Margins in the refining sector have also fallen by more than 40pc amid a global glut of refined fuels.#Shell’s underlying profits are expected to come in at $1.7bn, according to consensus forecasts, compared with $1.8bn in the same period last...
Read moreThe London market for new listings has been all but eviscerated
Rather, some were simply poorly planned, ill-thought-out, and thus struggled to attract investors. Pure Gym, for example tried to come to market at a time of renewed concerns about a saturated fitness market. TI has a chequered past and is loaded...
Read more'Business as usual' as UK profit warnings fall by 14pc after Brexit vote
Support services, general retailers, travel and leisure, household goods and industrial engineering were among the sectors that issued the most warnings in the three months to September-end. There were 12 profit warnings issued by support...
Read moreBusinesses demand all-out drive to boost productivity and growth
Dozens of proposals were received. Regional groups such as the North East Chamber of Commerce and the South East Midlands Local Enterprise Partnership urged the Government to improve transport links to areas which have been forgotten in other...
Read moreCash squeeze and debts force Hewden to hunt for new backers
Hewden, the heavy machinery rental firm, has launched a last-ditch search for fresh backers amid a sudden cash crunch and looming debt repayments. The company, whose yellow diggers and cherry picker platforms are a familiar site on building...
Read moreThe cost of living: how do you boost living standards ?
The Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development, the North East Chamber of Commerce and the Confederation of British Industry are all urging the Government to avoid a skills shortage by ensuring that foreign workers can still move to the...
Read moreA tale of two banks: Lloyds falters, with no end in sight for RBS
Last Wednesday’s third quarter numbers, which showed Lloyds’ pre-tax profits fell 15pc to £811m because of a fresh £1bn provision for the PPI scandal, proved a rocky ride. While its shares on the day eventually closed up 1pc after it reassured...
Read moreWith the right policies a weak pound can help the UK pay its way
An exchange rate of $1.45 may suit the service sector where we have big natural advantages – our location, language, legal system, skills and experience – but it is terrible for manufacturing. So, if we really want to get a reasonable amount of...
Read moreBicester Village's luxury expansion into Shanghai betting on the rise of the domestic Chinese shopper
“There is a mad rush of outlets opening in China, but it happened in Europe and US before. We have created an environment where it becomes safe for luxury brands to be here,” Bollier says. “It might say that we are an outlet in our business...
Read moreMoneysupermarket picks John Lewis exec as its new boss
Mr Plumb announced his plans to step down from Moneysupermarket in August, ending his tenure as the firm’s first external chief executive, having replaced founder Simon Nixon in 2009. Moneysupermarket was set up as a mortgage listings site...
Read moreDeutsche Bank turns surprise profit but Cryan warns of 'tough' times ahead
The boss of Deutsche Bank has told staff to brace for a difficult period ahead even though the struggling lender surprised investors by swinging to an unexpected quarterly profit. The German bank, which is Europe’s biggest, was plunged into...
Read moreTata blasts 'unforgivable' leak of jettisoned chairman's damning email
As the rancorous exchange circulated, it was reported that Mr Tata is already seeking to buy Mr Mistry’s family out of their 18pc stake in Tata Sons by sounding out sovereign wealth funds. There is no indication that the Mistrys want to...
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