Xmas | Common News Update

Dec142020 by adminNo Comments

Germany calls on all to forgo Xmas shopping before lockdown

Health

The German government is calling on citizens to forgo Christmas shopping two days before the country heads into a hard lockdown that will shut most stores, tighten social distancing rules and close schools across the countryByThe Associated PressDecember 14, 2020, 9:14 AM• 3 min readShare to FacebookShare to TwitterEmail this articleBERLIN -- The German government called on citizens Monday to forgo Christmas shopping, two days before the country heads into a hard lockdown that will shut most stores, tighten social distancing rules and close schools across the country.“I wish and I hope that people will only buy what they really need, like groceries,” Economy Minister Peter Altmaier said late Sunday. “The faster we get these infections under control, the better it is for everyone.”Chancello...

Shoppers shun high street on peak Xmas weekend

Business

Shoppers have stayed away from the high street on what is usually a peak trading weekend before Christmas. Footfall for Saturday across already struggling high streets throughout the UK plummeted more than 9% compared with the same time last year.Freezing temperatures and the relentless popularity of shopping online are behind the terrible numbers, say experts.Shopping centres and retail parks, combined with high streets, saw footfall down 7.3% up to 3pm on Saturday, retail intelligence experts Springboard said.Diane Wehrle, Springboard's marketing and insights director, said Storm Deirdre's arrival would have deterred even the most loyal high street consumer from venturing out.She said: "If people are presented with really terrible weather they then have the choice to shop...

Apple shares sink as Xmas sales forecast disappoints

Technology

Apple shares have plunged in after-hours trading after the iPhone maker's forecasts for revenues in the the crucial Christmas period missed expectations. The company's boss Tim Cook said it expected a series of headwinds to weigh on growth in the coming months.He said they included weakness in emerging markets, an expected $ 2bn cost from unfavourable foreign exchange rates and uncertainty over whether it could keep up with demand for new products.Its fourth quarter results, covering the three months to October, showed Apple sold fewer iPhones than analysts had expected - almost 47 million - but revenues and profits all smashed forecasts.Revenue was up 20% on a year ago at $ 62bn while profits rose 41%.Its iPhone sales in the final three months, which tends to be the weakes...