4 Quotes by Andrew Wollaston

Though the economy is weaker than a year ago, this continued high level of warnings is a real concern.

With profit warnings averaging 92 per quarter in the 12 months to the third quarter, businesses are clearly finding it difficult to forecast.

The increase is due largely to the decline in consumer confidence during 2005 as a result of concerns over growing levels of consumer debt and the slowing housing market, and because U.K. economic growth has halved.

The lower warnings level is evidence that the continuing bad news has started to affect confidence to the point that boards of retail companies are no longer prepared to sign off aggressive forecasts.