Business Growth In The Economic Downturn by Mark Yates

If you are not suffering from an overdose of business depression, then you can't be reading press publications, watching TV or surfing the internet news sections. To state we are in an economic downturn is an understatement of such magnitude that it parallels General Custer's, "there might be a few Indians over the hill at Little Big Horn."

Stocks and shares have plummeted, the pound is at its weakest for years, businesses are closing down at unprecedented levels, unemployment is at its highest for years and the spectre of negative equity in home ownership has raised its head once again. Personal bankruptcies' are soaring and the entire banking and financial services industries appear to be sinking faster than the Titanic. However every downturn bears Mavericks and companies who buck the trend. It appears to confirm that in every negative there is a positive. When times are hard people have no choice but to abandon loyalty to their retailers and pull in the reins. When this happens Pawnbrokers like Albemarle & Bond A&B are well placed to capitalise on the woes of retail and property firms as more and more businesses go under.

A&B lends against jewellery, most of its customers borrow an average £120 and repay it within three months. Demand for their small flexible loans are strong which is driving profits for the group. A & B are aggressively stepping up their expansion plans to significantly increase its number of high street shops from 114. Founded in Bristol in 1986 the company state that the credit squeeze among mainstream lenders and strong gold prices make for a favourable environment. increasing pre-tax profits to 19% or £6.2 million in the six months to December 31st ensures the shareholders remain more than happy.

Another company Primark are also experiencing huge success while many of its high street counterparts are closing down. Associated British Foods who own the company stated that Primark's half year sales were significantly ahead of last year's. Primark cleverly positioned itself as an outlet for really cheap quality clothes now has 187 shops following an expansion throughout the UK and Spain.Read More at businessconsultancyonestopshop.co.uk