e-Coops

(Updating to add analyst comments)

LONDON (AFX) - The balance of UK retailers who expect to push through prices rises in the coming three months is at the highest level in eight years, the UK’s leading business lobby group said today.

The Confederation of British Industry revealed the balance of retailers who expect prices to rise over the next three months stood at +19 pct in February, way ahead of the -3 pct recorded in November when the question was last asked.

The February figure is the highest since May 1999’s +23 pct, and analysts said it’s likely to worry the Bank of England.

“This increases pressure for another interest rates hike in the near term,” particularly after separate data releases today showed the manufacturing industry is also raising its output prices, said Howard Archer.

Elsewhere in its distributive trades survey, the CBI revealed that 43 pct of retailers said sales volumes were higher than a year ago in February, while 24 pct recorded a decline.

The ensuing balance of +19 pct is down from January’s two-year high of +30 pct. The fall in the balance was more or less in line with expectations. Analysts polled by AFX News expected a drop to +18 pct.

Retailers also expect the balance to fall further in March. The expected sales balance dropped to +16 pct from the +22 pct in the previous survey.

Overall however, retailers seem more optimistic, as the business situation balance rose to +2 pct in February from -1 pct when the question was last asked in November.

“The headline figures show a heartening high street performance in February as year-on-year sales volumes grew again and selling prices continued to rise,” said John Longworth, executive director of supermarkets chain Asda and chairman of the CBI’s retailing panel.

“The recent rally in pricing power, while good news for retailers, will provide food for thought for interest rate watchers,” he added.

The CBI survey covers 20,000 outlets in the UK and was conducted during the first two weeks of February. There were 154 responses.

carlo.piovano@thomson.com

pp/cp/jag

COPYRIGHT

Copyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.

AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited

For more information and to contact AFX: www.afxnews.com and www.afxpress.com

This entry was posted on Monday, June 4th, 2007 at 8:39 pm and is filed under FX. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

(Updating to add analyst comments)

LONDON (AFX) - The balance of UK retailers who expect to push through prices rises in the coming three months is at the highest level in eight years, the UK’s leading business lobby group said today.

The Confederation of British Industry revealed the balance of retailers who expect prices to rise over the next three months stood at +19 pct in February, way ahead of the -3 pct recorded in November when the question was last asked.

The February figure is the highest since May 1999’s +23 pct, and analysts said it’s likely to worry the Bank of England.

“This increases pressure for another interest rates hike in the near term,” particularly after separate data releases today showed the manufacturing industry is also raising its output prices, said Howard Archer.

Elsewhere in its distributive trades survey, the CBI revealed that 43 pct of retailers said sales volumes were higher than a year ago in February, while 24 pct recorded a decline.

The ensuing balance of +19 pct is down from January’s two-year high of +30 pct. The fall in the balance was more or less in line with expectations. Analysts polled by AFX News expected a drop to +18 pct.

Retailers also expect the balance to fall further in March. The expected sales balance dropped to +16 pct from the +22 pct in the previous survey.

Overall however, retailers seem more optimistic, as the business situation balance rose to +2 pct in February from -1 pct when the question was last asked in November.

“The headline figures show a heartening high street performance in February as year-on-year sales volumes grew again and selling prices continued to rise,” said John Longworth, executive director of supermarkets chain Asda and chairman of the CBI’s retailing panel.

“The recent rally in pricing power, while good news for retailers, will provide food for thought for interest rate watchers,” he added.

The CBI survey covers 20,000 outlets in the UK and was conducted during the first two weeks of February. There were 154 responses.

carlo.piovano@thomson.com

pp/cp/jag

COPYRIGHT

Copyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.

AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited

For more information and to contact AFX: www.afxnews.com and www.afxpress.com

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 22nd, 2007 at 3:50 pm and is filed under FX. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

(Updating to add further details)

LONDON (AFX) - The balance of UK retailers who expect to push through prices rises over the coming three months is the highest for eight years, the UK’s leading business lobby group said today.

The Confederation of British Industry revealed today that the balance of retailers who expect prices to rise over the coming three months stood at +19 pct in February, way ahead of the -3 pct recorded in November when the question was last asked.

The February figure is the highest since May 1999’s +23 pct.

Elsewhere in its distributive trades survey, the CBI revealed that 43 pct of retailers said sales volumes were higher than a year ago in February while 24 pct recorded a decline.

The ensuing balance of +19 pct is down from January’s two-year high of +30 pct. The fall in the balance was more or less in line with expectations. Analysts polled by AFX News expected a drop to +18 pct.

Retailers also expect the balance to fall further in March. The expected sales balance dropped to +16 pct from the +22 pct in the previous survey.

Overall, retailers seem more optimistic, however, as the business situation balance rose to +2 pct in February from -1 pct when the question was last asked in November.

“The headline figures show a heartening high street performance in February as year-on-year sales volumes grew again and selling prices continued to rise,” said John Longworth, executive director of supermarkets chain Asda and chairman of the CBI’s retailing panel.

“The recent rally in pricing power, while good news for retailers, will provide food for thought for interest rate watchers,” he added.

The CBI survey covers 20,000 outlets in the UK and was conducted during the first two weeks of February. There were 154 responses.

pan.pylas@thomson.com

pp/cp

COPYRIGHT

Copyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.

The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.

AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited

For more information and to contact AFX: www.afxnews.com and www.afxpress.com

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 29th, 2007 at 6:57 pm and is filed under FX. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.