Latest news with #Livingbridge
Scottish Sun
19 hours ago
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Fuel prices climb again after dropping to near four-year lows in May
The RAC hopes a Government-backed Fuel Finder scheme later this year will help drivers secure fairer deals PUMPED UP Fuel prices climb again after dropping to near four-year lows in May Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FUEL prices are climbing again at the pumps after dropping to near four-year lows in May, stats show. Unleaded now costs 134.15p a litre on average, up 2p since June 1 — while diesel has risen to 141.21p from 138.39p. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up Filling a 55-litre family car now costs £73.78 for petrol, up £1.06, and £77.67 for diesel, an increase of £1.55, RAC figures revealed. Supermarket fuel prices rose slightly less, with petrol priced at 130.26p and diesel at 136.67p. Northern Ireland remains the cheapest region, with unleaded at 128p and diesel at 134p. The surge follows tensions in the Middle East, which pushed oil prices from $64 to $79 per barrel last month. Although oil prices have dropped back to $67, costs at the pump remain high. RAC spokesman Simon Williams criticised retailers for raising prices quickly despite falling wholesale costs. He said: 'July will be a telling month — will retailers stop raising prices or even cut them? 'Or will drivers be stuck paying more for the foreseeable future?' The Competition and Markets Authority recently blamed weak competition and high retailer margins for inflated costs. While prices remain far below record highs from 2022, fuel remains a major expense. The RAC hopes a Government-backed Fuel Finder scheme later this year will help drivers secure fairer deals. Mastercard Payout Delay, £310 Car Insurance Hack, and UK Inflation Drop – Money News Today 1 Fuel prices are climbing again at the pumps Credit: Getty Currys clicks CURRYS reported a 37 per cent jump in pre-tax profits to £162million for the year ending May 3 — driven by strong UK sales. Group sales of the tech products chain rose 3 per cent to £8.7billion with UK sales up 6 per cent, boosted by growth of its iD Mobile network and AI-related gadgets. The retailer — which has 708 stores — reinstated dividends with a 1.5p-per-share payout after suspending them last year. LoveHols in float talk ONLINE travel agent LoveHolidays is considering a stock market flotation that could value the business at over £1billion. The firm, which has been owned by private equity group Livingbridge since 2018, is said to be in talks with bankers and has begun initial meetings with institutional investors, Sky News reported. The company, which specialises in Mediterranean and Canary Island holidays, reported a 20 per cent rise in pre-tax profits to £67.6million on sales of £284million last year. Livingbridge declined to comment.
Sky News
a day ago
- Business
- Sky News
Online travel agent Loveholidays mulls stock market excursion
One of Britain's biggest online travel agents (OTAs) is exploring a stock market listing - a move which could deliver a welcome boost to London's fragile pipeline for initial public offerings (IPOs). Sky News has learnt that the owner of Loveholidays is working with bankers on a flotation likely to value the company at well over £1bn. City sources said on Thursday that initial meetings with institutional investors had been scheduled, although further details of a potential listing were unclear. Loveholidays has been backed by Livingbridge, a private equity firm, since 2018, and has seen its financial performance improve markedly since the Covid pandemic threw the travel industry into chaos. The company specialises in trips to the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, and boasts that its inventory of 35,000 hotels and 99% of all flights result in 500 billion possible holiday packages. It reportedly saw pre-tax profits rise by a fifth to £67.6m on sales of £284m in the year to October 2024. Along with OnTheBeach and TUI, Loveholidays ranks among the UK's biggest travel agents and has been a big winner from the post-pandemic resurgence in demand from holidaymakers. Last year, Sky News reported that bidders including CVC Capital Partners, the private equity giant, were examining offers for a controlling stake in Loveholidays. When that process was curtailed, it is also said to have explored the sale of a minority stake. Loveholidays was founded in 2012 by Alex Francis and Jonny Marsh, and now employs hundreds of people.
