Reuters UK Business

(Reuters) -British pub and restaurant operator Mitchells & Butlers posted a 5% rise in quarterly like-for-like sales on Friday, thanks to an early summer driving footfall to its chain outlets. Shares of the company were up 4.7% at 302 pence, making them the top gainers in the FTSE mid-cap index. The owner of the Harvester, …

Mitchells & Butlers posts 5% rise in like-for-like sales on early summer boost Read More »

(Corrects July 24 story to show sales figure in paragraph 6 pertains to brands under review, not whole VMS business) By Alexander Marrow LONDON (Reuters) -Nestle has launched a review of its underperforming vitamins business that could lead to the divestment of some brands, it said on Thursday, after reporting its first-half sales volumes grew …

Nestle announces vitamins business review after sluggish sales growth Read More »

(Reuters) -Rightmove, Britain’s biggest property portal, surpassed first-half sales estimates on Friday, boosted by higher platform enquiries, but warned that its 10% growth is likely to slow in the second half following record performance last year. Easing mortgage rates and competitive pricing have revived buyer interest in the UK property sector and boosted queries, but …

UK’s Rightmove beats sales estimates, warns of slower growth in second half Read More »

By Lawrence White LONDON (Reuters) -NatWest’s first-half profit rose a slightly better-than-expected 18% as it grew loans and deposits, it said on Friday, allowing the British lender to announce a fresh share buyback worth 750 million pounds ($1.01 billion). The British bank said operating pretax profit for the January to June period was 3.6 billion …

NatWest announces 18% rise in first-half profit, fresh $1 billion buyback Read More »

By Mathias de Rozario (Reuters) -French steel tubes maker Vallourec expects an improvement in its core profit in the second half of the year, benefiting from higher international prices. It now expects its operating earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) to be between 195 and 225 million euros in the third quarter and …

Vallourec sees H2 core profit to improve with higher prices Read More »

LONDON (Reuters) -British consumers shopped more in June after a sharp drop in May as hot weather helped to boost the sales of drinks, clothes and car fuel, official figures showed on Friday. Retail sales volumes rose by a month-on-month 0.9%, a partial rebound from May’s 2.8% plunge which was the biggest fall since December …

UK sunshine warmed up retail sales in June, ONS says Read More »

By Leo Marchandon (Reuters) -Dutch lighting manufacturer Signify on Friday reported a 4.4% drop in its second-quarter sales, which included a 3% currency exchange hit from the weakening U.S. dollar and Chinese yuan, but reaffirmed its forecast for annual growth. The world’s largest lighting manufacturer is entering a new chapter after Eric Rondolat, its CEO …

Signify takes 3% sales hit from weaker dollar and yuan, but keeps guidance Read More »