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Yr-on-year footfall at UK retail dropped yesterday
We’ve additional indicators as we speak that this isn’t a superb Christmas for the retail sector.
Yesterday, year-on-year footfall at UK buying locations was 1.2% decrease than on twenty third December 2023 (a Saturday), in keeping with retail know-how agency MRI Software program.
Visits to UK excessive streets had been 5.3% decrease than a 12 months in the past, reflecting the final decline in bodily buying because the Covid-19 pandemic, though this was considerably balanced out by a 4.9% rise at retail parks.
On a weekly foundation, footfall was up 28.5% in all UK retail locations in comparison with the week earlier than.
Jenni Matthews, advertising and marketing and insights director at MRI Software program, says:
This spike displays the attraction of the huge leisure and retail choices obtainable to shoppers particularly giant households shopping for these last-minute presents, groceries and in addition searching for that experiential aspect to maintain the kids entertained. Excessive streets additionally noticed sturdy week on week progress (+18.8%) nevertheless this was over half of what was seen in buying centres.
Nonetheless, footfall remained 5.3% decrease in excessive streets in comparison with the identical date final 12 months suggesting the price of residing pressures proceed for a lot of households. This was additionally mirrored in modest 12 months on 12 months rises recorded in buying centres and retail parks of +1.4% and +4.9%, respectively.
Key occasions
American Airways’ shares aren’t struggling badly from this morning’s disruption.
They’re down 0.4% in early buying and selling at $17.18, having recovered most of their pre-market losses earlier than Wall Road opened.
Airways set for busiest Christmas season ever
The disruption at American Airways got here as we speak because the trade ready for its busiest Christmas season ever.
A file 54mn passengers are forecast to fly on US carriers between December 19 and January 6, in keeping with commerce group Airways for America (A4A).
UK carriers are additionally anticipating a record-breaking festive interval, with 6.1m seats anticipated to be flown between December 20 and January 2, aviation information firm Cirium has predicted.
The FT has extra particulars.
Wall Road buying and selling has begun, relatively gently, on the ultimate day earlier than the Christmas break.
Barely a mouse is stirring on the Dow Jones industrial common, which has gained 4 factors, or 0.0097%, in early buying and selling to 42,911 factors.
There’s a bit extra motion on the broader S&P 500 index – it’s risen by 17.5 factors, or 0.29%, to five,991 factors.
Palantir Applied sciences are the highest riser, up 4.6%, following reviews the corporate is in talks to create a consortium to collectively bid for US authorities work.
Elon Musk’s Tesla is shut behind, up 3.7%.
That is serving to to carry the Nasdaq composite index of tech shares up by 0.5%.
American Airline’s shares had dropped by round 3.8% in pre-market buying and selling after reporting the technical drawback that pressured a brief cease to flights.
However now that the bottom has been cancelled, they’ve recovered most of that floor – and are down simply 0.8% with half-hour earlier than Wall Road opens.
CNN confirms that American Airways is boarding flights once more, after the FAA lifted its nationwide groundstop.
They are saying:
“We apologize to our clients for the inconvenience,” American Airways mentioned in an announcement.
David Myers, a 62-year-old catastrophe guide touring from from Salisbury, Maryland, to New Orleans with a layover in Charlotte mentioned he was first alerted to the difficulty at 6 am Tuesday morning. He and his spouse are attempting to spend Christmas with their youngsters.
“It’s Christmas Eve, so complaining doesn’t appear fairly proper,” Myers informed CNN. “And security at all times comes first. However extra info on the gate can be useful.”
American Airways lifts floor cease after unspecified technical concern
There’s been some worrying disruption to pre-Christmas flights within the US as we speak – however fortunately, the issue could now be mounted.
An unspecified technical concern pressured American Airways to droop all flights earlier as we speak, which should have delayed journey plans for some passengers throughout the nation.
The airline informed one passenger, on X, that it was “presently experiencing a technical concern with all American Airways flights”.
We’re presently experiencing a technical concern with all American Airways flights. Your security is our utmost precedence, as soon as that is rectified, we’ll have you ever safely in your approach to your vacation spot.
— americanair (@AmericanAir) December 24, 2024
🚨AMERICAN AIRLINE PASSENGERS🚨 There’s a FULL GROUND STOP for all @AmericanAir flights proper now because of technical points. They’re hoping to get issues again up and working asap. Not ultimate on a busy journey day like Christmas Eve. Persist with @WGNMorningNews for updates. pic.twitter.com/DwI6J1vHau
— Brhett Vickery (@BrhettVickery) December 24, 2024
However after roughly an hour, the bottom cease has now been lifted, in keeping with a discover on the U.S. aviation regulator’s web site.
FTSE 100 rises on first day of Santa Rally season
London’s inventory market has closed for Christmas, after a morning through which shares have risen within the Metropolis.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 share index has closed up 34 factors, or 0.4%, at 8136 – that means the standard seven day “Santa Claus Rally” interval has obtained off to a strong, if unspectacular begin (see earlier publish for particulars of this festive inventory market theme).
AirTel Africa completed the shortened session as the highest riser, up 3.8%, after starting a brand new share buyback progrmme, adopted by Pershing Sq. (+2.2%), mining firm Anglo American (+2%) and Vodafone (+1.9%).
Housbuilders, although, had a poor day following this morning’s income warning from Vistry. Persimmon was the highest FTSE 100 faller, down 2.4%.
Vistry itself has posted a 16% plunge as we speak, placing it firmly on the backside of the FTSE 250 share index.
Matt Britzman, senior fairness analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, says the FTSE 100 has risen regardless of latest “lacklustre financial information”, including:
Monday’s session noticed the index shut barely decrease after opening within the crimson, as ultimate GDP figures revealed the UK economic system stalled within the third quarter with no progress from the prior interval and only a 0.9% annual rise.
Including to the wintry chill, second-quarter progress was revised down from 0.5% to 0.4%, stoking issues in regards to the UK’s slowing momentum heading into the brand new 12 months.
With half-hour buying and selling to go… the London inventory market remains to be exhibiting good points.
The FTSE 100 index is up 0.57%, whereas the samller FTSE 250 index has gained 0.7% – regardless of Vistry dragging it down after this morning’s revenue warning.
Yr-on-year footfall at UK retail dropped yesterday
We’ve additional indicators as we speak that this isn’t a superb Christmas for the retail sector.
Yesterday, year-on-year footfall at UK buying locations was 1.2% decrease than on twenty third December 2023 (a Saturday), in keeping with retail know-how agency MRI Software program.
Visits to UK excessive streets had been 5.3% decrease than a 12 months in the past, reflecting the final decline in bodily buying because the Covid-19 pandemic, though this was considerably balanced out by a 4.9% rise at retail parks.
On a weekly foundation, footfall was up 28.5% in all UK retail locations in comparison with the week earlier than.
Jenni Matthews, advertising and marketing and insights director at MRI Software program, says:
This spike displays the attraction of the huge leisure and retail choices obtainable to shoppers particularly giant households shopping for these last-minute presents, groceries and in addition searching for that experiential aspect to maintain the kids entertained. Excessive streets additionally noticed sturdy week on week progress (+18.8%) nevertheless this was over half of what was seen in buying centres.
Nonetheless, footfall remained 5.3% decrease in excessive streets in comparison with the identical date final 12 months suggesting the price of residing pressures proceed for a lot of households. This was additionally mirrored in modest 12 months on 12 months rises recorded in buying centres and retail parks of +1.4% and +4.9%, respectively.
Elsewhere within the automotive trade, shares in Honda and Nissan have jumped as we speak after the 2 automotive makers confirmed they’re in talks a few attainable three-way merger with Mitsubishi.
Honda shares have jumped 12% as we speak, whereas Nissan gained 6%.
Combining Japan’s second- and third-largest carmakers, plus Mitsubishi, would create the world’s third-largest carmaker when it comes to annual gross sales, behind solely Japanese rival Toyota and Germany’s Volkswagen.
It’s a defensive effort to affix forces because the automotive trade goes via its largest ever interval of upheaval.