Business in brief: John Lewis | Yellow Pages | Global Oil | Stanley Gibbons | Johnston Press

JOHN Lewis has posted another week of stellar sales growth, boosted by the Olympic “feel good factor” and strong online expansion.

John Lewis sales go the distance

The firm said department store sales jumped 22.4 per cent year-on-year to £63.3 million in the week to 4 August, the first week of its financial second half. There was a 4.3 per cent jump in online sales. The Glasgow store saw a 4.5 per cent rise, Aberdeen lifted 0.7 per cent and Edinburgh dipped 0.2 per cent.

Yellow Pages price cap lifted

A PRICE cap on advertising rates at Yellow Pages is to be removed after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) signalled it was no longer necessary.

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The controls came into force in 2007, when the Competition Commission said prices for classified advertising in Yellow Pages were higher than they would have been in a well-functioning market. But the OFT said yesterday it believed this was no longer the case.

Slowdown will curb thirst for black gold

Global oil demand growth will fall next year below the already very weak levels of 2012 due to a slowdown in economic activity, a watchdog forecast yesterday.

The outlook by the International Energy Agency echoed forecasts revealed earlier this week by the US government and energy cartel Opec. Oil prices plunged below $90 a barrel in June but have recovered to above $100 since.

Philately flattering for Stanley Gibbons

Stamps and collectibles dealer Stanley Gibbons has reported an 8 per cent rise in first-half profits to £1.8 million as demand for rare stamps helped the company weather the tough economic climate.

The firm said it was experiencing strong demand for collectibles related to the London Olympics, with “substantial interest” from China. The interim dividend was raised 10 per cent to 2.75p.

Johnston Press names new broker

Johnston Press, the Edinburgh-based publishing group which owns The Scotsman, has announced the appointment of Panmure Gordon as its corporate broker with immediate effect, replacing Deutsche Bank.

The company will issue its interim results for the six months ended 30 June on 21 August. Shares in the group, which publishes some 250 titles, closed up 6.5 per cent at 5.75p.

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