Misys healthy

SOFTWARE giant Misys reported adjusted annual earnings towards the top end of its forecast and said demand for its core markets of banking and healthcare remained strong.

The Evesham-based firm, which employs 300 people in its general insurance division in Worcester, posted an operating profit of £102m in the year to May 31, unchanged from a year ago.

Misys stock closed at 236 pence yesterday, giving the company a market value of around £1.2b. The stock has outperformed its UK software sector peers by 10 per cent.

Retail sales up

SHOPPERS splashing out on new summer clothes and sports goods boosted monthly growth in high street sales to its highest level for more than a year, official figures showed.

A pick-up in fashion and sports sales pushed up the volume of retail sales in June by 1.3 per cent from a revised growth level of zero in May.

Rowling curse

HEAVY price-cutting on the latest Harry Potter book was blamed for poor sales at book chain Ottakar's.

The retailer which has a store in The Shambles, Worcester, sold the sixth book in the series for £11.99, but couldn't compete with supermarkets - one of which sold it for £4.99.

Comet sense Electricals group Kesa said sales at its flagship Comet chain were deteriorating as shoppers cut back on buying white goods such as fridges and dishwashers.