Tesco rises while Asda falls
16 Dec 2005 [0 Comments | 138 views]
It was another stunning 12 weeks from Tesco. It upped its market share yet again to 30.6%, from 28.7% a year ago. The renaissance at Sainsbury’s seems to continue, with its share jumping 0.3% to 15.9%. Asda continues to fall – but only slightly, losing 0.3% falling to a 15.5% share. Finally, maybe, the decline [...]
2005 – The year in focus
16 Dec 2005 [0 Comments | 145 views]
As this is our last issue for two weeks we thought now would be a good time for a summary of what was big, what was disappointing what was significant in 2005. And we would like to confess to a little disappointment. Some of the big technology stories we reported in 2004 have not yet [...]
US sees monthly fall in CPI index, yet inflation fears grow
16 Dec 2005 [0 Comments | 127 views]
On the face of it that doesn’t make sense. Deflation was back last month, with the US CPI index reducing by 0.6%, and yet, inflation fears are growing. The explanation: it lies in the difference between the headline index, and the index analysts believe has more relevance, which strips out volatile food and energy costs. [...]
Is the High Street back? Christmas sales surge, but e-high street does better
16 Dec 2005 [0 Comments | 174 views]
The season of goodwill brings with it some Christmas cheer for retail. The latest report from the Office of National Statistics revealed a 1% jump in retails sales during the three months to November, and that was the best performance since August 2004. It would appear the cold weather has helped. Some time ago John [...]
VNU up for sale
15 Dec 2005 [0 Comments | 174 views]
Publishing company VNU, owner of Computing and Accountancy age, and market research firm AC Nielsen could be changing hands. Yesterday in a statement it was said it had received, “expressions of interest from various parties regarding a possible acquisition of the company. VNU boss chief executive Rob Van den Bergh is leaving soon. He was [...]
Unemployment rises
15 Dec 2005 [0 Comments | 149 views]
UK Unemployment is up and in some quarters that is being heralded as good news. According to the Office of National Statistics there has been a 72,000 rise in the number of people out work, to 1.49million in October, that’s 4.9%, from 4.7% a month ago. Some are seeing this as good news because the [...]
Uncle Sam: Could GDP contract this quarter?
15 Dec 2005 [0 Comments | 174 views]
Could US growth be heading for negative territory? If it did then all the predictions of this year would be confounded, but some analysts now fear that this is precisely what may happen, thanks to a sharp rise in the US balance of trade deficit. We can think of only one phrase to describe the [...]
Vikings land for cup of coffee
15 Dec 2005 [0 Comments | 133 views]
Baugur, the Icelandic group which already owns Hamleys, Oasis, Jane Norman, the Karen Millen fashion chain and jeweller Goldsmiths is now moving in on the tea and coffee market. It’s buying up 121 year old Whittard of Chelsea, which has 120 outlets across the UK. Actually, it’s the dried fruit and nut business, Julian Graves, [...]
Internet shopping and advertising – the convergence. GUS moves in on price comparison portal
15 Dec 2005 [0 Comments | 164 views]
Not so long ago, investors and the City were questioning the business models of dot.coms. When a service is free, how can you make money from it? Advertising, of course went some way to explaining this,but it is no panacea’ went the argument. And when the dot.com bubble burst many said that it merely represented [...]
Vodafone in Turkish delight
14 Dec 2005 [0 Comments | 179 views]
Turkey wants to join the EU club, but not all of its members want it. The more open the country is to foreign business, and the more willing it is to sell state assets to overseas companies, then the better its chances of being allowed in. Therefore, the move announced by Vodafone yesterday, to buy [...]
