Forget about the Christmas movies – these days it’s the big budget ads we want to see, writes Suzanne Harrington

Not even the bulldog on a trampoline in the John Lewis ad can match the robin as an object of affection at Christmas, writes Terry Prone

Royal Mail expects the referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU to spur a short-term surge in sales as the postal operator delivers pamphlets for the both sides of the campaigns as well as mail-in ballots.

British department store chain John Lewis posted a leap in festive trading figures as surging sales online offset falls across its stores.

Department chain John Lewis posted strong sales in the final full week before Christmas, bucking the trend of high street sales that have suffered from mild weather and early discounting.

Want to know what you’ll be wearing next spring? Fresh from London Fashion Week, Rachel Marie Walsh has the lowdown on the trends we’ll all be embracing in 2016.

The Christmas TV commercials are an integral part of the festive season. Kelly O’Brien and Barbara Scully give their opposing views on their heartstring-tugging sentimentality.

Ah, the John Lewis Christmas ad, we all loved that.

Torrential late summer rain is one way to totally ruin your plans to wear a particular outfit.

Record weekly sales at John Lewis have raised hopes of a bumper end to the Christmas shopping period but there are fears that the UK's retail sector could be left with a profits hangover after heavy discounting.

John Lewis posted a 60% jump in profits today as Britain’s summer of special events helped the stores and grocery chain weather the economic downturn.

High street giant Next unveiled a 10% jump in profits in the first half of the year today but warned that August and September had been “unusually quiet”.

Department store chain John Lewis saw sports sales take the gold last week as customers continued to be inspired by the London 2012 Olympics.

London's leading shares index ended the week on a high today as fresh evidence of growth in the United States boosted traders' confidence.

DERRY-based Premier Electrics has seen its sales grow from £18 million (€21.75m) in 2010 to £27m (€32.6m) in 2011.

London’s leading index rose for a third day running, but gains were modest as a downgrade of UK banks by a top ratings agency overshadowed a better than expected jobs report in the US.

CHEESE producers Helen and Robert Finnegan of Knockdrinna Farmhouse Cheese are expanding the distribution of their award-winning cheeses in Britain.

The UK's employee-owned John Lewis Partnership today announced it is raising £50m (€58m) through a retail bond issue aimed at customers.

John Lewis revealed sales declined for a second week in a row today as the British high street bellwether added to fears over consumer confidence.

Department store chain House of Fraser announced record seasonal trading today despite the impact of December’s Arctic weather on pre-Christmas sales.

CROWDS of shoppers in Britain lined the high street before first light yesterday as major stores and retailers were expecting a bumper day in the Christmas sales.

A World Cup boost for sales of televisions and an advertising campaign featuring cooks Delia Smith and Heston Blumenthal helped John Lewis Partnership drive a 27.8% surge in profits, the retailer said today.

Retail giant The John Lewis Partnership has been hit by a shortage of gift vouchers after the printing firm it used collapsed into administration, the group confirmed today.

John Lewis Partnership today said its UK department store sales jumped 30% after a “remarkable” week of trading over the Easter holiday.

Britain’s big freeze hit sales at department store chain John Lewis last week as the snow and ice kept shoppers away from the high street, the group said today.

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.

MASS flight cancellations heaped fresh misery on European travellers yesterday, as the freezing weather, which caused many deaths, brought chaos to Christmas holiday plans.

UK retail chain John Lewis Partnership reported a 19.6% slide in half-year profits today, despite a resurgent performance from its Waitrose supermarket brand.

An award-winning Irish chocolate making firm that supplied top stores in both Ireland and the UK is to be wound up due to the failure to secure additional investment, the High Court heard yesterday.

British department store chain John Lewis today said trading conditions remained challenging after its second successive week of lower sales.

British department store chain John Lewis today said sales rose 6.3% last week as all but six of its outlets posted year-on-year gains.

Plans for a major John Lewis department store were today referred to a public inquiry – five years after they were first proposed.

UK department store chain John Lewis today said its trading year ended “with a whimper” as demand for cold weather clothing failed to prevent a 1.6% sales fall.

Retailer John Lewis has issued a press statement to clarify reports carried in yesterday's media regarding its plans for the island of Ireland.

Department store chain John Lewis today said sales dipped 0.8% last week in a sign of a return to tougher conditions on the high street after a festive trading boost.

Retail giant The John Lewis Partnership today said department store sales dived 9.7% in another “difficult” week for the group.

UK department store John Lewis plans to open its first store outside Britain in Dublin, creating 800 jobs, the retailer announced today.

UK department store chain John Lewis today said consumers continued to rein in spending after sales tumbled 7.6% in the week to last Saturday.

John Lewis reported another sharp fall in UK department store sales today after consumer confidence was shaken by the ongoing economic turmoil.

More British retailers today succumbed to the dire trading conditions being seen on the high street amid gloomy news of company administrations and poor sales figures.

John Lewis Partnership today said UK department store sales fell sharply last week after several days of financial turmoil knocked confidence.

John Lewis Partnership today said UK department store sales rose 7.5% last week after an “excellent” showing for the group’s fashion division.

The John Lewis Partnership said today its department stores had borne the brunt of the housing market’s woes as first-half profits fell by more than a quarter.