ONS reports record increase in Consumer Price Index for a November to December period, with upward pressures from travel and fuel costs, while furniture and furnishings sector sees smaller price increase. 

Private investor syndicate Hotbed ploughs £3.25m into flooring retailer, helping the firm's founders to restore it back to health after administration in 2008. 

A new homewares and interior accessories show is set to run alongside giftware show Top Drawer in January 2012. 

Swedish furniture giant Ikea has reported net profit growth of 6.1% to €2.7bn for the year to August 31, 2010. 

BDT Capital Partners takes over majority share in new partnership with family-owned US barbecue manufacturer. 

B&Q is opening new TradePoint counters in four of its London locations: Wandsworth, Sidcup, Eltham and Chiswick. 

Bathroom manufacturer Ideal Standard has announced the closure of its Middlewich ceramics production site, which could mean the loss of 249 jobs. 

Firms warn that Scottish Government's proposed large retailer levy will harm business expansion and endanger future job creation. 

Home Retail Group (HRG) has revealed a better than expected performance despite "volatile trading conditions" in a Q3 interim management statement released today. 

Adverse weather in the run up to Christmas reduced UK sales by 2%, while full year profit is now expected to be at the bottom end of the firm's original forecasts. 

B&Q has come top in the latest Which? compost trials with its multipurpose compost and sowing & cutting compost being named as 'Best Buys'. 

Shop price inflation rose just 0.1% last month, as retailers try to take the sting out of shopping for consumers and keep them spending. 

The UK economy continued growing in the fourth quarter of 2010, with a strong performance in the manufacturing sector, said the latest Quarterly Economic Survey from the British Chambers of commerce (BCC). 

Sales volumes of luxury pet food, speciality shampoos and dog mattresses up at supermarket chain this week, as pampering household animals becomes "normal part of everyday life". 

Chairman Barry Bester will tell shareholders at today's agm that Topps Tiles like-for-like revenues for the first 13 weeks of its financial year increased 2.2%. 

Homewares retailer reports 4.2% drop in sales during key Christmas trading period, resulting in 1.2% like-for-like decline in first half of 2011. 

Snow hit sales in December, but winter products outperformed for DIY retailers despite the slow month, according to new figures from the BRC/KPMG Retail Sales Monitor. 

Four-strong garden centre firm announces the development of a new 460-seater restaurant and function room at its Southampton site. 

Westland Horticulture has announced that it has ceased production of Unwins bulbs, transferring all trade and assets to Taylors Bulbs. Westland retains all rights to the Unwins name and brand. 

The coldest December in 100 years may have forced some shoppers to stay home but year-on-year sales growth held firm, says BDO, dropping just 0.5% in December.