Retail

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Card spending dips in December but momentum still strong
Retail

Card spending dips in December but momentum still strong

Consumers may have spent less in December after hitting the shops in November, but momentum remains strong as low interest rates continue to spur spending.Total retail spending fell a seasonally adjusted 0.8 percent on the month in December after lifting 2.9 percent in November. ...

Rebecca Howard 16 Jan 2020
Margin pressure continues at Michael Hill although sales rise
Retail

Margin pressure continues at Michael Hill although sales rise

Michael Hill International says group sales were up 3.3 percent over the December quarter but gross margins remain below historical levels. The Australasian jeweller said total sales rose to A$203.47 million for 13 weeks to 29 Dec. 2019 from A$197.05 million over the same period...

Victoria Young 16 Jan 2020
Financial life looks up for small businesses
Retail

Financial life looks up for small businesses

New Zealand businesses may still be worried about profitability, but things are looking up for the small end of town.  The latest Xero Small Business Insights data showed 58.47 percent of New Zealand small businesses were cash flow positive in November, up 8.51 percentage points...

Rebecca Howard 15 Jan 2020
Eric Watson’s problematic loan to cash-strapped Bendon parent
Retail Free

Eric Watson’s problematic loan to cash-strapped Bendon parent

Creditors circling Eric Watson may pose problems for the cash-strapped parent of lingerie maker Bendon, which owes the high-profile ex-pat businessman $2.7 million.                             The debt arose in 2018 in a complex arrangement involving Watson’s Cullen Group when Na...

Paul McBeth 13 Jan 2020