Economy
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Jul- 2014 -9 July
Shop price inflation hits record low, says BRC
Shop price inflation fell for the 14th consecutive month in June, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). The BRC-Nielsen Shop Price Index 2014 discovered that overall shop price deflation accelerated to 1.8% in June, the deepest level of deflation since the report began in December…
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Jun- 2014 -26 June
New Designers survey reveals 90% ‘employment confidence’
A survey conducted by the organisers of the New Designers exhibition has revealed that 90% of young designers are confident of finding employment in the creative sector within one year of graduating. The survey also found that 97% believe they are equipped with transferable skills for related sectors, 69% have…
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19 June
Retail sales fall 0.5% in May
British retail sales fell in May for the first time since January, despite strong sales of replica football shirts ahead of the World Cup, official data has shown. Figures by the Office of National Statistics have shown that retail sales in May dropped 0.5% compared with the previous month, retail…
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11 June
Historic Devon jeweller Ham & Huddy up for sale
An historic jewellery shop in Newton Abbot, Devon, has been put on the market by its owner after 10 years’ ownership. 250-year-old Ham & Huddy has become a “permanent feature” in the market town of Newton Abbot but Downey is looking to retire. The store’s collection includes custom made jewellery,…
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3 June
Economic growth reaches ‘record high’, says CBI
Economic growth reached a record high in May, posting the highest reading since data began in 2003, according to the latest CBI growth indicator. The survey of 726 respondents across the manufacturing, retail and service sectors registered record high growth in business activity, with a balance of +35%, up from…
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3 June
Cash use down by 14% over the last five years, says BRC
By Helen Dickinson, director general of the British Retail Consortium Customers are using less cash than ever as retailers make it easier and more convenient to shop and pay. New data reveals that a growing proportion of smaller payments previously made in cash are now being made in other ways.…
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May- 2014 -19 May
Report shows growth in gift cards for start of 2014
Consumer gift card and voucher sales have soared in the first quarter of 2014, increasing by 17 per cent from last year, according to the latest association figures. The increase is above expectations for the quarter according to statistics from The UK Gift Card and Voucher Association (UKGCVA), the trade…
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15 May
April hallmarking figures up by a fifth, 9ct gold up almost 50%
Figures released by The Birmingham Assay Office have revealed that the total number of articles hallmarked for April increased by 20.3 per cent on last year. The figures, which reflect the flows through four UK assay offices, showed the strongest performing metal category was once again 9 carat gold, which…
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2 May
FEATURE: The End of the Gold Rush
The gold price has stabilised, and the slump in gold hallmarking has bottomed out. And now that the commodity traders are losing interest, MICHAEL NORTHCOTT asks whether the scrap-buying craze has caused any lasting change to the market. Two very significant trends have appeared that will likely have a profound…
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Apr- 2014 -28 April
UK economic outlook ‘exceptionally strong’, says CBI
The CBI has announced that the economic outlook for the next three months is “exceptionally strong and broad-based”, and growth expectations are the strongest they have been since the body began recording data in 2003. Pointing specifically to the retail and service sectors, the CBI’s Growth Indicator, published today, said…
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