10 The Sunday Times February 6, 2022BUSINESS
161 Safestore Holdings 1265.0+27.01418.0735.5 1.6 7.2 2.7
67 Sage 711.2 +0.0 853.8 558.6 2.5 27.1 7.2
195 Savills 1349.0+10.0 1450.0 1059.0 1.7 17.4 1.9
60 Schroders 3314.0 +6.03871.0 3281.0 3.5 16.4 8.7
37 Scottish Mortgage IT 1061.5 +33.51543.51014.5 0.3 2.8 15.3
38 Segro 1270.5 -7.51436.5875.8 1.5 6.0 15.3
70 Severn Trent 2832.0-61.0 2984.0 2168.0 3.5 N.A 7.1
177 Shaftesbury 607.0 -9.0 669.0555.0 0.9 N.A 2.3
2 Shell 2037.0 +141.8 2037.0 1309.2 3.4 10.7 155.8
2 Shell 2037.0 +141.8 2037.0 1309.2 3.4 10.7 155.8
43 Smith & Nephew 1247.0 +9.5 1600.0 1202.0 2.227.0 11.0
81 Smiths 1543.0 +2.51661.0 1355.5 2.439.4 6.0
148 Smithson Investment Trust 1664.0 +24.0 2025.0 1556.0 0.0 5.5 2.9
46 Smurfit Kappa 3984.0 +139.0 4305.0 3318.0 3.020.7 10.2
138 Softcat 1568.0 -41.0 2240.0 1427.0 1.332.5 3.1
119 Spectris 3374.0+77.0 4083.0 3017.0 2.1 17.0 3.7
47 Spirax-Sarco Engineering 13045.0+255.0 17135.0 10710.0 0.946.9 9.6
34 SSE 1558.5-20.01682.01301.5 5.2 6.2 16.6
185 SSP 266.2 -4.0 392.4 214.3 0.0 N.A 2.1
63 St James’s Place 1511.0 +34.5 1731.51170.5 3.340.0 8.2
32 Standard Chartered 555.0 +20.8 555.0 410.0 1.6 13.7 17.1
132 Tate & Lyle 716.4 -10.8 815.8 629.4 4.3 82.1 3.4
90 Taylor Wimpey 149.4 +1.3 191.7 144.9 5.4 11.2 5.4
187 Templeton Emerging Mkts IT 172.8 +3.01072.0 169.8 2.2 1.7 2.0
26 Tesco 295.6 -7.8 303.4 219.3 3.1 19.7 22.6
137 Travis Perkins 1429.0-52.0 1830.01415.0 0.822.5 3.1
110 Tritax Big Box Reit 232.6 -3.6249.0 175.9 2.3 5.5 4.3
181 Ultra Electronics Holdings 2998.0 +78.0 3370.0 1856.0 1.922.0 2.1
5 Unilever 3815.0+28.5 4360.0 3516.5 3.722.0 97.7
116 Unite 1014.5 -21.01237.0948.5 0.548.6 4.0
71 United Utilities 1035.0 -40.01130.0859.2 4.194.7 7.1
154 Virgin Money UK 194.6 +8.0 215.4 154.0 0.5 7.1 2.8
178 Vistry 1031.5 +28.01346.5842.0 3.9 11.0 2.3
18 Vodafone 134.2 +6.6 142.4106.9 5.6 N.A 36.3
143 Watches of Switzerland 1250.0+10.01518.0 611.0 0.040.8 3.0
109 Weir 1676.0-25.0 2046.0 1600.5 0.728.4 4.4
182 WH Smith 1625.5-55.5 2016.0 1311.0 0.0 N.A 2.1
82 Whitbread 2968.0 -9.0 3595.0 2713.0 0.0 N.A 6.0
84 Wise 575.0 -10.41150.0575.0 N.A 259.4 5.9
111 Wizz Air Holdings 4129.0 -21.0 5565.0 3729.0 0.0 N.A 4.3
190 Worldwide Healthcare Trust 3055.0+10.0 3960.0 2970.0 0.7 15.2 2.0
40 WPP 1183.5 +38.0 1217.5 811.2 2.3 N.A 13.551 JD Sports Fashion 182.0 -6.31170.0 182.0 0.222.0 9.4
153 Jet2 1316.0+41.01564.5938.6 0.0 N.A 2.8
130 Johnson Matthey 1781.0 -115.0 3300.01781.0 4.022.5 3.4
68 Just Eat Takeaway.com 3401.0-13.0 7975.0 3400.0 0.0 N.A 7.1
193 Kainos 1577.0 +121.0 2084.0 1230.0 1.448.6 2.0
75 Kingfisher 313.4-16.8376.4 263.8 2.9 8.0 6.5
83 Land Securities 795.0 +8.6 813.2607.0 3.0 N.A 5.9
31 Legal & General 286.5 +3.7 307.8 250.6 6.1 8.5 17.1
17 Lloyds Banking 51.4 +0.2 55.1 36.1 2.3 7.8 36.5
15 London Stock Exchange 7144.0 +166.0 9910.0 6502.0 1.1 80.1 39.8
166 Londonmetric Property 262.2 -2.6 285.2206.2 2.7 5.6 2.6
89 M&G 213.7 +0.6248.6 182.9 8.5 91.2 5.6
160 Man 193.9 +5.8 242.5 143.5 4.3 11.7 2.7
118 Marks and Spencer 203.8 -14.3256.9 129.5 0.0 161.0 4.0
173 Mediclinic International 326.2+10.8 346.4275.8 0.020.4 2.4
85 Meggitt 749.0 +9.0839.2 395.3 0.099.9 5.9
74 Melrose Industries 148.2 -1.4 190.8 141.1 1.0 N.A 6.5
56 Mondi 1854.5 +30.0 2068.01719.5 2.7 18.4 9.0
162 Monks Investment Trust 1130.0 +20.0 1484.0 1108.0 0.2 3.4 2.7
16 National Grid 1074.4 -17.61104.8806.4 4.5 27.1 39.2
191 Nationwide Building Society 187.0 -1.0 191.0164.0 0.0 N.A 2.0
24 NatWest 246.0 +3.5 253.4 163.9 2.4 12.1 27.7
50 Next 7142.0 -432.0 8426.0 7142.0 0.0 15.7 9.5
176 Ninety One 259.6 +5.0 277.4 217.0 5.2 12.9 2.4
45 Ocado 1410.0-32.02821.0 1358.5 0.0 N.A 10.6
171 OSB 546.0-11.0 576.0409.0 3.6 8.8 2.4
114 Oxford Nanopore 502.0 +50.0 716.0452.0 0.0 N.A 4.1
198 Page 587.5+14.0680.5459.0 0.854.3 1.9
102 Pearson 609.6 +3.4869.4 571.8 3.2 16.4 4.6
152 Pennon 1050.0-27.01321.0 867.8 3.385.4 2.8
86 Pershing Square Holdings 2725.0 +60.03115.0 2425.0 0.9 2.6 5.8
65 Persimmon 2361.0 +0.0 3238.0 2351.0 9.8 9.5 7.5
168 Petershill Partners 213.5 -5.5352.0 213.5 N.A N.A 2.5
188 Pets at Home 407.6-26.0 519.0372.0 2.4 16.7 2.0
73 Phoenix Holdings 654.8 -12.4 759.8623.4 7.3 N.A 6.5
139 Polar Capital Tech Trust 2282.0 +58.0 2750.0 2085.0 0.0 3.9 3.1
97 Polymetal International 1048.5 +0.01729.0 1048.5 9.4 6.1 5.0
20 Prudential 1220.5 -9.51585.51217.0 0.9 13.1 33.5
179 Quilter 137.7 +2.2 168.9130.3 3.8 77.1 2.3
14 Reckitt Benckiser 5810.0 -234.0 6801.0 5391.0 2.9 N.A 41.5
184 Redrow 601.8 -0.4 718.8545.0 4.1 8.2 2.1
13 Relx 2266.0 +33.0 2424.0 1692.5 2.132.8 43.8
145 Renewables Infrastructure 131.0 +1.0 137.4 119.6 5.120.0 3.0
123 Renishaw 4854.0 +438.0 6900.0 4256.0 1.4 27.7 3.5
48 Rentokil Initial 512.2 -1.0 636.2464.6 1.536.9 9.5
91 Rightmove 636.0+4.0 800.4555.8 1.236.0 5.4
6 Rio Tinto 5367.0-19.0 6658.0 4375.5 9.3 6.3 89.3
117 RIT Capital Partners 2565.0 +45.0 2765.0 2080.0 1.4 3.2 4.0
49 Rolls-Royce Holdings 113.6 +0.6 147.5 87.0 0.0 2.9 9.5
151 Rotork 329.6 -6.2 376.6322.8 2.630.0 2.8
112 Royal Mail 429.2 -2.9606.4404.1 3.8 4.9 4.2
192 RWS Holdings 505.5+14.3 696.5 483.4 2.146.8 2.0
150 S4 Capital 511.0+16.5 870.0424.0 0.0 N.A 2.8115 Direct Line Insurance 305.6 +1.4 327.9 264.1 7.3 11.6 4.1
147 Dr Martens 293.4 -8.6 514.8293.4 0.453.7 2.9
174 Drax 601.0 +4.0 616.0358.4 3.0 N.A 2.4
95 DS Smith 365.8 -6.8 462.3 358.3 3.520.8 5.0
165 Dunelm 1276.0-51.01551.0 1236.0 2.720.3 2.6
98 EasyJet 627.0 +8.4 1095.0485.9 0.0 N.A 4.8
94 Electrocomponents 1075.0 -21.01255.0936.0 1.527.3 5.1
53 Entain 1572.5 +0.52377.0 1256.5 0.058.7 9.2
69 Evraz 488.3 -13.7 698.2 487.0 15.5 6.3 7.1
23 Experian 3037.0 +22.0 3667.0 2273.0 1.239.3 28.0
105 F&C Investment Trust 858.0+18.0 946.0750.0 1.4 4.5 4.5
25 Ferguson 11260.0 -230.0 13305.0 8374.0 N.A20.9 24.7
169 Fevertree Drinks 2110.0 +30.02812.0 2080.0 0.755.2 2.5
196 Finsbury Growth & Income 866.0+10.0 930.0837.0 2.0 9.9 1.9
29 Flutter Entertainment 10580.0-360.0 16915.010030.0 0.0 N.A 18.6
122 Frasers 707.5 -16.5 813.5448.8 0.0 N.A 3.6
103 Fresnillo 624.4 -7.41033.5 623.2 3.8 10.2 4.6
124 Future 2890.0 -254.0 3910.0 1694.0 0.148.3 3.5
163 Games Workshop 8060.0 +320.0 12220.0 7740.0 2.522.2 2.6
175 Genus 3640.0-70.0 6070.0 3602.0 0.950.5 2.4
8 GlaxoSmithKline 1635.0-26.01707.8 1190.8 4.9 19.2 82.3
11 Glencore 402.3+9.0 419.1247.4 1.136.7 53.1
159 Grafton 1125.0 -8.01412.0 915.0 2.0 13.0 2.7
180 Grainger 295.0 +0.0 335.0259.6 1.7 18.4 2.2
134 Greencoat UK Wind 144.0 +2.6 144.0 124.6 5.0 13.9 3.3
156 Greggs 2672.0 +25.0 3416.0 2040.0 0.632.0 2.7
52 Halma 2432.0 -3.03216.0 2233.0 0.735.2 9.2
131 Harbour Energy 365.2 +9.8430.6 17.3 0.0 N.A 3.4
183 HarbourVest Global PE 2660.0-30.0 2940.0 1940.0 0.0 2.3 2.1
79 Hargreaves Lansdown 1307.0 -15.51772.0 1296.5 2.820.9 6.2
172 Hays 144.0 +1.5 176.7 137.7 0.839.7 2.4
197 HgCapital Trust 424.5 +23.0 444.0308.5 1.2 3.8 1.9
133 HICL Infrastructure 172.8 +1.4 179.4 160.0 4.8 17.9 3.3
101 Hikma Pharmaceuticals 2005.0-72.0 2690.0 1982.5 1.9 13.6 4.6
128 Hiscox 987.6 +26.4 996.2 770.0 0.9 N.A 3.4
167 HomeServe 750.0 -6.01212.0 741.5 3.567.4 2.5
100 Howden Joinery 784.2-20.4 975.6688.4 1.2 18.3 4.6
4 HSBC Holdings 545.0+16.7 546.4 359.8 1.0 13.3 110.5
125 Hutchmed (China) 403.0+15.0 624.0352.0 0.0 N.A 3.5
129 IG Holdings 791.5 -11.5952.5 750.5 5.5 7.9 3.4
113 IMI 1609.0-11.01838.0 1260.0 1.424.2 4.2
35 Imperial Brands 1744.0-22.51766.5 1333.0 8.1 5.8 16.5
136 Inchcape 836.0 +3.5 933.0687.0 1.6 44.3 3.2
62 Informa 555.6 +9.2 598.6464.4 0.0 N.A 8.4
57 InterContinental Hotels 4844.0 +116.0 5336.0 4399.0 0.0 N.A 8.9
92 Intermediate Capital 1846.0 -21.5 2379.01731.0 3.0 10.7 5.4
64 International Group 155.1+0.8 217.9 125.8 0.0 N.A 7.7
149 International Public P'ships 166.6+0.4 176.2 160.4 4.5 51.5 2.8
61 Intertek 5238.0-76.06198.0 4775.0 2.0 31.8 8.5
107 Investec 441.5+23.1 442.4 195.8 4.2 11.1 4.5
104 ITV 113.5 +2.1 132.5 102.6 0.0 12.5 4.6
155 IWG 274.3 -7.5 383.6 258.8 0.0 N.A 2.8
72 J Sainsbury 287.9 -11.2 340.0 221.3 3.624.3 6.741 3i 1352.5+25.51503.51107.0 2.9 4.7 13.2
140 3I Infrastructure 341.0 -4.0 362.5286.0 2.9 8.2 3.0
146 Abcam 1283.0 -5.01750.0 1200.0 0.0 176.8 2.9
93 Abrdn 239.8 -2.2 331.1226.6 6.0 3.7 5.2
58 Admiral 2959.0 -214.0 3688.0 2850.0 5.0 13.4 8.9
87 Airtel Africa 155.0+11.0160.0 71.4 2.1 15.4 5.8
142 Alliance Trust 978.0+18.01078.0 875.0 1.5 4.1 3.0
12 Anglo American 3322.5 +1.0 3524.5 2416.0 5.4 8.3 44.5
42 Antofagasta 1227.0 -110.51925.0 1227.0 3.016.0 12.1
199 Ashmore 270.0 -5.4 479.6 268.6 6.1 7.9 1.9
27 Ashtead 5008.0 -236.0 6450.0 3836.0 0.927.8 22.3
186 Asos 2082.0 -144.05918.0 2052.0 0.0 16.3 2.1
39 Associated British Foods 1884.5-74.5 2494.0 1727.0 1.4 31.1 14.9
3 AstraZeneca 8282.0 -485.0 9444.0 6794.0 2.488.9 128.3
80 Auto Trader 654.0+0.6 741.8543.6 1.232.3 6.2
76 Avast 620.0 +9.2 620.0420.0 1.9 30.3 6.4
59 Aveva 2893.0 +42.0 4220.0 2750.0 1.3 N.A 8.7
36 Aviva 435.2 +1.7 443.3 341.7 3.327.4 16.3
88 B&M European Value Retail 555.2-10.6 644.0520.0 3.1 12.9 5.6
30 BAE Systems 572.6 -19.6608.0465.3 4.210.4 18.0
19 Barclays 200.6 +3.7 217.1 145.8 1.5 6.4 33.6
77 Barratt Developments 613.0 +7.4 794.8602.4 4.7 9.6 6.3
144 Beazley 488.2 -0.2500.0 294.4 0.036.7 3.0
127 Bellway 2790.0-18.03712.0 2770.0 4.1 8.8 3.4
99 Berkeley Holdings 4144.0 +23.0 4943.0 4053.0 0.010.4 4.6
158 Big Yellow 1470.0-14.01724.0 1053.0 1.9 5.7 2.7
9 BP 405.9 +20.5 405.9 252.1 4.0 17.1 79.8
141 Bridgepoint 365.5 +1.0 569.0364.5 0.062.3 3.0
10 British American Tobacco 3211.0 +46.53211.0 2485.5 6.7 12.1 73.7
96 British Land Company 537.4 -8.6 556.4 442.7 2.573.5 5.0
170 Britvic 916.0+27.0 1006.0 772.5 2.623.7 2.5
28 BT 192.5 -4.6 205.6 122.2 1.2 18.7 19.1
54 Bunzl 2719.0-67.0 2968.0 2150.0 2.020.0 9.2
66 Burberry 1870.5+13.5 2264.01715.5 2.9 16.1 7.5
194 Caledonia Investments 3560.0-60.0 4100.0 2630.0 1.8 3.2 1.9
33 Carnival 1331.6 +55.81865.41182.8 0.0 N.A 16.8
106 Centrica 76.5 +4.4 77.7 45.5 0.0 6.7 4.5
1 Clarkson 3215.0+10.0 4180.0 2460.0 2.5 N.A 189.1
55 Coca Cola HBC 2478.0 +58.0 2784.0 2204.0 2.120.5 9.1
21 Compass 1734.0 +82.01737.0 1398.0 0.886.7 30.9
135 Computacenter 2694.0+12.0 3030.0 2086.0 2.1 16.9 3.3
121 ConvaTec 177.8 +4.5262.6 166.9 2.335.3 3.6
189 Cranswick 3780.0 +150.0 4148.0 3348.0 1.920.0 2.0
22 CRH 3766.0 +92.0 4002.0 3095.0 2.226.9 28.9
44 Croda International 7730.0-44.0 10410.0 6082.0 1.242.8 10.8
164 Darktrace 377.0-22.4 985.0315.0 0.0 N.A 2.6
78 DCC 6334.0 +142.0 6614.0 5506.0 2.620.9 6.2
108 Dechra Pharmaceuticals 4018.0-42.0 5405.0 3272.0 1.078.7 4.4
157 Deliveroo 146.4 -0.1 395.0145.5 0.0 N.A 2.7
120 Derwent London 3281.0 -102.0 3802.0 3116.0 1.9 71.2 3.7
7 Diageo 3749.5 +52.04103.5 2812.5 2.0 28.8 87.0
126 Diploma 2774.0 +92.0 3460.0 2318.0 1.5 49.5 3.5TOP 200 COMPANIES
Market cap rankingV PriceChange
on week
52-week
high lowYield P/E
Mkt Cap
(£bn)
Market cap rankingV PriceChange
on week
52-week
high lowYield P/E
Mkt Cap
(£bn)
Market cap rankingV PriceChange
on week
52-week
high lowYield P/E
Mkt Cap
(£bn)
Market cap rankingV PriceChange
on week
52-week
high lowYield P/E
Mkt Cap
(£bn)Price/earnings ratios are based on historic data, with yield and p/e values
calculated from most recent reported dividends and earnings per share, using
trailing 12-month figures. P/E is not calculated when last twelve months EPS is
less than or equal to zero. 52-week highs and lows are end of day. Excludes
exchange-traded funds. nc = no change. N.A. = not applicable. Source: RefinitivHANG SENG
24,573.29
U1023.21H:31,084.9
U4.34%L:22,744.9
SHANGHAI
3,394.25
U32.81 H:3,715.4
U0.98%L:3,357.7
CAC 40
6,951.38
V14.50 H:7,376.4
V0.21% L:5,608.5
DAX
15,099.56
V219.39H:16,271.8
V1.43% L:13,786.3DOW JONES
35,089.74
U364.27H:36,799.7
U1.05% L:30,924.1
NASDAQ
14,098.01
U327.44H:16,057.4
U2.38% L:12,609.2
S&P 500
4,500.53
U68.68 H:4,796.6
U1.55% L:3,768.5
NIKKEI
27,439.99
U722.65H:30,795.8
U2.70% L:26,044.5FTSE EUROFIRST
1,806.49
V12.16 H:1,917.4
V0.67% L:1,559.5
SENSEX
58,644.82
U1444.59H:61,765.6
U2.53% L:47,705.8
ALL ORDS
7,418.90
U152.60H:7,926.8
U2.10% L:6,940.6
S&P TSX
21,271.85
U530.10H:21,768.5
U2.56% L:18,042.0It takes a brave retailer to
remove its goods from
Amazon. But that’s what
ProCook did last year.
It decided that selling its
own-branded pots, knives
and other cookware via the
tech giant diluted its margins,
and reckoned shoppers could
be tempted onto its own
website and shops.
Indeed, ProCook was so
sure of itself that it listed on
the London Stock Exchange
in November. Reports had
suggested a valuation north
of £250 million, but ProCook
was priced at the lower end of
its range at 145p, valuing the
group at £158 million. The
shares closed last week at
152p, or £166.7 million.
ProCook began life as a
mail-order business in 1996. It
sells online and from 50
shops including flagships in
the Westfield London and
Stratford malls.THE ECONOMY
FTSE 100
8,0006,0006,5007,0007, 5 0 02021 2022
Source: Thomson Reuters EikonSABAH MEDDINGS THE WEEK IN THE MARKETS
THE TIPSTER
It has been a rocky ride for
founder Daniel O’Neill, a
former software developer
who started the firm from his
Gloucestershire cottage.
He opened his first store in
2000 but was forced to buy
back the business from
administrators after his bank
withdrew facilities during the
2008 financial crisis. He then
expanded the chain and
website.
The company was one of a
string of consumer brands to
make the most of a lockdown-
inspired surge in trading to go
public — with others
including Music Magpie,
Made.com and Revolution
Beauty. During the pandemic,
ProCook benefited from the
boom in home cooking,
which sent sales up 37 per
cent in the year to April 2021
to £53.4 million.
Its aim is to captureconsumers who may look for
cheaper alternatives to John
Lewis or Le Creuset.
According to reviews, its
cookware can be a third of the
price of Le Creuset — although
the lower end of the market is
also served by supermarkets
and discounters.
A key test now is how sales
respond as workers return to
offices and restaurants.
Rising energy bills and food
prices will also take a bite out
of discretionary spending,
encouraging consumers to
trade down.
ProCook is also being
squeezed by high shipping
costs.
Its shift away from Amazon
last year was designed to
increase its marketing to
existing customers, which
helped repeat purchases rise
to 27.3 per cent. However, the
move also drove a 7 per cent
fall in online sales during the
12 weeks to January 9.
Still, ProCook is optimistic.
In a trading update last
month, it said revenues had
risen 34.6 per cent compared
with the same period last
year. Same-store sales were
up 51.9 per cent over the past
two years (stripping out the
third lockdown of 2020-21
when stores were shut). Buy.Confident
ProCook is
bubbling
away nicely
ProCook
170p130140150160Nov Dec Jan
Source: Thomson Reuters Eikonvariation 12 months
high low
UK 1.41 U0.17 1.41 0.44
US 1.92 U0.14 1.92 1.12
JAPAN 0.20 U0.04 0.20 0.00
GERMANY 0.21 U0.26 0.21 -0.5010-YEAR BOND YIELDS %
DOLLAR
USD > GBP$1.35
U0.01
12-month high: $1.42low: $1.32EURO
EUR > GBP€1.18
V12-month high: €1.200.02
low: €1.14
YEN
YEN > USD
¥115.20
V0.04
12-month high: ¥116.14low: ¥104.57OIL
DOLLARS/BARREL$92.58
U2.55
12-month high: $92.58low: $58.84GOLD
DOLLARS/TROY OZ$1,807.49
U12-month high: $1,907.9416.46
low: $1,681.24
BITCOIN
DOLLARS
$40,602.91
U12-month high: $67,707.334,527.75
low: $29,856.77Price at 10pm FridayFTSE 1007,516.40
U50.33 H: 7,611.2
U0.67% L: 6,483.4FTSE 25021,712.04
U68.74 H: 24,250.8
U0.32% L: 20,809.3RISERS
Renishaw: £48.54 U 9.9% on record
profits Baltic Classifieds: 183p U 9.6%
on sentiment Trainline: 231p U 9.1%
tech recovery Molten Ventures: 799p
U 8.7% on upbeat trading
Source: AJ Bell/SharepadFALLERS
Trustpilot: 154p V 12.6% on sentiment
Antofagasta: £12.27 V 8.3% on
Chile nationalisation Future: £28.90
V 8.1% on pay row Auction Technology:
989p V 7.6% on tech sentimentConsumer prices index current rate prev. month
5.4% 5.1%
CPI including housing current rate prev. month
4.8% 4.6%
Retail prices index current rate prev. month
7.5% 7.1%
Average weekly earnings on prev. monthon last year
£588 U0.3% U3.5%
Unemployment current rate prev. month
1.38m 4.1% 4.2%
Manufacturing output on the year on last month
U0.4% U1.1%
Retail sales on the year on last month
U 0.9%U 3.7%
UK trade
balance (£bn)latest 3 mthsprev. 3 mths latest 12 mths
-4.0 -9.1 -26.0
Gross domestic
productlatest quarter prev. quarterannual change
U1.1% U5.4% U6.8%
Budget deficit
(PSNB) in £bnlast month prev. month year to date
V16.8 V14.7 V146.8We do need to see a moderation of
wage rises. Now that’s painful. I don’t
want to in any sense sugar that: it is
painful
Andrew Bailey, the £575,000-a-year
Bank of England governor, told workers
not to ask for pay rises to curb inflationYes64%
No36%
What is it with touchy online
retail tycoons? First, THG’s
Matt Moulding, now In The
Style’s Adam Frisby. The fast-
fashion site floated on AIM
last March before a profit
warning caused the shares to
collapse and led ex-burger
flipper Frisby, 34, to step
back as chief executive to
become chief brand officer.
Last month, the company
lowered its margin guidance,
dragging the shares down by
55 per cent since it was
quoted.
So a post on Instagram
showing off his new custom-
fitted Aston Martin did not go
down well with shareholders.
Frisby then posted a couple
of messages he had receivedfrom disgruntled investors
complaining about the share
price drop. He argued that he
had “worked my ass off ”,
had never treated himself to
lavish gifts before, and was
still the largest shareholder
so was feeling the pain too.
He also blamed freight issues
“out of our control” for In
The Style’s market malaise.
The next post was much
less polite. Frisby put up a
short video telling his haters:
“Like just f*** off seriously”.
He quickly deleted the posts.
An In The Style spokesperson
said it “is focused on
continuing to deliver its long-
term growth strategy and
creating value for all
stakeholders”. Hmmm...Selfridges brings
us sexy shopping
Selfridges is in the process of
changing hands for £4 billion,
with the billionaire Weston
family selling up to Austria’s
Signa and Thailand’s Central
Group, who span property
and retail. So what are the
new owners letting
themselves in for? New
wheezes being advertised
include “a new kind of retail
therapy” focused on “the
pursuit of ‘feel-goodness’ ”.
That includes sex therapy
with a clinical psychologist
and psychosexologist to give
shoppers a “sex life MOT”.
Selfridges customers will also
be able to put on virtual
reality headsets in store to
experience “a safe and drug-
free multi-sensory
psychedelic trip”.
We’ve heard of stores
going in for “experiential
retail” to entice back online
shoppers, but...BT diehards sit it
out on the bench
Telecoms businesses are
known as slow, cumbersome
beasts, but Philip Jansen may
disagree. The boss of BT, 55,
has tried to engineer a
revamp of the company’simage since he took charge in
2019, seeking to turn it into a
sleek, digital trailblazer
taking Britain into the 5G era.
Yet BT is still struggling to
shake off its old reputation. I
hear there is such a long line
of managers with plenty of
spare time on their hands
that they have a nicknameinternally: The Bench. Eyeing
their retirement, The Bench
just clock in and out and do
the bare minimum in the
eyes of some fellow workers.
Their BT Sport subscriptions
must get plenty of use while
they work from home.Thought of the
day is taking the...
Talking of people with time
on their hands, meet Joachim
Klement. A “thought of the
day” from the economist at
the broker Liberum focused
on the culture war raging
over the right for transgender
people to use the bathroom
of the gender with which
they identify. Klement
investigated how the average
wait times would fall if toilets
were “transitioned” to being
unisex, relieving the pressure
on people and toilets.
The economist wrote:
“Being a socially progressive
person, I am perfectly fine
with transgender people
using the bathroom of the
gender they identify with,
even if they haven’t
transitioned yet. But has
anyone asked the toilets for
their opinion?”
With insights like that,
Joachim, surely a job on the
Bank of England’s monetary
policy committee beckons.Adam Frisby likes to put on the style ... and delete postsFrisby throws a wobbly
at his shareholders
6 Rishi Sunak was quick to jump on an announcement by
Amazon that it was creating 15,000 jobs in the UK, on top of
the 10,000 that Jeff Bezos’s online retail behemoth added last
year. The hoodie-wearing, Peloton-riding, Mexican Coke fan
tweeted: “Our #PlanforJobs is working.”
Sunak must be an admirer of Bezos. The chancellor, 41, is
reported to be against the idea of an online sales tax, which is
seen as a way of levelling the playing field between
beleaguered high street businesses and web giants such as...
Amazon.
While rolls of Lulu Lytle wallpaper arrived at 10 Downing
Street, were there Amazon Prime boxes piling up at the door
to Number 11?Jamie Nimmo
JUST SAYING...
FUNNY BUSINESS
TWITTER POLL
Was Gary Lineker right
when he suggested a
tax rise for the wealthiest
could tackle the cost of
living crisis?
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