The chairman of Premier Foods today announced his intention to stand down after six years at the helm of the Mr Kipling-to-Hovis food producer.

IT may not have been a merry Christmas for HMV but Argos and the Carphone Warehouse remained steady.

Music and books retailer HMV, which has several branches in Ireland, reported a sharp dip in summer sales today as it warned investors that there were few signs of an upturn on the high street.

Confectionery giant Cadbury Schweppes has named Ken Hanna as its chief financial officer (CFO) designate, starting March 1, 2004.