Irish stores will not be affected by Marks & Spencer’s plan to close more than 100 of its clothing and home stores in the next five years, the company has said.

The pound staged a recovery on Tuesday as weakness in the euro and dollar helped the UK currency shrug off weak services data.

Marks and Spencer has poached the head of UK car-parts seller Halfords to lead the turnaround of its struggling clothing business, handing one of the industry’s toughest tasks to a fashion novice.

Tesco’s UK and Irish stores boss yesterday gave the most bullish assessment of prospects for Britain’s biggest retailer since it was rocked by an accounting scandal in 2014, saying it was winning back customers and “on the cusp of doing something special”.

Retailer Halfords has been left nursing a fall in half-year profits after seeing bike sales slump in the UK and said earnings in the next financial year were also unlikely to grow.

Tesco yesterday revealed the cost of its spectacular decline, with an annual loss of £6.4bn (€9bn), one of the biggest in British corporate history, and warned investors there could be more pain to come.

New boss sets out plans after accounting scandal.

Fresh fears over the eurozone debt crisis hit sentiment on the London market today after the EU failed to agree a bail out deal for stricken Greece.

Car parts and bicycle retailer Halfords said half-year profits slumped by 23% despite a “summer of sport” boost to sales.

The retail sector was firmly in the spotlight on the London market today after a raft of weather-hit updates from leading high street chains.

Retail chain Halfords today said chief executive David Wild had stepped down as the group warned over profits following a hefty slide in sales.

Halfords is planning to create 1,000 jobs over the next three years as it attempts to get back on track after a 27% drop in annual profits.

As the Circuit of Ireland rally gets underway today, Deirdre Reynolds decides to pimp her ride with the latest must-have fashion accessories for boy and gal racers.

Fresh worries about the eurozone debt crisis and the UK economy meant London’s blue chip shares index struggled to make significant gains today.

Panic buying was spreading around the UK today as retailers reported a surge in sales and one police force even began asking petrol stations to close temporarily for safety reasons.

Fresh fears that Greece and Portugal will sink under the weight of their debts saw London's leading shares index fall further from a six-month high today.

FOURTEEN food service jobs come on stream in two separate restaurant openings in Cork’s Mahon Point shopping centre and in its nearby retail park this week.

A year to forget for investors ended today with London’s benchmark index 5.5% lower than its starting point in January.

Two successful Italian bond auctions eased fears about the eurozone debt crisis today and helped London’s leading shares index make cautious gains.

World markets slipped into the red today after a scheme to boost liquidity and ease the eurozone debt crisis failed to settle traders’ nerves.

Moves across Europe to bolster the region’s banks and economies sparked a second day of strong gains for shares in London.

London’s main market made progress despite a tough time for the retail sector after the owner of catalogue chain Argos issued a gloomy warning over high street trading.

Halfords today said the hot spring weather sparked a boom in demand for bikes and travel goods, giving it a boost after a challenging year when sales came under pressure.

Halfords today warned profits would be lower than expected as a rebound in cycle sales was overshadowed by a poor performance in car maintenance.

The Christmas retail reporting season created more winners and losers today as the wider market eased back from yesterday’s fresh two-and-a-half year high.

Mining and banking stocks pulled the FTSE 100 Index into the red today despite strong gains for microchip designer ARM and Marks & Spencer.

The London market pushed ahead today as strong gains for microchip designer ARM and engine manufacturer Rolls-Royce helped offset more retail woe.

WHILE every year people may dream of a white Christmas, this year’s deluge of snow has meant that instead of decking the halls with boughs of holly we have been injecting the walls with bales of insulation.

Halfords weathered the impact of warehouse problems and poor sales of bicycles today as it revealed a 13% improvement in half-year profits.

FESTIVALGOERS are so fed up with queuing up for revolting portaloos during gigs, they are investing in secret pocket toilets.

The London market closed lower today as investors feared US Federal Reserve plans to inject more cash into the economy may fall short of expectations.

A spike in the US dollar triggered by the prospect of smaller-than-expected stimulus measures from the Fed caused mining stocks to slide and dragged the London market lower today.

Blue chip banks roared higher today on news that Basel 3 regulatory reforms were set to be watered down.

The run of good news for British banking stocks continued today after the sector appeared to win a favourable settlement on bank capital standards.

The FTSE 100 sunk to its fourth losing session in a row today as under-fire BP took another tumble into the red and US growth figures disappointed.

UK retailer Halfords, which operates 23 stores in Ireland, delivered a 27% rise in profits today after poor winter weather forced motorists to shell out on car maintenance accessories.

Retail chain Halfords moved into car servicing and repairs today with the acquisition of The UK's Nationwide Autocentres in a £73.2m (€84m) deal.

The FTSE 100 Index slipped more than 1% by noon today as weakness in banking stocks offset one of the London market's biggest takeover deals of recent times.

British retailers have a “very tough” 12 months in store despite reporting robust Christmas sales figures, the head of the industry’s trade body has warned.

Halfords produced a top-of-the-range rise in half-year profits today after benefiting from a surge in demand for cycling and camping goods.

The FTSE 100 Index gained more ground today as mining stocks remained firmly in demand with investors.

Car parts and bike chain Halfords today revealed a fresh rise in sales as the trend for Britons to holiday in the UK boosted demand for camping equipment.

The FTSE 100 Index returned to winning ways today after a bumper session for corporate results fuelled the market’s new-found confidence.