The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Sterling edged lower against the dollar and the pound on Friday as data showed retail sales bounced back weakly in December after shops in England emerged from a four-week November lockdown.
Retail sales volumes rose 0.3 percent in December, much less than economist expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.2 percent increase. England is now in its third national lockdown and officials have not confirmed when it will end.
In early trade, sterling dipped 0.3 percent against the dollar at $1.3696, but it was still on track for a second week of gains versus the greenback.
“The weaker than expected UK retail sales released this morning combined with the suggestion that schools may not open until April, with non-essential shops opening even later in England bodes poorly for the recovery story,” said Jane Foley, head of FX Strategy at Rabobank.
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Versus the euro, sterling was down 0.4 percent at 88.96 pence, after hitting an eight-month high of 88.30 pence in the previous session.
As Britain recorded another 1,290 deaths on Thursday from Covid-19, down from a record 1,820 the day before, the narrative for a quicker economic recovery thanks to the vaccine rollout is weakening.
“The weakness in consumption is likely to be extended into much of Q1,” said Simon Harvey, senior FX market analyst at Monex Europe.
Public borrowing in Britain for December came in at £34.1 billion, slightly above economists’ forecasts, taking borrowing since the start of the financial year in April to a fresh record high of £270.8 billion.
The release of flash PMIs later on Friday will provide some more indication of how the UK economy is faring into 2021.
“Having tried to push higher this year, there are already signs that the GBP rally could be running out of steam,” Foley added.
By Joice Alves; editor: Philippa Fletcher.
The rental platform saw its stock soar last week after predicting it would hit a key profitability metric this year. A new marketing push and more robust inventory are the key to unlocking elusive growth, CEO Jenn Hyman tells BoF.
Nordstrom, Tod’s and L’Occitane are all pushing for privatisation. Ultimately, their fate will not be determined by whether they are under the scrutiny of public investors.
The company is in talks with potential investors after filing for insolvency in Europe and closing its US stores. Insiders say efforts to restore the brand to its 1980s heyday clashed with its owners’ desire to quickly juice sales in order to attract a buyer.
The humble trainer, once the reserve of football fans, Britpop kids and the odd skateboarder, has become as ubiquitous as battered Converse All Stars in the 00s indie sleaze years.