MARKET REPORT: Retailers feel pinch as shoppers cut spending

Shares in some of Britain’s biggest retailers fell amid further signs that cash-strapped shoppers have reined in spending. 

With inflation running at a 40 year high of 10.1 per cent, the Office for National Statistics said retail sales fell by 1.4 per cent in September. 

This was a larger decline than expected. City analysts had pencilled in a 0.5 per cent slide. 

Cutting back: Shares in some of Britain’s biggest retailers fell amid further signs that cash-strapped shoppers have reined in spending

The drop raised fears that the British economy could be heading for recession. 

The pain was felt on the stock market where shares in a number of household names went into reverse yesterday. 

JD Sports fell 6.1 per cent, or 6.12p, to 94.18p, Sports Direct owner Frasers Group dropped 4 per cent, or 26p, to 621p, Next slid 2.9 per cent, or 139p, to 4738p and B&Q and Screwfix parent Kingfisher dipped 1.6 per cent, or 3.2p, to 203.8p.

‘The shift in consumer behaviour is likely a result of the upcoming Christmas season, which many will be approaching with caution this year,’ said Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Sophie Lund-Yates. The FTSE 100 edged up 0.4 per cent, or 25.82 points, to 6969.73 but the FTSE 250 fell 1.1 per cent, or 182.38 points, to 17206.55. 

In yet more misery for Britain’s finances, the Government borrowed another £20billion last month as interest payments soared to a record £7.7billion. 

Mining stocks led the market higher in London with Glencore up 3.6 per cent, or 17.4p, to 502.1p, Anglo American rising 3.1 per cent, or 81p, to 2734p, Antofagasta climbing 2.7 per cent, or 30p, to 1148p and Rio Tinto gaining 1.6 per cent, or 76p, to 4805p. 

The rally came on signs the US Federal Reserve may be preparing to ease the pace at which it is raising interest rates in the world’s biggest economy. It is hoped smaller rate hikes will be beneficial to the global economy – boosting demand for commodities. 

Intercontinental Hotels (IHG), the owner of Holiday Inn and Crowne Plaza, sank 2.1 per cent, or 96p, to 4467p as its finance boss and head of strategy was poached by a fellow blue-chip firm. 

Paul Edgecliffe-Johnson will leave next year to take up the role of finance boss at the Paddy Power and Betfair owner Flutter (down 1.3 per cent, or 135p, to 10585p). IHG has begun a search for his replacement while the gambling business’s current finance boss Jonathan Hill will become group operating officer. 

There was still some good news for IHG. The amount of revenue the group’s hotels make per room rose 28 per cent in the three months to September compared with a year earlier. 

The London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) slid 0.9 per cent, or 66p, to 7350p even though it enjoyed a surge in revenue and cashed in on market volatility. Revenue was 16.2 per cent higher than a year earlier at £1.91billion while the exchange operator maintained its guidance for the year. LSEG also expects to complete an acquisition before the end of the year. 

ProCook dived 1.4 per cent, or 0.5p, to 35.5p as business slumped during the summer. 

The cookware retailer’s revenue tumbled 9.1 per cent in the 16 weeks to October 16 to £15.9m. 

Despite this, ProCook opened a store during the period, while 320,000 customers have shopped with the group for the first time this year. 

Analysts at Peel Hunt said the update was ‘reassuring’ as the cookware retailer reiterated its guidance on profit. 

Over at Wickes, shares slid 2.2 per cent, or 2.7p, to 121.8p as the home improvement business warned of rising energy costs next year. 

The Northampton-based group’s energy contract expires in March, with total energy costs for 2023 expected to be around £7.5m higher than this year. Sales rose 2.6 per cent in the 13 weeks to October.

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk