How’s your business news knowledge in 2020 so far? Find out here 👇
In RETAIL NEWS, JC Penney and Kohl’s announce weaker sales, India’s Reliance takes on Amazon, Ikea buys a shopping centre (!), John Lewis has a shocker, Selfridges thrives on vegan hampers, M&S suffers, Tesco’s Christmas is a bit meh and Mitchells & Butlers does it again. In INDUSTRY NEWS, we look at how African swine fever is reshaping the meat industry and how CBD feet-dragging might help smaller players. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Uber tries fudging the rules and TikTok tightens them. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you some great gritter names
In MACRO & COMMODITIES NEWS, Trump tries to calm the US/Iran situation, India slashes its own growth forecasts, von der Leyen manages Brexit expectations, Spain’s Sanchez digs in and a lithium producer cuts guidance. In RETAIL/CONSUMER GOODS NEWS, Macy’s outlines store closures, UK retailers have a shocker, Sainsbury’s gets an Argos drag, Boots and Ted Baker consider their futures, Greggs offers staff a £7m bonus, Beyond Meat sees a McOpportunity and Constellation downplays cannabis. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Uber tries fudging the rules and TikTok tightens them. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you some camouflaged animals
In MACRO NEWS, Iran retaliates, the Venezuela drama continues, Sanchez becomes Spain’s PM and European inflation rises. In CAR NEWS, Tesla talks China expansion, GM has its worst China sales decline, Rolls-Royce benefits from its SUV and Aston Martin announces another profit warning. In RETAIL NEWS, high street job losses increase, supermarkets have a tricky Christmas but Majestic toasts a good one. In TECH NEWS, Sonos sues Google and Samsung pins hopes on 5G. In OTHER NEWS, I introduce to you TGI Friday’s vegan “steak”
In MACRO & COMMODITIES NEWS, we look at more Iran/US fallout, Venezuela’s Guaidó getting ousted, buoyant services sectors in France and the UK and a “decade of renewal” budget. In RETAIL NEWS, boozers help Aldi, Mountain Warehouse looks for more shops and a retail park transforms itself into warehouses. In CAR NEWS, German car orders spike and Tesla’s depend on subsidies. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you Nike’s super-shoes!
In MACRO & COMMODITIES NEWS, the US/Iran situation heats up, Spain closes in on actually forming a government, BoJo hopes for swift EU trade talks and the battery industry talks about weaning itself off cobalt. In CONSUMER NEWS, restaurant chains get a boost from supermarket sales, retailers battle with too many returns and gyms face a new threat. In CAR NEWS, Daimler announces a big US recall and new car sales in the UK remain weak. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you the world’s one and only asaparamancer…
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In MACRO & ENERGY NEWS, BoJo gives a broad outline of policies, the Bank of England leaves interest rates unchanged and gets a new governor while renewables make up more of the UK’s energy mix. In CONSUMER NEWS, UK house price growth may be more modest than expectations, UK retail sales hit new lows but consumer confidence may have turned a corner. In INDIVIDUAL NEWS, Airbnb gets an important judgement and Just Eat’s takeover nears. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a one-woman Bohemian Rhapsody…
In MACRO NEWS, Trump gets impeached and UK inflation stays low. In CAR NEWS, Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot agree to merge, Tesla considers lowering the Model 3 price in China and Volvo sells its Japanese truck unit to Isuzu. In TECH NEWS, Apple, Amazon and Google unify for smart home devices while the UK watchdog threatens Google. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, JP Morgan gets approval for Chinese business and Hays Travel has to close 10 shops that it saved from Thomas Cook. In OTHER NEWS, I bust some hangover myths and bring you an inspirational non-profit…
In MACRO NEWS, Trump targets Europe, BoJo gets feisty with Brexit and Davos while UK employment hits a record high. In MANUFACTURING-RELATED NEWS, suppliers suffer Boeing fallout and Tesla confounds the short-sellers. In INDIVIDUAL NEWS, JAB lines up a big coffee IPO, Unilever faces challenges and e-cigarette promotion is banned on Instagram. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a tilted toilet and a Christmas song puzzle…
In MACRO & MARKETS NEWS, UK stocks continue to rise but UK and European manfacturing stay gloomy. In CONSUMER & RETAIL NEWS, high end property starts shifting, water bills are set to fall, UK shopper numbers weaken while Sports Direct and Franco Manca press for business rate cuts. In INDIVIDUAL NEWS, IFF buys DuPont’s nutrition business for $26bn, Uber exits Indian venture, FirstGroup looks for buyers of its US business, Cineworld announces a big acquisition and Netflix emphasises overseas growth. In OTHER NEWS, I bust a myth about beer cans…
In MACRO NEWS, we look at the US trade deal impact and post-UK election expectations. In RETAIL/HIGH STREET NEWS, US retail suffers a tricky year, Toscafund buys a decent wedge of Ted Baker and UK cinemas want to feel The Force. In MISCELLANEOUS NEWS, UK water companies survive nationalisation but face tough challenges and Ola tries to make a splash while Uber is side-lined. In OTHER NEWS,I show you how how to win the Christmas cracker pull…
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In MACRO & OIL NEWS, the Conservatives win the UK election, Trump agrees to a limited China trade deal and Saudi Aramco hits $2tn. In RETAIL-RELATED NEWS, Dixons Carphone says it’s back on track, Superdry raises margins – but also an accounting error (what is it with accountants these days??), Fuller’s chief wants business rates changed and UK property fund withdrawals hit highs. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, China car sale projections look anaemic and Waymo buys an Oxford AI firm. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you an unusual Christmas tree…
In MACRO & OIL NEWS, US interest rates stay unchanged, UK polls cast doubt on a Conservative majority and Saudi Aramco has a solid market debut. In RETAIL NEWS, Home Depot announces a downbeat outlook, Amazon/Deliveroo faces potential competition hurdles, Lululemon chases guys, Inditex gets even better and Majestic eyes more outlets. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Nestlé wants to offload Häagen-Dazs, VW invests in a self-driving start-up and Stagecoach’s founder steps down. In OTHER NEWS, I explain why we hang mistletoe at Christmas…
In MACRO & OIL NEWS, the US looks at trade agreements with neighbours and the Chinese, China’s inflation rises on pork prices and UK GDP flatlines while Saudi Aramco pumps up the valuation and Chevron cuts estimates. In RETAIL NEWS, Ted Baker’s top management resigns and M&S makes a new clothing hire. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, M&C Saatchi loses the M and property funds see MASSIVE outflows. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you unusual Christmas traditions and Die Hard On Ice…
In MACRO & OIL NEWS, Japan’s economy grows and Tullow Oil has a shocker. In CONSUMER/RETAIL NEWS, UK employers pause, Prosus ups its offer for Just Eat and we take another look at Tesco’s potential disposal. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Valeo’s chief thinks China’s car market has bottomed out and Amigo’s founder returns. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a cat hotel and a disco for toddlers…
In MACRO NEWS, China exports falter and Greece cracks down on tax evasion. In TECH NEWS, China orders a clear-out of foreign PCs and software while Amazon and Facebook expand in New York. In RETAIL NEWS, UK shopper numbers fall and Tesco considers the sale of its Asia business. In OTHER NEWS, I show you how to improve your karaoke skills…
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In MACRO & OIL NEWS, Japan gets a chunky stimulus, Germany’s SPD decides not to rock the boat after all, Europe weighs in on the digital services tax and Saudi Aramco aims for a top price. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, GM and LG work together on a battery venture, UK new car sales weaken and Aston Martin gets a boost from bid speculation. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Alphabet’s new chief suggests a reining in of “moonshots”, Glencore faces bribery allegations and Metro Bank suffers backer abandonment. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you some amazing snow and ice hotels and some Christmas puzzles…
In TECH NEWS,digital services taxes set to go ahead despite Trump’s threats and Slack raises its forecasts. In TROUBLED COMPANY NEWS, Expedia loses its CEO and CFO, Metro Bank’s CEO departs, M&C Saatchi’s share price halves on an accounting scandal and M&G suspends its £2.5bn property fund. In RETAIL NEWS, Boohoo.com’s founders look to cash in, Clintons gets rescued and Quiz is looking questionable. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you an annoying puzzle…
In MACRO NEWS,Trump pours cold water on an imminent China trade deal, insults President Macron and promises not to touch the NHS. Boris sticks with his digital tax, Labour’s nationalisation plans come under fire and Brazil’s economy surprises on the upside.. In TECH NEWS, Alphabet’s top dogs step down and Epic looks to the future. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, UniCredit announces job cuts. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a fascinating fact…
In MACRO NEWS, Trump talks tariffs on Argentina, Brazil and France, Chinese manufacturing gets a surprise uplift and UK manufacturing cuts jobs. In RETAIL NEWS, the UK high street has an uptick while Ted Baker has a shocker. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, UK motorists demand compensation from VW and Nomura’s new chief has his work cut out. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you Disney’s most streamed song…
In MACRO & OIL NEWS, Germany’s coalition government gets a shock and Saudis are likely to pump up the oil price ahead of Saudi Aramco’s IPO. In TECH NEWS, Huawei makes phones without US parts, big tech companies take big chunk of ad spend, Chinese tech companies target growth in India and Ocado signs up Japan’s Aeon. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, there are big expectations for Cyber Monday and Las Iguanas bucks the casual dining gloom. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you the chair challenge and the magic hands trick…
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In TRADE & OIL NEWS, China continues to make positive noises about trade while the EU continues to suffer and the Saudi Aramco IPO looks like it’ll shift. In CONSUMER & RETAIL NEWS, UK house prices rise on a monthly basis while household net worth falls, Fortnum & Mason has a solid year, Gymshark seeks funding and the FTC has the urge to purge fake five-star reviews. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, global drugmakers make big price cuts to access China and Amigo’s profits take a hit. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a very weird photo…
In MACRO NEWS, Hong Kong continues to suffer protest impact while Trump endorses the movement, Seoul makes conciliatory noises to Japan and UK wages growth falters. In SMOKING-RELATED NEWS, British American Tobacco is hit by vaping while cannabis is on a major downer. In LEISURE-RELATED NEWS, South African Airways nears collapse and Thomas Cook’s failure impacts On the Beach. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Uber’s Kalanick offloads shares and RBS launches digital bank Bo. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you another weirdly-flavoured KitKat and a picture of Trump that Putin would be proud of…
In MACRO NEWS, China makes positive trade noises but in the UK, mortgage approvals fall and employers lose confidence. In CAR-RELATED NEWS, Audi cuts jobs to pay for EV investment while Ola and Bolt try to take advantage of Uber’s misfortune. In RETAIL-RELATED NEWS, a West End landlord suffers retail blues and Pets At Home shares jump. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Saudi Aramco gets a cornerstone investor, Alibaba does its Hong Kong float, American Outdoor splits off its gun business, drug companies face criminal charges in the opioid crisis and De La Rue has issues. , In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a very skilled “balancer”…
In POLITICAL & DEAL-MAKING NEWS, Hong Kong gets behind pro-democracy, Saudi Arabians arrest more dissidents, the LibDems face difficulties and the M&A boom is back with a…boom. In RETAILING/HIGH STREET NEWS, US trad retailers continue to face challenges but the UK high street gets a boost while Wagamama’s owner stumbles, Sports Direct announces a rebrand and TSB announces branch cuts. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Uber loses its London licence and battery maker Northvolt scales up. In OTHER NEWS, II bring you an idea for what we could do with our phone boxes…
In TECH/MEDIA NEWS, Chinese videogame makers make inroads into Japan while Uefa considers Champions League streaming. In RETAIL & CONSUMER GOODS NEWS, LVMH buys Tiffany and we look at the problems caused by Black Friday returns and fake sellers on Amazon as well as Argos ditching AO World and shops going cashless. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Aramco can’t find a cornerstone investor and Uber’s days look numbered in London. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a talented dog driver…
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In MACRO & OIL NEWS, US-China trade talks take a more positive turn, Labour’s manifesto launch ruffles feathers and Saudi Aramco sidelines foreign banks. In BID NEWS, Charles Schwab closes in on TD Ameritrade, Google’s acquisition of Fitbit faces resistance, LVMH increases its bid for Tiffany and Xerox threatens HP with a hostile bid if it doesn’t play ball. In RETAIL NEWS, both Macy’s and Kroger disappoint. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Francaise des Jeux’s IPO nets the government €2bn, WeWork cuts 17% of the workforce and Royal Mail has a bad day. , In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a knife made of fungus and a Jesus/Phil Collins statue…
In MACRO & ENERGY NEWS, Europe warns France and Italy on debt and China continues to finance coal. In RETAIL/HIGH STREET NEWS, Target unveils solid results, B&Q owner’s new chief plays the blame game, Crew Clothing benefits from LTA “love” and All-Bar-One/Harvester’s parent company bucks the gloom . In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, PayPal buys Honey Science, Emirates orders $9bn of aircraft from Boeing and Fevertree fizzes despite revenue warning. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you an unfortunate stained glass window…
In TECH NEWS, American tech is on course for a decade-best performance, Tesla is set to make the world’s biggest lithium ion battery and Samsung plans to emulate Apple in services. In RETAIL NEWS, US retailers paint a mixed picture, Home Depot has a downbeat outlook and AO World quits the Netherlands. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, the Cobham takeover nears approval and US meatless companies target China. In OTHER NEWS, II bring you a McSmile…
In DEAL NEWS, Saudi Aramco cancels its international roadshow, Airbnb becomes an Olympic sponsor and Kylie Jenner signs a massive deal with Coty. In NEWS ON COMPANY EVOLUTION, TikTok aims to distance itself from its roots, Ford announces an electric Mustang, Walmart tries to narrow the gap with Amazon and Jamie Oliver’s at it again. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Tata Steel and WeWork announce job losses. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you banana KitKats and a real Little Drummer Boy…
In MACRO & OIL NEWS, UK house prices fall and Saudi Aramco’s IPO ambitions get a reality check. In TECH NEWS, Google’s Stadia has big plans, ByteDance launches music streaming, Yahoo Japan confirms merger talks with Line and HP rejects Xerox’s offer but sounds open to a higher price. In CONSUMER GOODS NEWS, Johnson & Johnson rushes to prove its Baby Powder doesn’t contain asbestos 😱 while Nike’s snub of Amazon could prompt more to do the same. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you some ideas for nights out…
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In MACRO NEWS, Germany avoids recession and Chinese manufacturing slows down. In RETAIL NEWS, Walmart continues its winning streak while UK retail sales fall. In DATA & SOCIAL MEDIA NEWS, Google plans to restrict data access, Apple launches a research app, Yahoo Japan and Line have merger talks and TikTok’s popularity in India continues. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Disney+ makes a strong start but FirstGroup gets hit by Greyhound woes. In OTHER NEWS, In OTHER NEWS, I bring you the Japanese Elsa…
In TECH NEWS, we see Google try banking, how our health data gets shared, Tencent’s weaker profits and the new Twitter/Facebook from Wikipedia. In ELECTRIC VEHICLE NEWS, Tesla’s Musk attacks Brexit and Chinese EV start-up raises $400m. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, British Land is the latest retailer landlord to see its property values slide while Mulberry reports losses. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you…Rod Stewart’s train set 🤔
In CAR NEWS, Nissan’s woes continue, German suppliers get hit by sluggish car sales and Tesla announces plans for a Berlin factory. In RETAIL & CONSUMER GOODS NEWS, Aldi and Lidl continue to strengthen, B&M has Germany issues, New Look’s new look is starting to work, Land Securities suffers from retail malaise, Premier foods announces strong figures and Nike stops selling on Amazon. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Disney+ has a few hiccups, Facebook announces new payment functionality and Vodafone has India problems. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you Potato the cat (yes, that really is his name)…
In MACRO NEWS, the UK manages to grow, avoiding recession. In RETAIL NEWS, Alibaba’s Singles’ Day is a huge success, Amazon opens its first supermarket in LA, UK retailers call for a rates review, Burger King teams up with Unilever for a meat-free Whopper and Greggs continues to satisfy. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Google collects medical records, Walgreens Boots gets a buyout proposal from KKR and Vodafone signs a deal with BT to expand broadband. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you one woman’s efforts to train her dog to talk…
In MACRO NEWS, Spanish elections disappoint and Bolivia’s Evo Morales resigns. In TECH NEWS, Apple’s share price continues to rise and Tencent looks to Nintendo for US inspiration. In RETAIL NEWS, October rain keeps shoppers at bay, Clintons wobbles and Sainsbury’s sells products to Coles. In INDIVIDUAL NEWS, Easyjet buys Thomas Cook assets, and British Steel gets closer to getting a Chinese buyer. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you chess-boxing and some AMAZING knife skills…
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In MACRO, TRADE & OIL NEWS, German industrial production weakened, more positive noises re the US-China trade stand-off boosts hopes and Saudi Aramco sweetens its IPO with even bigger dividends. In RETAIL NEWS, Gap’s CEO steps down, Sears aims to close even more stores while Sainsbury’s and Superdry’s profits take a dive. In CAR NEWS, Toyota delights while Aston Martin disappoints. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a brand new drink made with onions…
In MACRO, TRADE & OIL NEWS, economists cut Germany growth forecasts, UK pay hits new highs, China restarts Canadian pork and beef imports and Brazil’s oil auction is a disaster. In HIGH STREET NEWS, M&S stumbles on, Pizza Express gets a cash injection, Clarks faces more closures and Intu suffers from troubled tenants. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, investors try to cash in on Airbnb, Uber sees new lows and Virgin ditches BT for Vodafone. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you the benefits of sarcasm and a badly-packed BMW…
In MACRO & OIL NEWS, the UK service sector slows and Brazil holds a big oil auction. In RETAIL NEWS, Walgreens Boots Alliance eyes a massive buyout, Primark aims for US expansion, Pandora suffers from riots and Mothercare shuts down in the UK. In NEWS ON INDUSTRY TRENDS, seltzer looks like The Next Big Thing in beverages and EV sales rise in the UK. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Xerox sees drama and Peloton has big losses. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you battered Quality Street and the right bauble-to-Christmas-tree ratio…
In TRADE & COMMODITIES NEWS, the US and China edge closer to a deal, India refuses to sign a pan-Asian trade pact and Freeport uses AI to mine copper. In NEWS BY SECTOR, German manufacturers ask for government help on EVs, cloud gaming gets a boost from China’s 5G rollout, UK MPs call for more gambling restrictions and auditors face a shake-up. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, BA’s owner buys Air Europa (and Ryanair doesn’t like it), Uber skids and Mothercare faces collapse. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you some truly awful dad jokes…
In MARKETS & OIL NEWS, China’s stock market heads for top spot in 2019 and Saudi Aramco launches its IPO. In PROFESSIONAL SERVICES NEWS, administrators see fat fees but KPMG and Grant Thornton have issues. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Uber faces a potentially tricky week and we look at the power of CATL and the Google takeover of Fitbit. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a 10year-old McDonald’s meal and perpetual Christmas on the radio…
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In MACRO & OIL NEWS, Trump faces more impeachment stuff, Hong Kong goes into recession, sterling trading heats up and Shell suffers from weak oil prices. In RETAIL NEWS, Authentic Brands gets the green light for Barneys, JC Penney eyes a comeback and Fosun closes in on the Thomas Cook brand. In TECH NEWS, Samsung’s profits crater, the smartphone market grows and Pinterest gets in bother. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Altria makes a big Juul write-down and Lloyds gets whacked on PPI. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you some impressive pumpkin carving…
In MACRO NEWS, the Fed cuts rates for a third time, French GDP rises and the City hopes for a “Boris Bounce”. In TECH NEWS, sApple and Facebook smash it, Twitter goes a-political. In RETAIL/CONSUMER NEWS, Australia’s biggest supermarket faces the music for underpaying, UK MPs push for changes in business rates, Next disappoints and UK consumer confidence continues to shrink. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Peugeot and PSA look like merging while both Lyft and Starbucks do well. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you holiday maximisation, McDonald’s on a diet and bad airline food…
In MACRO & OIL NEWS, BoJo gets his election, Macron’s labour reforms bear fruit, Saudi Aramco announce a cut-down IPO and BP suffers from weather and weaker oil prices. In CAR NEWS, strikes cost GM $3bn while Fiat and Peugeot’s owner consider a merger. In RETAIL NEWS, JAmazon cuts fees on speedy deliveries and M&S announces “buy-now-pay-later”. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Beyond Meat’s early backers sell while Lloyd’s faces opioid fallout of epic proportions. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a ghoul/ghost puzzle…
In MACRO NEWS, BoJo goes for an election while Argentina goes left again after its election. In TECH NEWS, Google sees a dip in profits, Spotify adds users and TikTok’s parent mulls a Hong Kong listing. In INDIVIDUAL COMPANY NEWS, Virgin Galactic launches, Aston Martin gets a kicking and Beyond Meat turns a profit. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a reluctant cat on a treadmill…
In CONSUMER NEWS, UK consumer confidence hits new lows and booming pork prices in China have consequences. In LUXURY RETAIL NEWS, Tiffany mulls a bid from LVMH and Galeries Lafayette targets China growth. In TRANSPORT-RELATED NEWS, Tesla faces hot competition and Virgin Galactic reaches for the (IPO) stars. In OTHER NEWS, I bring you a product you never knew you needed and a painful sandwich…