Where are the opportunities amid challenging trading conditions in UK?

UK equities remain out of favour with global investors and there are, without question, companies that face challenging trading conditions.

High Street retailers have been hit hard by the growth of online shopping, a decline in consumer confidence and rising operating costs. The result has been an accelerating trend of profit warnings from companies such as Moss Bros, Mothercare and Carpetright. Casual dining chains have also been serving up unwelcome news, hobbled by an oversupply of restaurants and nervous consumers reducing discretionary spending. These tales of woe do not tell the whole story about UK companies, though. Away from bricks-and-mortar retailers and restaurants, there are a range of attractive opportunitie...