Bunnings in spotlight

EXPECTATIONS are growing that Wesfarmers’ new chief Rob Scott will pull the plug on the group’s Bunnings business in the UK and Ireland within the year, analysts say.

Speculation over the future of Bunnings UK and Ireland comes as the division’s losses blow out and Wesfarmers prepared to hand down its slimmest first-half profit haul in more than a decade

The Perth-based retail and industrial conglomerate will book a $1 billion impairment against the value of Bunnings UK and Ireland at its upcoming half-year results.