Postal service Royal Mail said on Wednesday that revenues had sunk 11.5% year-on-year during the first quarter of its trading year, reflecting weakening retail trends, lower test kit volumes, and a return to a structural decline in letters. Royal Mail stated it had delivered an adjusted operating loss of £92.0m …
Read More »Post Office workers stage first 24-hour strike
Around 1,500 Post Office workers walked off the job on Monday, in the first 24-hour strike over pay at the state-owned company. Members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) at Crown post offices were taking part in the action on Monday, after the company offered a 3% pay rise for …
Read More »Thursday newspaper round-up: Business start-up funding, food prices, Royal Mail
Labour has launched a review of business startup funding driven by a group of industry leaders including the former Goldman Sachs chief economist and Conservative Treasury minister Jim O’Neill as it attempts to improve its credentials with business. Announcing the review amid concern over the strength of the British economy, …
Read More »Director dealings: Senior board member buys £26k of Kingfisher shares
B&Q owner Kingfisher was on the list of buys on Wednesday, after its senior independent director spent more than £26k on shares. The FTSE 100 retailer said Catherine Bradley bought 10,000 shares in an open market transaction on Tuesday. Bradley paid 261.7p for each share, spending a total of £26,170 …
Read More »London midday: Stocks turn red after disappointing manufacturing data
At 1200 BST, the FTSE 100 was down 0.41% at 7,576.27, and the FTSE 250 was 0.09% weaker at 20,400.68. “Weak trading in the US may have seen the FTSE 100’s advance stall on Tuesday but the index was doing its best to eke out gains ahead of the Royal …
Read More »Ofcom to probe Royal Mail over delivery target failures
Communications watchdog Ofcom has launched an investigation into postal service and courier company Royal Mail‘s failure to meet its delivery targets over the last twelve months. According to Ofcom rules, Royal Mail must deliver 93% of first class mail within one working day of collection and 98.5% of second class …
Read More »Sunday newspaper round-up: Ted Baker, Shanghai, Just Eat Takeaway
Ted Baker‘s suitor from the other side of the Pond could step away from its bid for the fashion group. Authentic Brands had been negotiating an acquisition for £1.50 a share. Jut last week Ted Baker had said it was in talks with a ‘preferred counter-party’. But now the US …
Read More »FTSE 100 movers: Ocado bounces back; BT slumps
London’s FTSE 100 was up 0.6% at 7,570.51 in afternoon trade on Thursday. Ocado surged to the top of the index, having tumbled a day earlier after Ocado Retail – its 50:50 joint venture with Marks & Spencer – cut its annual sales target. Intermediate Capital was a high riser …
Read More »Greencoat to acquire four French wind farms
Greencoat Renewables has agreed to acquire a 65MW portfolio of operating wind farms in France from Switzerland’s largest renewable energy generator Axpo, it announced on Tuesday. The AIM-traded firm said the acquisition comprised four wind farms, all of which benefited from long-term contracts with the French government. It said the …
Read More »US pre-open: Dow futures in the green following eighth-straight losing week
US futures were in the green ahead of the bell on Monday as market participants look to try to reclaim recent losses following what has been an extended and relentless sell-off on the Street. As of 1220 BST, Dow Jones futures were up 0.85%, while S&P 500 and Nasdaq-100 futures …
Read More »