. “I hate to predict things like that. There is a [...]
Travis Perkins: CEO steps down due to ill health March 10, 2025 The chief executive of Travis Perkins has stepped down with immediate effect because of ill health. Pete Redfern was appointed to lead the Northamptonshire-headquartered group in September 2024, succeeding Nick Roberts. In a statement issued to the London Stock Exchange, Travis Perkins said its board “supports Pete’s understandable decision to prioritise his health and wishes [...]
Government to hit regulators with performance targets to drive innovation March 10, 2025 Regulators will be slapped with new performance targets in an effort to stimulate technological innovation and drive investment in the UK. According to Lord Patrick Vallance, the science minister, the benchmarks will be designed to accelerate innovation. Lord Vallance has suggested that this drive for innovation could result in commercial delivery drones, self-driving vehicles, and [...]
Klarna set for US IPO in snub to London markets March 6, 2025 Swedish fintech Klarna is looking to raise a minimum of $1bn (£777m) in a US initial public offering (IPO), sources told Bloomberg. Klarna’s US filing, which could come as soon as next week, will see the firm target a valuation of more than $15bn in the New York Stock Exchange, according to people familiar with [...]
Three ways to restore confidence in UK public markets March 3, 2025 To reignite confidence in our public markets, we need domestic reforms that increase liquidity, foster investor confidence, and provide more avenues for capital flow, says Alastair King As Lord Mayor I have the privilege of traveling the world promoting London as a global financial powerhouse. Liberalised trade opens doors for stronger partnerships, smoother business, and [...]