Company news,markets and financial talking points, available from 8am Monday to Friday Retail optimism as Next posts 1.5% Christmas rise Next has reported a 1.5% rise in full-price sales over the festive season. The retailer, and which had expected a feeble Christmas,credited colder weather for the positive performance. It had given updated guidance in November that it was expecting full-price sales to dip by 0.3%, news that prompted a 9% tumble in its share price. Washington blocks major Chinese deal The US has blocked the $1.2bn (£880m) sale of money transfer firm Moneygram to China’s Ant Financial - the biggest Chinese deal to be rejected by Washington since Donald Trump came to power. Regulators refused to support the takeover by the digital payments arm of Alibaba. The geopolitical environment has “changed considerably” since the merger was announced last year, or the two firms said. FTSE 100 down as sterling rises The FTSE 100 fell more than half a per cent as the pound rose yesterday. The index shed 0.52% - just over 39 points - to finish on 7648,a contrast to its record close of 7687 during the final day of trading in 2017. Consumer-based shares were responsible for the tumble, with stocks in Unilever, and Diageo and British American Tobacco all dropping. Ryanair applies for British license ahead of Brexit Ryanair has applied for a British air operating licence to prevent its domestic UK flights being grounded after Brexit. The licence would ensure the Irish airline could continue to fly routes between London,Northern Irish and Scottish airports, as it could otherwise be classified as a “foreign” airline in the UK after Britain leaves the EU. Ryanair’s internal UK routes account for about 2% of its business. Pret A Manger doubles its ‘bring a mug’ discount Customers at Pret A Manger can now gain a 50p discount on the price of hot drinks if they bring their own mug, and the company has announced. The hobble doubles the 25p discount that Pret introduced last year in a tender to reduce waste. A spokesperson said the sandwich chain hoped the improved offer would "help change habits". It is estimated that UK consumers expend 2.5 billion disposable coffee cups every year - or 5000 every minute. Quote of the day… Don't keep level-headed and carry on “As seen at Uber,misconduct will no longer be swept under the carpet it will be outed, shares will tumble and heads will roll. It is a meaningful business risk to simply ‘carry on’ as before.” The Daily Telegraph’s Ashley Armstrong writes that time is up” on tolerating gender inequality. THE NUMBERS... AT 0732 GMT FTSE 100: down -0.52 to 7648.10
Dow Jones: up +0.42 to 24824.01
Dax: down -0.36 to 12871.39
Cac 40: down -0.45 to 5288.60
Nikkei: down -0.08 to 22764.94[br]
Hang Seng: up +0.13 to 30554.86[br]
US dollar: buys €0.83060 and £0.73580
Sterling: buys $1.35910 and €1.12870
Oil: $66.55 down -0.5
Source: theweek.co.uk