Solid Christmas for UK supermarkets before uncertain 2017

Britain's three quoted major supermarkets are expected to report this week that they enjoyed solid Christmas trading, though investor concern about a potential squeeze on consumer spending in 2017 means the focus is on their outlooks. Shares in market leader Tesco and Morrisons , the UK's fourth biggest grocer, soared 38 percent and 55 percent respectively in 2016, reflecting a recovery in trading. The share price of No. 2 Sainsbury's was held back by uncertainty over the merits of its 1.1 billi