News flash: Retail woes, oil spike, Ghosn flees

Super Thursday: retail woesBlack Friday and Cyber Monday might have captured the attention of consumers, but it is investors who are more likely to have paid attention to ‘Super Thursday’ – the latest headline-grabber in the retail industry calendar. Christmas trading updates from retail and leisure companies both side of the pond have been flowing freely this week and came to a head on Thursday when several high-profile companies revealed their numbers, including the UK’s retail stalwart John Lewis and US mall group JCPenny. Both companies results reflected the widespread fear that high street consumer demand has fallen off a…