THE DAILY BRIEFING
PROFITS BLOW Despite a sales boost, Carpetright expects profits for the half-year to fall below the year before. The retailer said market volatility across the UK and Europe will affect its first-half results when it reports in December 12. It came despite the firm posting a 0.8pc increase in same store sales in the 25 weeks to October 21.
NO CHARGE Prosecutors probing German stock market boss Carsten Kengeter over insider trading claims say they do not have enough evidence to charge him. Kengeter bought £4m of shares in his firm Deutsche Boerse shortly before it unveiled plans for a deal with the London Stock Exchange that later fell through.
STAKE SALE Taxpayer-backed Royal Bank of Scotland has sold its stake in markets business Euroclear to Intercontinental Exchange for £245m. RBS shares rose 0.5pc, or 1.5p, to 281p yesterday.
BANK SLIP-UP Italian banking giant Unicredit is facing embarrassment after accidentally releasing its third-quarter results three months early. The lender mistakenly sent the figures to analysts and investors on Monday night. Profits at the firm climbed to £828.4m, up 45pc on a year earlier.
ROTTEN ROADS A record number of businesses are dissatisfied with the state of roads and other infrastructure in their region, a CBI study reveals. Research by the employers’ organisation found that three out of five firms doubt if there will be any improvement during the current Parliament.
GOOD SHOW Household and personal care products manufacturer McBride said sales in the first quarter were 6.7pc lower than the previous year while household division sales were down 5.1pc. Despite this, performance will be significantly weighted towards the second half of the year as sales from its growth strategy begin to benefit the business.
SOFA SLUMP The boss of furnishings firm ScS has been given a pay cut. David Knight received a pay package worth £591,303 in the year to the end of July, down from £801,290 the year before.
BAUER MAN Audio firm Audio Boom has appointed Oli Walters, who previously worked at Bauer Media and managed its brand partnerships with Wickes, Shop Direct and Three Mobile, as head of sales.