Bitcoin arrests two-day slide to bounce back over $10,000
Bitcoin bounces back over $10,000, arresting a two-day slide
It shed as much as 34pc of its value this week on fears of a regulatory crackdown
China, Russia and South Korea preparing to clampdown on cryptocurrency trading
Chinese GDP growth for 2017 beats economists' expectations
Growth of 6.9pc the first annual acceleration in seven years
FTSE 100 nudges down as ABF slips on Primark sales missing City expectations
Whitbread comes off the boil as Costa Coffee's sales dip
Leisure giant Whitbread has been hit by falling footfall on the high street, with like-for-like sales at its Costa coffee chain slipping into negative territory.
Total revenues at the company, which also owns Premier Inn and restaurant chains including Beefeater, grew 5.6pc in the 13 weeks to November 30 after it opened new hotels and coffee shops.
But sales at UK locations open more than one year were up just 0.3pc, and down 0.1pc at Costa.
Whitbread chief executive Alison Brittain said: “Our Costa high street stores in the UK are highly profitable and generate strong returns.
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Agenda: Bitcoin arrests two-day slide to bounce back over $10,000
Bitcoin has bounced back over $10,000, arresting a two-day slide that saw it shed as much as 34pc of its value.
Concerns that Russia, China and South Korea are preparing to crackdown on cryptocurrency trading sent Bitcoin and other digital currencies, such as Ethereum and Ripple, into a tail spin this week but they are now beginning to claw back lost ground.
Asia stocks trade mixed after another run at highs ahead of crucial China GDP numbers. Sentiment improved as the S&P500 was able to close above the 2,800 level and Dow above 26k. Dollar edges back. Bitcoin storms back. Now >$11k pic.twitter.com/W1vCIN5QrM
— Holger Zschaepitz (@Schuldensuehner) January 18, 2018
Elsewhere, discount clothing retailer Primark has bucked the high street trend of sliding sales, recording record figures in the week before Christmas. However, shares in its FTSE 100 owner Associated British Foods have slipped after its 7pc sales growth missed analysts' expectations of 10pc.
Finally, GDP growth in China for 2017 beat economists' expectations to climb to 6.9pc, the first time its economy has accelerated annually in seven years.
Trading update: Associated British Foods, Bakkavor, Evraz, Experian, Halfords, Ibstock, NewRiver REIT, Pearson, Royal Mail, Whitbread, William Hill, Workspace
Economics: Housing data (US)