FTSE 100 virtually flat, as UK borrowing jumps and retail survey disappoints
London’s blue-chip shares index struggles for direction after economic data
FTSE 100 barely changed
UK public finances scarred by pandemic costs
11.22am: Demand short-lived after shops re-open
Retail sales were below expectations in recent weeks, according to the the latest CBI Distributive Trades survey.
Volume of sales was +18 between the end of April and the middle of May, a period when retailers were open but the hospitality and leisure rules had not been fully relaxed.
This was down from +20 previously.
UK CBI Total Distributed Reported Sales May: 43 (prev 30) LiveSquawk (@LiveSquawk) May 25, 2021
This week, accountant EY said staff will work from home for two days a week for good. Rival BDO went further, telling staff to stay at home forever if they wish.
Only investment banks have put their foot down, with Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan telling staff to come in. Charles Hall, analyst at Peel Hunt, said: ‘The current situation is pretty unhelpful. More unemployment in the UK is also a worry for Greencore.’
Stock Watch - Ted Baker
Struggling British fashion group Ted Baker has managed to secure a new financing deal with its banks.
Sales have plunged during the pandemic, necessitating a turnaround plan.
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Tech group Smiths wires new CEO from the US
The group, which operates in a range of tech markets from security and defence to space and aerospace, had a share price of 1,559.50 this morning.
Technology group Smiths has hired a new chief executive officer who will relocate to the UK from the US in a “mutually agreed” exchanging of the helm today.
Starting with immediate effect, incoming CEO Paul Keel formerly worked with US industry giant 3M for 16 years where he led a number of businesses, including its $5bn revenue Consumer Business group.
Following a lengthy search by the board’s nomination committee, the Harvard Business School graduate has also held senior roles with General Electric and McKinsey & Company.
25 May 2021 | 08:37am
StockMarketWire.com - UK stocks tracked sideways in early trading on Tuesday after US Federal Reserve officials cooled inflation fears, though a strengthening of the pound against the dollar weighed on exporters.
At 0825, the benchmark FTSE 100 index was down just 1.25 points at 7,050.34.
Industrial software group Aveva rallied 4.2% to £34.14 even as it reported a 63% slump in annual profit after the pandemic hits sales in the first half.
Aveva nevertheless upped its dividend by 1% to 23.5p per share, citing a second-half sales recovery that had limited a full-year fall in revenue to just 1.4%.
Engineering group Smiths fell 1.2% to £15.41 on announcing that chief executive Andy Reynolds Smith had stood down with immediate effect and been replaced by former 3M executive Paul Keel.