Anyone notice the exratordinary volumes yesterday? (10/5/2004)

48 million!!!

Many more buys than sells.

That and the price held out only losing a fraction of a penny.

No Easter Eggs in sight in my local store.

May be one reason but............

Any ideas people?

stockbunny I agree and I will.

This week is critical and every day news can make things go weary.

Woolworths downgraded

MoneyAM

Woolworths Group has been downgraded by JP Morgan and removed from its Analyst Focus List.

The broker has changed its stance to 'neutral' from 'overweight'.

Last week's TNS data worried JP Morgan, with Woolworth's showing a 20% year-on-year fall in sales, accelerating the negative trend of recent months.

JP Morgan highlighted the biggest gainer in the survey was Tesco, with a 14% year-on-year gain, implying almost 1bn of extra non-food sales for the full year. JP Morgan fears this is eating into Woolworth's core products more than expected.

JP Morgan said it thinks the stock certainly looks cheap and the broker sees risks to the upside if sales and margin targets can be met over Christmas, though it still feels downside risks are strong.

Maybe I'll leave it till it drop under 40p.

good idea i got in at 43 a month or so ago OOPS (noticed theres been alot of buys)

There always is, stock goes the opposite way.

never could work that out!

Well now it is said you should never take much notice of charts.

Me I take a bit from this one and say, the downward trend will continue sub 40p.

Looks very like 36 to 38p to me although there a slight upturn in relative strength which may prevet that. Depends on where support kicks in at these levels.

Now watch me be wrong!

Needless to say I am not buying tomorrow unless I see those prices.

Note though, WLW is still a strong buy imho, the trading statemnt will show all.

I am now off to Footfall to see what they say...............

Someone did the work for me............. here it is.

Starts

The number of people out shopping in the U.K. last week was 8.1 percent more than in the previous seven days, FootFall said. SPSL estimated the week-on-week increase at 6.5 percent.

According to FootFall director David Smyth, the year-on-year decline in traffic wasn't surprising because the same week last year was the last full business week before Christmas.

``This year, there are still five full days of trading left to go before Christmas, plus the schools in most parts of the country have just broken up,'' Smyth said.

`No Need to Panic'

This helps to gloss the item to a little more quality.

Hey, my mates on ADVFN are doing a great job, all this is from poster Aceuk - Nice one and well researched Ace


UK retailers hold their nerve in "late" Christmas
Tue Dec 21, 2004 12:20 PM GMT

By Trevor Datson, European Retail Correspondent

LONDON, Dec 21 (Reuters) - This may not prove the best ever Christmas on the British high street, but reports of the demise of UK retail may yet prove a little premature.

As the most important week of the retail calendar reaches its peak, British media reports have painted a picture of an industry in crisis, with cut-throat price wars sabotaging what should be the most profitable time of the year.

"Sales: it's all-out war" screamed a recent front page headline in the Daily Mail newspaper, which followed up with a chilling message for the big high-street chains.

"With shoppers spending 400 million pounds ($779 million) less this year on presents, some high street chains slashed prices by up to half in a frenzied attempt to get goods moving," the paper said.

Well, theres some stuff to help me make up my mind. Do you know when I first bought 53k of them, I did it with no research and sat on them for 3 months before I made a few grand in a few days, so I suppose timing is not of the essence in the case of Woolworths shares.

Mind you also, if you buy just before an announcement like the January 14th Trading Statement, you could be on the same winner.

Lets see what happens tomorrow.

Good night, sleep tight.

High buys, small sells.

Thats the pattern of recent trading repeated today.

Okay, I'm in.

I look to sell after the 14th January 2005 or not as the case may be.

I still suspect they had a bad August but never mind!

One thing is certain with a 1.50p divi and any price range you cant really go too wrong.

Whatever everything comes to he(she) who waits.

Hello bunny!

we can talk about a mutual stock again!

;-)

It is down to me remember - true to my word with SBE profits (I should have stayed in !!) I purchased the Maroon 5 CD in Woolies

Perhaps I should not have spoken - yet again it goes red and with buys many many times more than sells (as usual),

oakapples I just had to do it.

I am in with 2 lots for just under 41p so I am happy.

In truth I do not se under 40p, (says me hopefully).

We cab have a bit of fun with this till the 14th january and maybe after.

The 10/10 format will make a difference plus I need to get some new mugs so I will pop in there today.

With all this going for it, all should be fine.

Good for you SWW - I am going to stay in if only to read your posts - Have a great Christmas

good look SWW i reckon it could go well but then again who am i to say

Thats it, bought 6 mugs and look, the share price goes up!

Gawd Bless Us.

Merry Christmas Ev'ry One!

Well done SWW - bet you didn`t get 3 for 2 thats why the SP is up. I too have just been out and return to find I have no red but only blue in my stocks - think I will go out again !!
Merry Christmas

From ADVFN, looks like I got in just right!!!


Starts

Britons flock to shops in last-minute Xmas spree

Wed Dec 22, 2004 01:27 PM GMT

By Trevor Datson

LONDON, Dec 22 (Reuters) - British shoppers are staging a last-minute dash to the high streets that could help retailers make up for ground lost during a sluggish build-up to Christmas, figures showed on Wednesday.

With just three days left of the crucial holiday shopping season, retail information group FootFall said shopper numbers in Britain's malls and high streets on Tuesday were up 31 percent on the previous Tuesday.

There were also 20 percent more present-hunters on the prowl than on the same day last year, although the figures are not strictly comparable since Dec. 21, 2003, was a Sunday with its restricted trading hours.

"The week-on-week increase...is to be expected at this time of year, but even so is a good indicator that people are flocking to the shops," FootFall's David Smyth said, adding that there was more reason for good cheer among retailers.

"More significant is the fact that Dec. 20 and Dec. 21 this year were 9.4 percent up on the same dates last year -- the final weekend before Christmas 2003. This week is showing all the signs of being very good for retailers," Smyth said.

Some retailers make up to half of their annual turnover in the Christmas quarter, and electricals chains like Dixons (DXNS.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and Kesa (KESA.L: Quote, Profile, Research) are especially sensitive to December and January sales.

STAND OFF ON MAIN ST.

This pre-Christmas selling season has been seen as a stand-off between streetwise consumers waiting for retailers to lose their nerve and start their seasonal sales early, and retailers trying to hold firm in the hope of moving as much of their stock as possible at full price.

The result so far has been a stalemate, with some disounting but no sign of panic spreading among top high-street names such as Marks & Spencer (MKS.L: Quote, Profile, Research) , Boots (BOOT.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and Debenhams.

Increased shopper numbers do not necessarily translate directly into higher spending, and high interest rates, flat house prices and a reluctance among consumers to increase household debt will all take their toll.

But the latest figures could be a sign that the shoppers have blinked first.
"It could well be evidence of a late boom," said Richard Perks, retail analyst at Mintel International.

"The fact that Christmas is two days later (five straight shopping days in the run-up to Dec. 25 instead of three) does make a big difference, and it does make it more difficult to judge what's happening. I do think people are cautious but I also think that December sales will be up overall," Perks said.

One significant factor could be that Tuesday was the last day Internet retailers like Amazon (AMZN.O: Quote, Profile, Research) were accepting orders for Christmas delivery, Smyth said.

"It's probably right to assume that those people who were going to order on line, but have not managed it to date, will be looking to buy on the traditional high street over the coming few days," he said."

SWW - (best Dell Boy voice) "You know it makes sense"
;>)

Whoo.............below 40p!

Must say the press has been aweful over the Christmas period.

With the FSE demanding that retailers tell all, it may be an interesting period.

I mustr say footfall could have a lot to answer for if they have given duff info out. Looks like speculation with hedge betting thorn in just for good measure.

UK Retail - First full day of sales disappoints
AFX
Monday 27th Dec 2004 versus Saturday 27th Dec 2003 (year-on-year) DOWN 5.9%.

Natasha Burton, marketing manager at FootFall comments: "The year-on-year decrease for this first full day of sales when compared with the first full day of sales in 2003 is a little disappointing after early anecdotal evidence suggested that this could have been a recording breaking day.

Unless they were serious bargain hunters, some potential shoppers may have been dissuaded from going to the shops fearing extra traffic and crowds, preferring to spend the time with their families, or enjoying the presents they had already received.

Lets not also forget that today, Tuesday, is also a holiday, giving shoppers the opportunity to spread their bargain hunting over the two days. I think it will be necessary to look at the cumulative figure of both days to see the true picture.

Although shopper volumes are lower, final retail trading figures will reveal whether these sales day shoppers were seriously out to spend instead of just browsing she concludes.