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■■Discount supermarket Lidl hailed record Christmas sales – after shifting 600 tonnes of Brussels sprouts. The German-owned chain said they also sold 17 million mince pies and more than 800,000 litres of champagne and prosecco. Lidl said takings jumped 16 per cent in December, thanks to attracting more customers and having more stores than a year ago. However, they did not reveal if they grew sales at the expense of profits. ■■ Marks & Spencer have made another top-level hiring after poaching Humphrey Singer from Dixons Carphone as finance chief. ■■ Housebuilding giants Taylor Wimpey say the property market remains “solid” after reporting a 5 per cent rise in completions to 14,541 for 2017.