Northern Financial Review

Shares of scandal-hit York house building giant Persimmon rose about 3% on Thursday after it published a third quarter trading statement for the period from…

Blackpool Council said it has acquired the resort’s Houndshill Shopping Centre in a move aimed at sparking the regeneration of the town centre. The council…

Shares of shopping centre operator Intu Properties plc — which runs Manchester’s Trafford Centre and Arndale Centre, Newcastle’s Eldon Square and Gateshead’s Metrocentre — fell about…

The UK Government has held exploratory discussions with the investment industry over changing listing rules to encourage high growth companies and start-ups to list in…

Shares of Barrow-in-Furness marine engineering services company James Fisher and Sons plc fell about 6% on Tuesday after it said it has been subject to…

Premiership Rugby (PRL) said on Tuesday that English champions Saracens have been given a 35-point deduction and fined £5.36 million after they were found guilty…

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Tuesday it found that woollen yarn producer Danspin’s purchase of Dewsbury, West Yorkshire competitor Lawton Yarns “poses…

Comcast’s Sky said it has created 1,000 new jobs throughout the UK — including 500 roles at a new customer contact centre in Leeds —…

Deutsche Bahn is in exclusive talks with US private equity firm Carlyle over a £2.2 billion sale of the German rail operator’s Sunderland-based Arriva transport…

Walmart’s Leeds-based subsidiary Asda on Friday has given its shop floor workers more time to sign new employment contracts or face dismissal in a dispute…

The CEO of Liverpool-based Peel Ports Group, the UK’s second largest port operator, told Reuters that cargo shippers are diverting goods to ports across the UK…

Shares of major Manchester car dealership Lookers plc fell 13% on Friday as it announced CEO Andy Bruce and chief operating officer Nigel McMinn will step…

Outsourcing firm Capita plc said on Thursday it has renewed its contract with Manchester-based Co-operative Bank to run its mortgage servicing operation in the UK…

The US Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut interest rates for the third time this year to help sustain US growth. However, the Fed also signaled there will…

The stock market value of the North West of England’s listed companies rose from £48.4 billion in the second quarter to £50.8 billion in the…

Legislation for a UK general election on December 12 has cleared the House of Commons, with MPs voting in favour of the move by 438…

Chester-based Sykes Holiday Cottages has been sold to private equity firm Vitruvian Partners in deal worth a reported £375 million. Sykes said the transaction sees…

Rotherham-based brownfield regeneration firm Harworth Group and Sheffield-based property investment group Henry Boot on Tuesday announced a joint venture “to pursue a strategic land opportunity…

The European Union on Monday agreed a three-month “flexible” delay to the UK’s proposed departure from the EU. Just days before the UK is formally…

Manchester-based corporate rescue giant Begbies Traynor Group plc said on Friday it made yet another acquisition. Begbies Traynor said it acquired Alexander Lawson Jacobs Limited (ALJ), a…

Shares of Manchester-based drug discovery company C4X Discovery Holdings plc (C4XD) fell about 58% on Thursday as it announced it raised £7 million from a share placing…

Shares of Chester-based identity data company GB Group (GBG) rose 14% on Thursday after it said its revenue for the six months to September 30, 2019,…

UPDATE 3 — Manchester-based investment platform AJ Bell said on Thursday its total customer numbers increased 17% to 232,066 in the year to September 30…

Blackburn-based petrol station and convenience store giant EG Group has announced the completion of its Cumberland Farms acquisition in the United States. Based in Westborough, Massachusetts, Cumberland…

The value of private equity (PE) deals taking UK-listed companies private more than trebled to £14 billion in 2018-19, up from £3.8 billion the previous…

Shares of Manchester-based online holiday retailer On the Beach Group plc rose about 6% on Tuesday after it said in a trading update that the liquidation of…

Shares of York-based online music equipment retailer Gear4music rose 10% on Tuesday after it reported a strong trading update for the six months to September…

Manchester-based corporate rescue giant Begbies Traynor Group plc said on Monday it acquired Leeds-based business transfer agent Ernest Wilson for up to £5.63 million. “This long-established business,…

Shares of Glasgow-based banking group CYBG — owner of Yorkshire Bank and Clydesdale Bank — rose about 4% on Monday as it rebranded as Virgin…

Wakefield fashion firm Bonmarché Holdings has collapsed into administration, putting almost 2,900 jobs at risk. Tony Wright, Alastair Massey and Phil Pierce, partners at specialist…

Wincanton Plc said on Friday it is mulling a possible offer for Warrington-based Eddie Stobart Logistics Plc. The news came just two days after Eddie…

Deutsche Bank said on Thursday it sees a 55% chance that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal will be rejected by the UK Parliament…

Warrington-based Eddie Stobart Logistics plc said DBAY Advisors, its second-largest shareholder, has been granted more time to make a firm takeover offer for the haulage…

Manchester-based social media agency Social Chain and German online retailer Lumaland AG have merged to form The Social Chain AG. “Through the reverse merger with the…

Liverpool-based Peel Ports Group, the UK’s second largest port operator, said on Thursday its ports at Liverpool, Heysham in Lancashire and Sheerness London Medway “have the…

Manchester-based corporate rescue giant Begbies Traynor Group plc said on Thursday its latest research reveals that the number of UK businesses in “significant” financial distress has increased…

Shares of Chester-based price comparison website Moneysupermarket.com fell about 9% on Thursday after a trading statement showed its growth slowed in the quarter ended September…

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has taken the first step towards potentially stripping train operator Northern rail of its franchise, according to a report from the Press…

Shares of Newcastle-based house building giant Bellway fell about 7% on Tuesday despite the firm reporting its revenue rose 8.3% to £3.2 billion and profit…

The UK’s listed companies have been hit hard by an “accelerated decline” in both the quantity and quality of sell-side analyst research following the introduction…

Blackburn-based petrol station and convenience store giant EG Group is planning an initial public offering next year that could value the company at about $12.44 billion, Bloomberg has…

Shares of Leeds-based leisure and logistics firm Dart Group, owner of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays, rose almost 17% on Friday after it said in a trading update it is receiving…

Shares of Scarborough-based Sirius Minerals plc, the firm behind the controversial $5 billion fertilizer mine in North Yorkshire, rose about 6% on Friday after it said it entered an exclusive 10-year…

Nissan Europe chairman Gianluca de Ficchy warned on Thursday that a no-deal Brexit which led to 10% tariffs on exports would make Nissan’s European business…

Shares of Manchester-based fashion retailer N Brown Group rose about 7% on Thursday after it said it returned to profit in the first half of the…

An application from Wren Kitchens to expand its site in Barton upon Humber has been approved by North Lincolnshire Council’s planning committee. The £120 million…

Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing (HKEX) has abandoned its unsolicited $39 billion approach for London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) after failing to convince LSE shareholders…

Shares of Sheffield-based European building materials supplier SIG fell about 16% on Monday after it warned in a trading update that a deterioration in construction activity…

The High Speed 2 rail project could be scaled back in northern England under cost-cutting plans drawn up by the panel reviewing the project, according…

Thirsk, North Yorkshire-based steel group Severfield plc said on Wednesday it agreed to acquire Bolton-based Harry Peers & Co for a net initial consideration of £18 million….

Manchester-based Auto Trader Group plc said on Wednesday it acquired  KeeResources Limited for an undisclosed sum.     “Founded in  2000, KeeResource is a trusted provider of software solutions, data…

NEL Fund Managers, long-standing North East of England business investor, said it has taken the total amount it has invested in growing regional companies past…

L&Q, one of the UK’s largest housing associations and developers, has completed the acquisition of Manchester-based Trafford Housing Trust. L&Q said the deal will facilitate…

Shares of Sunderland-based furniture and floorings retailer ScS Group fell 7% on Tuesday after it said its gross sales improved £5.8 million to £333.3 million in the 52 weeks…

Manchester-based Revolution Bars Group said on Tuesday its sales rose 6.7% to £151.4 million in the 52 weeks ended June 29, 2019. Adjusted profit before tax fell…

The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Tuesday it has referred the completed acquisition by Bury-based JD Sports Fashion plc of Rochdale-based Footasylum plc…

Shares of Newcastle-based bakery and “food-on-the-go” retailer Greggs fell 6% on Tuesday after it said in a third-quarter trading update that its rate of sales growth…

Manchester-headquartered international law firm DWF on Monday announced new targets to increase the diversity within its senior leadership positions over the next three years. DWF…

A new growth company for Liverpool City Region called Growth Platform has been established to co-ordinate business support, growth and investment across the City Region…

Doncaster-based DFS Furniture said on Thursday its underlying pre-tax profit rose 31.1% to £50.2 million on a pro forma 52-week basis to June 30. On the same basis,…

Warrington-based United Utilities, the UK’s largest listed water company, said on Wednesday it expects its first-half revenue to be higher than the first half of last…

Manchester-based online fashion giant Boohoo Group plc said on Wednesday its first half revenue rose 43% to £564.9 million, taking revenue in the last 12 months above…

New York-listed Manchester United announced financial results for the 12 months ended June 30, 2019, saying it made record revenues of £627.1 million. However, the…

Wakefield-based greeting card and gift retailer Card Factory said its first-half revenue rose 5.5% to £195.6 million but profit before tax fell 14.4% to £24.3…

The United Kingdom’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously on Tuesday that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to shut down parliament in the run-up to Brexit was unlawful….

Shares of Manchester-based holiday retailer On the Beach Group plc (OTB) rose 9% on Monday after it issued a stock exchange statement giving details of the…

Liverpool-based Peel Ports Group, the UK’s second largest port operator, has attracted bids for a stake of up to 25% in the group from international…

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said on Thursday the proposed merger of Bury-based JD Sports Fashion and Rochdale-based Footasylum raises competition concerns. The CMA said…

Warrington-based Eddie Stobart Logistics plc confirmed on Wednesday it had received a “highly preliminary” expression of interest from TVFC Ltd, a company controlled by Stobart…

Ancala Partners LLP, the infrastructure investment manager, announced on Tuesday it completed the acquisition of a 45% interest in Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LJLA) for…