Australia’s Economic Growth Slows in Q3 Despite Strong Investment Activity 
Citi Sets Bullish 2026 Target for STOXX 600 as Fiscal Support and Monetary Easing Boost Outlook 
Anthropic Reportedly Taps Wilson Sonsini as It Prepares for a Potential 2026 IPO 
China’s Services Sector Posts Slowest Growth in Five Months as Demand Softens 
Rio Tinto Raises 2025 Copper Output Outlook as Oyu Tolgoi Expansion Accelerates 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await Fed Rate Decision; Indian Rupee Hits New Record Low 
European Stocks Rise as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data 
Airbus Faces Pressure After November Deliveries Dip Amid Industrial Setback 
Dollar Weakens Ahead of Expected Federal Reserve Rate Cut 
Microchip Technology Boosts Q3 Outlook on Strong Bookings Momentum 
UPS MD-11 Crash Prompts Families to Prepare Wrongful Death Lawsuit 
Dollar Slides to Five-Week Low as Asian Stocks Struggle and Markets Bet on Fed Rate Cut 
Proxy Advisors Urge Vote Against ANZ’s Executive Pay Report Amid Scandal Fallout 
IKEA Expands U.S. Manufacturing Amid Rising Tariffs and Supply Chain Strategy Shift 
China Urged to Prioritize Economy Over Territorial Ambitions, Says Taiwan’s President Lai 
Michael Dell Pledges $6.25 Billion to Boost Children’s Investment Accounts Under Trump Initiative 
Marks & Spencer, a British retail company headquartered in London, announced the shutdown of its 11 franchise stores in France. The affected shop outlets are being operated by SFH, one of the company’s international franchise partners that is headquartered in Paris.
The Marks & Spencer stores will all close by the end of this year. The company cited supply chain issues that were triggered by Brexit as the reason for the decision. They said the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union made it almost impossible for M&S to maintain standards of food supply, as per BBC News.
"M&S has a long history of serving customers in France and this is not a decision we or our partner SFH have taken lightly," the retail firm’s managing director of international, Paul Friston, said in a statement. "However, as things stand today, the supply chain complexities in place following the UK's exit from the European Union now make it near impossible for us to serve fresh and chilled products to customers to the high standards they expect, resulting in an ongoing impact to the performance of our business.”
Friston added that since they can’t find any workable alternative for the shops in the High Street location, the company executives agreed with SFH in the decision to cease operations in 11 franchised outlets. Then again, it was noted that nine French stores that are operated with Lagardere Travel Retail will keep the business going. In addition, the online operation in France will also continue to sell clothing and home products.
According to Reuters, the nine stores will remain open, and M&S and Lagardere Travel will work on a sustainable future business model. Meanwhile, the company further revealed that their trouble started a while ago.
For months now, it said that it has been struggling to deliver goods to Ireland and France because the United Kingdom has officially left the EU single market earlier this year. Marks & Spencer said that there is now a huge amount of paperwork to fulfill requirements for the deliveries but it was not easy. As a result, they were not able to deliver their goods and this negatively affected the company.
