Pakistan's President Musharraf has said for the first time that murdered opposition leader Benazir Bhutto may have been shot.
Until now Pakistani officials have maintained that Ms Bhutto had banged ...(more detail)

Thousands of people remain stranded by some of the worst flooding eastern Australia has seen in 20 years.

Parts of the country's most populous state, New South Wales, have been cut off by heavy ra...(more detail)

A Palestinian negotiator has accused Israel of stepping up attacks on the Palestinians ahead of Wednesday's visit to the region by US President Bush.
Saeb Erekat said the peace process could not be ...(more detail)

The sale price of the headquarters exceeded expectations
The last assets of Russia's bankrupt oil company Yukos, including its HQ, have been sold to little-known firm Paran for 100bn roubles ($3....(more detail)

Spanish real estate prices have risen more than 150% in 10 years
The Spanish Parliament has passed a law aimed at controlling property speculators whom the government blames for spiralling house pri...(more detail)

Foreign oil firms in Nigeria have faced security issues
The Nigerian government has auctioned 45 oil exploration licences, but failed to gain bids from big Western firms.
Many were deterred by un...(more detail)

Sales at Wal-Mart and other big retailers fell sharply in April
US retailers stumbled in April as rising petrol prices took their toll, but inflation remained subdued, official figures indicate.
...(more detail)

Marston's changed its name from Wolverhampton & Dudley this year
Brewer Marston's has sold 279 pubs to a property fund whose backers include Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson and X-Factor jud...(more detail)

An EU free trade agreement could be South Korea's biggest deal
South Korea and the European Union have begun a series of free trade talks that could expand their $80bn trade.
EU Trade Commissioner...(more detail)

US and Chinese officials will discuss economic issues on 22 May
China's trade surplus rose in April following the surprise fall in March.
The surplus rose to $16.9bn (£8.5bn) in April from March's...(more detail)

Oil and petrol prices increased the US trade deficit and import prices
The US trade deficit widened by more than expected in March, as higher oil and petrol prices sent imports to the second-highest...(more detail)

China's economic growth has been red-hot
The World Bank has upgraded its 2006 economic growth forecast for China to 9.5%, as it said more measures were needed to cool the economy.
It said it had u...(more detail)

Boom times in the housing market seem a long time ago
Sales of non-new US homes fell 8.4% in March, the sharpest month-on-month drop for 18 years and a further illustration of weakness in the US h...(more detail)

Sterling has risen to its highest level against the dollar since 1981, breaking through the $2.010 mark.
The currency rose above $2 on Tuesday after unexpectedly high UK inflation figures indicated ...(more detail)

Toyota is less bullish than last year
Toyota has continued to show solid growth on the back of the popularity of its models in the US and Europe, its quarterly profits rising 9%.
During January to...(more detail)

Analysts are asking how much interest rate rises will hit shoppers
UK retail sales growth slowed in April, official industry data has shown.
Sales rose by 2.4% last month, compared with a 6.8% inc...(more detail)

Cisco benefits from applications that need high-speed connections
Booming internet traffic helped Cisco Systems post a 34% rise in profit for the three months to the end of April.
Revenue growth w...(more detail)

IBM is hoping for a 'more productive relationship with Amazon'
Computer giant IBM and internet retailer Amazon have settled their patent-infringement lawsuits.
Under the deal, Amazon said it would...(more detail)

Airbus hopes to generate more Indian interest in the A380
An Airbus A380 superjumbo has landed in New Delhi, marking the first time the giant jet has flown to India.
The debut trip is designed ...(more detail)

China is the world's second largest oil consumer
China's biggest oil firm, PetroChina, says it has made the country's largest crude discovery in a decade.
PetroChina said the find off China's nort...(more detail)

The US wants more access to Asian car markets
Crucial negotiations between the US and two of its leading Asian trading partners about free trade agreements are in jeopardy.
Talks between US offici...(more detail)

An EU free trade agreement could be South Korea's biggest deal
South Korea and the European Union are to begin a series of free trade talks that could expand their $80bn trade.
EU Trade Commission...(more detail)

The row over LaSalle's future has hit Barclays' bid for ABN Amro
ABN Amro has snubbed a $24.5bn (£12bn) bid for its US business from a group led by the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Although the final d...(more detail)

The bank's panel has said it wants to issue a decision soon
World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz has blamed unclear rules for triggering questions about how he handled his girlfriend's hefty pay incr...(more detail)

The PMI shows activity rising and input prices falling
Indian manufacturing activity grew at its fastest rate for three months in April, following a slump in March.
ABN Amro Bank's purchasing mana...(more detail)

The figures will calm fears of a slowdown in the US economy
US productivity grew more than expected in the first three months of the year, but wages rose by less than forecast.
Productivity, wh...(more detail)

BP has taken extensive steps to improve safety since the incident
Four BP executives should be sacked for failing to prevent a fatal blast at the oil giant's Texas City refinery in 2005, an internal...(more detail)

Mr King is happy that the Bank has taken enough steps to slow inflation
Bank of England Governor Mervyn King said that there could be a "sharp" decline in the UK's rate of inflation over the next f...(more detail)

Orders for transportation goods, such as plane, are rising fast
US factory orders jumped in March boosted by demand for civilian aircraft, official figures show.
Total orders to factories rose by ...(more detail)

Mastercard is eyeing new markets.
Mastercard has seen quarterly profits jump by 70% thanks to increased usage of its products and the weakness of the dollar against the euro.
The world's second la...(more detail)

Iraq's oil industry has suffered neglect and under-investment
Iraq's oil minister says a long-awaited draft oil and gas law has been sent to parliament for approval.
The bill, seen as crucial in r...(more detail)

The euro hit a record high against the dollar last week
The euro has reached its highest rate against the yen since the European currency was launched in 1999.
The euro rose as high as 163.31 yen ...(more detail)

The growth did not just come from the car industry, analysts say
The US manufacturing sector grew more strongly than expected in April as companies that had run down their stock began to orde...(more detail)

US carmakers are having to rethink their business models
US vehicle sales fell sharply in April to what is expected to be an 18-month low, as economic worries kept customers out of the country'...(more detail)

Lord Browne's resignation was a "tragedy" BP said.
The chief executive of oil giant BP, Lord Browne of Madingley, has resigned from his post with immediate effect.
Lord Browne said he had stepped ...(more detail)

The United States and the European Union have signed up to a new transatlantic economic partnership at a summit in Washington.
The pact is designed to boost trade and investment by harmonising regul...(more detail)

Deutsche Boerse has lost out in recent takeover attempts
Germany's Deutsche Boerse is to take over US options trading market International Securities Exchange (ISE) for $2.8bn (£1.4bn).
The Frankf...(more detail)

The case was about Windows-based computers made outside the US
Microsoft has won a long-running case in the US Supreme Court about the reach of US patent laws.
The court ruled that Microsoft was n...(more detail)

Chavez wants to set up an alternative funding bank for South America
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez says he wants to pull his country out of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
I...(more detail)

Export demand is spurring German economic growth
The strengthening German economy is now expected to grow by 2.3% in 2007, Economy Minister Michael Glos has said.
Driven by strong exports and grow...(more detail)

ir Tom Hunter is Scotland's first billionaire
The fortunes of Britain's wealthiest 1,000 people grew 20% in a year, the Sunday Times Rich List has revealed.
It shows the combined wealth of the to...(more detail)

Iraq has known oil reserves of 116 billion barrels
Iraq's oil reserves are significantly untapped and daily production could be doubled within five years, a report has concluded.
Iraq is sitting o...(more detail)

Retail spending fell in March but ministers say demand is still solid
Japan has kept its key interest rate on hold at 0.5% amid fresh concerns about deflationary pressures in the economy.
The Bank...(more detail)

Chevron echoed stunning first-quarter figures from Exxon Mobil
US oil giant Chevron recorded profits for the first three months of the year that beat Wall Street forecasts, after earnings fell in...(more detail)

A housing market slowdown weighed on growth
The US economy grew at its weakest pace for four years during the first quarter of 2007, figures from the US Commerce Department show.
The news pushed ...(more detail)

Vista and the latest Office software boosted sales at Microsoft
Sales of Windows Vista have helped Microsoft post a forecast-beating 65% rise in third-quarter profits.
The world's largest software...(more detail)

Rafael Correa has threatened to default on Ecuador's debts
Ecuador's President Rafael Correa has ordered the expulsion of the World Bank's representative in the country, sources say.
"We have rece...(more detail)

Yang Jiechi, China's former envoy to Washington, has been appointed as the country's new foreign minister, the official Xinhua news agency says.
It says Mr Yang, aged 57, replaced veteran diplomat L...(more detail)

High fuel costs prompted millions of people to switch suppliers
British Gas is cutting its prices for the second time in six weeks, the Centrica-owned company has said.
Its electricity prices will...(more detail)

Japan and Germany lead the way on maglev technology
Japan has said it aims to launch its first magnetic levitation - or maglev - rail service by 2025.
With a top speed of more than 500km/h (310mph...(more detail)

All three firms now have a number of Chinese plants
General Motors, DaimlerChrysler and Ford are to provide training for their Chinese suppliers on how to keep workplaces safe, healthy and legal.
...(more detail)

iPod sales see no signs of slowing
Apple sold more than 10.5 million iPods in the first three months of 2007, helping the US technology firm to record an 88% increase in profits.
Profits rose to $...(more detail)

The UK is a services dominated economy
The UK economy grew by faster than expected in the three months between January and March, figures from the Office for National Statistics show.
The economy ...(more detail)

Honda is being hit by tough competition in its home market
Honda has reported a 5% drop in annual profits after being hit by falling car sales in Japan and higher costs.
Japan's second-largest car...(more detail)

The carrier went into bankruptcy protection in September 2005.
Delta Air Lines will emerge from bankruptcy protection on Monday after a US judge approved its recovery plans.
As part of its turnar...(more detail)

The bid from RBS has thrown Barclays' merger into question
A group of banks led by Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has said it is interested in buying Dutch bank ABN Amro in a deal worth some £49bn.
...(more detail)

Amazon is forecasting a big jump in profits this year
Online retailer Amazon enjoyed a strong start to 2007, with sales rising 32% in the first three months of the year.
Pre-tax profits also rose ...(more detail)

Boom times in the housing market seem a long time ago
Sales of non-new US homes fell 8.4% in March, the sharpest month-on-month drop for 18 years and a further illustration of weakness in the US ...(more detail)

LVMH said watch sales were particularly strong
Luxury goods-maker LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton has seen sales rise 7%, helped by strong demand for its high-end watches.
The French group, which...(more detail)

Japan's trade surplus is now at a record high
China has overtaken the US as Japan's biggest trading partner for the first time since World War II, the Japanese finance ministry has revealed.
Japan...(more detail)

Mr Lutz says the housing market is in "meltdown"
Ongoing problems in the American mortgage market have hit US car sales this month, General Motors' Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz has warned.
US car-makers...(more detail)

Russia's oil and gas sector is still the main driver of economic growth
Russia's economy has accelerated during the first three months of this year, the country's Economic Development and Trade Mini...(more detail)

The scare forced Cadbury to withdraw a million chocolate bars
Confectionery giant Cadbury Schweppes is to face prosecution over the salmonella outbreak which forced it to recall a million chocolate ...(more detail)

Investors rushed to snap up shares in CITIC bank
China's CITIC Bank has raised $5.4bn (£2.7bn) through a dual share sale in Shanghai and Hong Kong, valuing the group at $28.9bn.
CITIC priced its s...(more detail)

An Indonesian court has cleared a US mining executive and his company of dumping toxic wastes into a bay on Sulawesi, ending a 20-month trial.
Richard Ness, 57, head of Newmont Mining's Indonesian s...(more detail)

Interest is mounting in Spain's flagship carrier
British Airways has said it is considering making a takeover bid for the Spanish carrier Iberia.
BA said it had approached a number of private equi...(more detail)

After a storming February, shoppers eased off in March.
UK retail sales growth slowed in March, after a strong rise in February and as retailers raised prices, the Office for National Statistics (ON...(more detail)

ABN's Rijkman Groenink (right) with John Varley who would be CEO
Britain's Barclays bank has agreed to merge with Dutch bank ABN Amro.
The £45bn (66bn euro; $90bn) deal will create one of the worl...(more detail)

The market is nervous ahead of elections in Africa's largest producer
Oil prices have been sent higher ahead of elections in Nigeria, amid fears that a weak government could make oil supplies more v...(more detail)

China's property market is taking off
HSBC is among four commercial lenders to start offering bank services to private customers in mainland China.
The UK bank will now take deposits and offer ...(more detail)

Wipro is based in the booming technology centre of Bangalore
Indian software firms have seen profits boom in the first three months of 2007 as European and US firms outsourced operations to cut cost...(more detail)

British Gas has taken on 800 extra staff to deal with queries
British Gas has seen complaints from customers more than double since last year, according to Energywatch.
From October 2006 to March ...(more detail)

India's software and outsourcing industries are growing fast


When 13-year old Taylor, who lives in Modesto, California, wants help with her homework, she no longer goes and asks her mother for h...(more detail)

The Pearl has music and photo capabilities
Shares in Blackberry-maker Research In Motion jumped 19% after it unveiled strong results and said reaction to its latest model had been "exceptional".
T...(more detail)

China has been accused of keeping its currency artificially low
The US has said China is not moving fast enough to reform its currency, creating wider economic risks.
Treasury Secretary Henry Paul...(more detail)

Iraq has known oil reserves of 116 billion barrels
Iraq's oil reserves are significantly untapped and daily production could be doubled within five years, a report has concluded.
Iraq is sittin...(more detail)

Essar sees a North American presence as vital to its growth
Essar Group, the Indian conglomerate whose interests span energy, telecoms and shipping, is expanding in the US by buying a leading steelm...(more detail)

Microchip production is a highly competitive industry
A sixth executive of South Korean firm Samsung Electronics has pleaded guilty in the US to charges of fixing the price of microchips.
Il Ung K...(more detail)

oogle has seen its market share increase
Internet search engine Google has seen quarterly profits soar by 69%, beating expectations, boosted by strong advertising revenue.
Net income climbed to $1...(more detail)

Concerns over China's economy hit Asian shares on Thursday
Asian stocks have rebounded in Friday trading, buoyed by America's main Dow Jones index hitting its second consecutive highest close on Thu...(more detail)

eBay is growing in popularity around the world
Internet auction website eBay has seen its latest profits surge 52% thanks to high spending global shoppers, and a strong showing at its PayPal unit.
...(more detail)

Engineering firm Magna International is interested in Chrysler
Unions have urged DaimlerChrysler not to sell its struggling North American Chrysler business.
The president of the United Auto Worke...(more detail)

The Federal Reserve predicts modest growth
Some parts of the US reported slower economic growth in February, as firms battled the fallout of problems with the housing and auto industries.
However,...(more detail)

The size of the deficit has become a political, not just economic, issue
The US trade deficit narrowed to a four-month low in February as the balance of trade with China improved and the cost of oi...(more detail)

Sterling has risen to its highest level against the dollar since 1981, breaking through the $2.010 mark.
The currency rose above $2 on Tuesday after unexpectedly high UK inflation figures indicated ...(more detail)

British shoppers have been flocking to New York in recent months
The pound has hit a 14-year high of $1.9938 against the dollar, with many experts believing it will rise above $2 in the next few day...(more detail)

Transneft is one of Russia's most powerful companies
Russia's largest oil pipeline firm is to merge with another state-run operator, further increasing Kremlin control over energy assets.
Trans...(more detail)

G7 finance ministers met in Washington at the weekend
The yen fell to a record low against the euro after Group of Seven finance ministers meeting in Washington failed to single out the currency's w...(more detail)

Presidents Chavez and Lula were all smiles but differences remain
The pros and cons of ethanol production are set to dominate an energy summit of eight Latin American nations which has got underway ...(more detail)

The cost of basic items has soared
Zimbabwe has delayed the publication of inflation data, leading to claims the government is reluctant to admit the extent of crippling price rises.
The release o...(more detail)

British shoppers have been flocking to New York in recent months
The pound has hit a 14-year high of $1.9938 against the dollar, with many experts believing it will rise above $2 in the next few day...(more detail)

A million PS3 consoles were shipped across Europe on launch day
Shares in Sony climbed to a five-year high on Friday after a newspaper predicted a sixfold increase in its profits for the current ye...(more detail)

Japan's economic recovery relies on an increase in consumer spending
Japan will overtake US economic growth this year as it emerges from its decade-long slump, the International Monetary Fund (IMF)...(more detail)

Mr Bernanke has left open the possibility of raising rates
The US Federal Reserve sees inflation as the "predominant concern" for the US economy, minutes from its latest rate-setting meeting have sh...(more detail)

Mr Darling could be heading for a dust up with the BCC later
UK companies dominate a champions league of European business, a government report has said.
Of the 750 top European firms, UK-based bu...(more detail)

G7 finance ministers met in Washington at the weekend
The yen fell to a record low against the euro after Group of Seven finance ministers meeting in Washington failed to single out the currency's w...(more detail)

India's Essar conglomerate says it will keep its 33% stake in its Hutchison Essar mobile phone joint venture.

Vodafone announced at the weekend that it was buying a 67% stake in the business from ...(more detail)

Resurgent consumer spending helped Japan's economy to grow faster than expected in the last three months of 2006, government figures have shown.

The economy grew at an annual rate of 4.8% in the q...(more detail)

Sainsbury's Bank is now a 50/50 joint venture with HBOS after the banking giant bought another 5% of the shares.

The £21m disposal comes a decade after the bank was set up with 55% ownership by Sa...(more detail)

Cable firm NTL has relaunched itself as Virgin Media as it seeks to strengthen its challenge to pay-TV rival BSkyB.

The rebranding comes after NTL bought mobile phone network Virgin Mobile last ye...(more detail)

Research In Motion (RIM) has settled a trademark lawsuit with Samsung over its Blackberry handheld e-mail device.

The Canadian firm said the settlement included "provisions for the protection of R...(more detail)

Mitsubishi Motors has shown signs of a turnaround, making a profit in the last three months of 2006 despite a fall in vehicle sales.

The firm, Japan's fourth-biggest carmaker globally, made a net ...(more detail)

A Saudi Arabian billionaire is in talks to open a Disney theme park in Bahrain.

Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is discussing the proposed $8bn (£4.1bn) scheme with potential investors.

Oil prices - w...(more detail)

Japanese car firm Toyota has said it is set for an eighth year of record earnings, after reporting a 19% profit rise for the last three months of 2006.

Japan's biggest carmaker - which is set to t...(more detail)

Indian firm Tata Steel has won the battle to take over Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus.

Tata's bid for the European steelmaker, which was created from the merger of British Steel and Hoogovens, beat ...(more detail)

Italy's Sanpaolo has won the bidding for a majority stake in Egypt's Bank of Alexandria, the government has said.

The Egyptian government privatised the country's fourth biggest commercial bank in...(more detail)

South Korean prosecutors have raided the offices of Citigroup in Seoul as part of a probe into the sale of a local bank to a US investment fund.

The investigation follows claims that KEB's financi...(more detail)

The world's biggest cola companies have won their legal battle to overturn a ban on their products in the southern Indian state of Kerala.

A court has ruled that the ban on sale and production of ...(more detail)

It hopes to sell a 22% stake in itself and raise up to $21bn (£11bn), which would set a new record for a listing.

China's surging economy has created huge demand for banking services and forced th...(more detail)

The Bush administration has blacklisted one of Iran's biggest banks, alleging that it is used to transfer money to terrorist organisations.
The Treasury Department said it had cut state-owned Bank S...(more detail)

Annual house price inflation in the UK picked up pace in July, according to the latest government figures.
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) said prices rose by 6.0% in the ...(more detail)

Trade officials from around the world will attempt to revive the suspended world trade talks at two-day gathering in Brazil.

US and EU trade representatives will meet the G20 club of developing na...(more detail)

Mobile phone firms have suffered a blow in their battle to claim back billions of pounds of taxes relating to their purchase of the UK's 3G licences.

Five of the UK's top firms, including Vodafone...(more detail)

German media group Bertelsmann has agreed to sell its BMG Music Publishing Group to Vivendi's Universal Music in a 1.63bn euros ($2.1bn; £1.1bn) deal.
The division, which owns rights to artists incl...(more detail)

The Bank of England is expected to leave interest rates unchanged when it makes its latest decision on Thursday.
In August it increased the cost of borrowing to 4.75% from 4.5%, its first monthly ri...(more detail)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, a large industrial group which supplies parts to Boeing, is studying plans to build small planes with up to 92 seats.
Newspaper reports have suggested the project could ...(more detail)

President Katsuaki Watanabe said the firm was looking at all aspects of car development, from manufacturing and design to dealing with customer gripes.

A report in the Wall Street Journal said the...(more detail)

Motorola has warned that continuing hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon may disrupt its business.

The US phone giant could be especially affected by the ongoing conflict ...(more detail)

Betonsports said the US-facing side of its business was no longer viable after a US court ordered it to stop taking bets from US customers.

The move also comes after it sacked its chief executive ...(more detail)

Telecoms giant BT is to create 1,300 jobs as part of a £1bn upgrade of phone lines across the UK.

Under the plans £100m will be invested in 10 regions across the UK over the coming 12 months.

...(more detail)

Brewer and pubs group Young's is to end 400 years of history with the sale of one of the UK's oldest brewing sites.

The group is selling its Ram Brewery in Wandsworth, south London, and merge its ...(more detail)

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) says a booming India and China can be of benefit to economies in Africa.

In a policy insight document, the Paris-based think-tank s...(more detail)

British Gas has lost 350,000 customers since the start of the year, its owner Centrica has admitted.

The reduction follows after the firm came under fire in February when it raised household bills...(more detail)

Thousands have queued outside Hong Kong branches of the Bank of China to apply to buy shares in the bank.

China's second-largest lender is launching a $9.8bn (£5.2bn) flotation on the Hong Kong ma...(more detail)

Germany has seen the fastest increase in producer prices for nearly 24 years, adding to fears about inflationary pressures in Europe's biggest economy.

Prices paid by German firms for industrial p...(more detail)

Wal-Mart, the world's biggest retailer, has decided to sell more organic food and has asked its suppliers to increase their range of products to meet demand.

Organic products will become cheaper, ...(more detail)

Reliance Industries, which owns India's biggest private sector oil company, has lifted the price of petrol at the pump.

The two rupees (four US cents; two pence) per litre increase comes in the fa...(more detail)

Anglo-Swedish drug giant AstraZeneca has confirmed that it is to buy biotechnology firm Cambridge Antibody Technology (CAT) for £702m ($1.32bn).

AstraZeneca said in a statement "it aims to establ...(more detail)

Supermarket giant Tesco has reported an underlying £2.25bn profit for the past year, 17% higher than the year before.

The firm, which has a 30% share of UK supermarket sales, said the results repr...(more detail)

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has abandoned plans for a major meeting this week, which means it will miss a key deadline for freeing up trade.

WTO chief Pascal Lamy said the Geneva meeting ha...(more detail)

Increased use of mobile phones in emerging markets has boosted sales at France Telecom, owner of Orange.

Poland, Romania and Egypt were among its fastest growing mobile markets in 2005 as it boost...(more detail)

Nokia is introducing new mobile phone handsets that will enable users to make calls over the internet.

The latest firm to move into internet telephony, users of certain new Nokia handsets will be ...(more detail)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has upheld a ruling calling for the US to end certain export tax breaks.

Turning down an appeal from Washington, the WTO has now given the US 60 days to bring it...(more detail)

German public sector workers fighting plans to extend their working hours have widened their strike action to cover most of the country.

An estimated 20,000 local and regional authority staff incl...(more detail)

Japan's current account surplus - the difference between the export and import of goods and services - rose in December for the fourth straight month.

It grew by 8.6% to 1.7 trillion yen ($14.8bn;...(more detail)

Finance ministers from the world's leading industrialised countries have warned volatile energy prices threaten world economic growth in 2006.

But officials from the Group of Eight (G8) nations sa...(more detail)

Pilots at British Airways (BA) are being advised by their union to borrow £25,000 each to prepare for a long strike over their pension scheme.

The British Airlines Pilots Association (Balpa) says ...(more detail)

Russian oil company Lukoil has beaten forecasts with a 55% rise in third quarter profits.

Rising oil prices and improved cost control helped it earn pre-tax profits of $3bn (£1.7bn), but the firm ...(more detail)

West End department store Liberty has reported strong trading in its Christmas and end-of-year sales.

Sales in the six weeks to Christmas rose by 5.4% compared to 2004. The week leading up to Chri...(more detail)

Airbus has received firm orders for 46 passenger aircraft from airlines in Italy and Mexico.

Air One, a carrier with 25% of the Italian market, ordered 30 Airbus A320 and announced options to buy ...(more detail)

Britain has the world's sixth most competitive economy, but its rank will slip unless tax and red tape is cut and firms boost investment, a survey says.

Consultants Deloitte ranked the UK highly f...(more detail)

Online applications for tax credits have been shut down because of abuse by organised crime.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) shut down its online portal for the tax credit system late on 1 December af...(more detail)

Finance ministers from the G7 group of nations have called for a revival of world trade talks ahead of a WTO meeting in Hong Kong in 10 days' time.

The talks would be a critical step towards break...(more detail)

German firms have grown less confident about the outlook for their businesses during November, a survey suggests.

Research group Ifo's confidence index fell to 97.8 from 98.8 in October.

The w...(more detail)

Gold prices have surged past the $500-an-ounce mark, and more gains are predicted as investors look to protect themselves against inflation fears.

Gold hit $502.70 in London, its highest level sin...(more detail)

Swiss pharmaceutical group Novartis has sold its dietary food business to private equity group ABN Amro Capital France for 220m euros ($258.6m; £151m).

Novartis said it will divest its Nutrition a...(more detail)

Japan's improving economic environment was highlighted by a number of reports, although some of the figures missed market expectations.

Industrial output rose for a third month during October, as ...(more detail)

Commonwealth leaders have urged richer countries to "give more than they receive" at upcoming world trade talks.

At their Malta summit, they asked for a demonstration of "political courage and wil...(more detail)

Engineers at British Gas have voted for strike action in a dispute over the company's final salary pension scheme.

The GMB union said nearly 6,000 engineers, who repair and service domestic boiler...(more detail)

The director general of the World Trade Organization, Pascal Lamy, has said global trade talks may have to continue until late next year.

Rows over farm subsidies were still a major sticking point...(more detail)

US media company CNN is selling its 50% stake in German 24-hour news channel N-TV - a firm it has half-owned since 2002 and first bought into in 1993.

RTL, one of Europe's biggest broadcasters, is...(more detail)

Worldwide mobile phone sales rose by 22% in the three months to September.

Handset sales hit 205 million, said research firm Gartner, which forecast total sales of 810 million for 2005.

Nokia ...(more detail)

Coke ditches three flavours in US

Global drinks giant Coca-Cola is to end sales of three flavours in the US by the end of 2005, after previously axing Vanilla Coke in the UK from early 2006.

V...(more detail)

Thames Water, the UK's largest water supplier, has been put up for sale by its German owner RWE.

The utility firm said it intended to either sell Thames Water or spin it off on the stock market in...(more detail)

The regulator has demanded urgent action to stop mis-selling

Financial services firms that sell Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) have been told they must improve their selling methods.

The Fi...(more detail)

European aircraft maker Airbus will pay out millions of dollars to airlines hit by A380 superjumbo delivery delays.

Chief operating officer John Leahy said the group would be paying a "couple of m...(more detail)

UK bank customers could pay up to £250m to withdraw their own money from cash machines in 2006, the Nationwide building society has predicted.

In 2004 the private companies who install and operate...(more detail)

The World Trade Organization (WTO) has approved Saudi Arabia's application for membership after 12 years of talks.

The world's largest oil exporter will become the 149th member of the WTO in 30 da...(more detail)

The number of people declared insolvent in England and Wales in the third quarter of 2005 has hit a record high.

Department of Trade & Industry figures showed 17,562 personal insolvency cases, up ...(more detail)

The total pay of top company bosses increased by 18% last year, a survey of 1,000 directors has found.

Income Data Services' (IDS) annual board room survey found almost half now earned over £1m, w...(more detail)

Vodafone Group, the world's biggest mobile phone company, has agreed to buy a 10% stake in Indian firm Bharti Tele-Ventures for $1.5bn (£841m).

India's phone market is expanding quickly as strong ...(more detail)

UK businesses are set to prosper during the New Year, after having weathered the storm of a consumer downturn and rising oil prices, a report suggests.

Although output has dipped slightly, busines...(more detail)

People are underestimating what Microsoft is doing with search technology, says Bill Gates.

The head of the software giant said that its ambition is to be bigger than Google in search.

He said...(more detail)

Consumers are showing far more willingness to change banks than in the past, a survey has suggested.

One in six consumers switched mortgage, current account or savings provider in the past year.
...(more detail)

Saudi Arabia has been given the green light by major trading nations to join the World Trade Organization, probably by late 2005, after a decade of talks.

A WTO working group has approved the fina...(more detail)

Google and Sun Microsystems have joined forces to challenge the dominance of Microsoft's Office software.

Google will offer Sun's OpenOffice software via its website, while people downloading Sun'...(more detail)

South Africa says it is discussing the future of an arms contract with India, after the Indian government apparently cancelled the deal.

An Indian military journal reported the deal with South Afr...(more detail)

Japan has called on China to stop developing gas fields near a disputed maritime border in the East China Sea, as fresh talks began on the issue.

Japan formally complained to China last week after...(more detail)

The new head of British Airways has criticised BA staff who went on strike in August, saying their actions had damaged the airline's reputation.

Willie Walsh, who takes over as BA chief executive,...(more detail)

The Indian economy grew faster than expected in the first part of 2005 on the back of a sharp rise in industrial exports and buoyant domestic demand.

India's economy grew 8.1% in the three months ...(more detail)

The state-owned company charged with decommissioning the UK's oldest nuclear power stations may be privatised, according to reports.

British Nuclear Group is currently a stand-alone subsidiary of ...(more detail)

Retail giant Boots is set to merge with one of its biggest rivals, in a bid to form Britain's largest pharmacy chain.

Talks are under way to finalise a £7bn deal with Alliance UniChem, expected to...(more detail)

The US firm is expected to manufacture six million low-cost phones for sale in 17 countries including India, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Yemen and Kenya.

The cheapest mobile phones using the GSM industry...(more detail)

Supermarket group Morrisons has agreed to sell 21 petrol stations to larger rival Tesco.

The news comes almost a month after Tesco made an approach to Morrisons for 30 petrol stations that were fo...(more detail)

Anti-smoking group Ash Scotland is to publish a report which it claims reveals tobacco industry tactics to prevent a smoking ban in public places.

Dr Jeffrey Wigand will launch the report at the R...(more detail)

Chinese car firm Nanjing Automobile has said it remains committed to restarting MG Rover car production in the UK.

Vice-president Wang Too Jing said up to 1,200 jobs could be created at Rover's Lo...(more detail)

More than 250 new jobs are being created at banking giant Barclays' call centre in Sunderland.

The bank already employs 1,250 workers at the city's Doxford International Business Park.

The add...(more detail)

Samsung Electronics, the South Korean chipmaker, is planning to spend $33bn (£19bn) expanding output and building a research and development plant by 2012.

The company said it would create 14,000 ...(more detail)

Japan's biggest manufacturers are more confident about the outlook for their business, a government report shows.

The business survey index of sentiment rose to +6.4 from -2.4 in the three months ...(more detail)

Microsoft, the global software giant, celebrated its 30th anniversary by declaring a handsome dividend to its staff. The company said it would pay $0.08 per share as dividend to its shareholders, whic...(more detail)

UK retailer Furnitureland has collapsed amid strong competition and a decline in demand, putting 500 jobs at risk.

The Croydon-based firm has 28 stores across the UK, with outlets in Reading, Manc...(more detail)

The International Monetary Fund has cut its global growth estimates blaming the effect of record oil prices and warning that there may be a further slowdown.

World growth is expected at 4.3% this ...(more detail)

As many as 5,000 people die every day as a result of work-related accidents or illnesses, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) has said.

The UN body said the global death toll from work-rel...(more detail)

US sportswear group Nike has posted a better than expected 32% rise in profits, boosted by strong sales in the Americas and Asia-Pacific regions.

Net income was $432.3m (£239.4m) during the three ...(more detail)

Ailing airline Olympic is to appeal against a European Commission ruling that it received illegal state aid and must repay it to the Greek government.

The announcement was made by the Greek Transp...(more detail)

Two former bosses of US manufacturer Tyco have been sentenced to up to 25 years in jail for stealing more than $150m (£82m) from the company.

Former Tyco chief executive Dennis Kozlowski and finan...(more detail)

Global accounting giant KPMG has agreed to pay $456m (£255m) to settle a case related to past tax shelter sales.

The deal means KPMG will avoid potentially crippling criminal charges.

But pros...(more detail)

Female British workers earn on average 27% less than their male counterparts, research has suggested.

The biggest gap was in London, where men earned an average of £39,022 and women 35% less at £2...(more detail)

Oil prices remained high as the first reports after Hurricane Katrina showed extensive damage to facilities in the Gulf of Mexico.

As the US Coast Guard said seven rigs were adrift and eight refin...(more detail)

Coca-Cola has been named the world's top brand for a fourth consecutive year in a survey by consultancy Interbrand.

It estimated that Coca-Cola's brand was worth $67.5bn (£39bn; 55bn euros). US fi...(more detail)

Income tax rises may have to be postponed until 2007 because Britons are too short of cash, the influential Ernst & Young Item Club has said.

The body, which uses treasury data in its research, sa...(more detail)

Coca Cola saw an increase in its second quarter profits of 9%, on the back of strong sales in Mexico, China and other markets outside its US base.

The Atlanta, Georgia firm said it earned $1.72bn ...(more detail)

UK health and beauty retailer Boots has seen underlying sales dip during the April to June quarter amid "difficult" trading conditions.

Like-for-like sales at Boots the Chemist outlets fell by 0.8...(more detail)

Strong demand for laptops, personal computers and servers helped push up fourth-quarter profits at Microsoft, the company said.

The globe's largest software maker said net profits were $3.70bn (£2...(more detail)

Tea workers in West Bengal are demanding better wages

Nearly half a million tea labourers have started an indefinite strike in the Indian state of West Bengal.

The strike has crippled work in t...(more detail)

India's second-biggest software firm Infosys has reported a 37% rise in profits as foreign firms continue to outsource parts of their business.

Net profits for the three months to June were 5.32bn...(more detail)

Trade negotiators are gathering in the Chinese city of Dalian in the hope of restarting flagging world trade talks.

The aim is to flesh out an outline deal announced in May, which could break a de...(more detail)

Apple Computer has reaped fresh rewards from the popularity of its iPod music players, as sales and earnings rocketed in the past quarter.

Chief executive Steve Jobs said this was the California-b...(more detail)

A fault in an undersea cable that disrupted Pakistan's voice and data links with the rest of the world has been repaired, officials said.

The underwater optic fibre cable was recommissioned shortl...(more detail)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries of Japan is preparing an offer to buy British Nuclear Fuel's US-based nuclear power station construction unit Westinghouse.

The offer, which is expected to value the un...(more detail)

The G8 summit begins on Wednesday in Scotland, with debt relief, increased aid for Africa and climate change topping the agenda. The event, at the Gleneagles Hotel near Edinburgh, is subject to the la...(more detail)

Sri Lanka's economic growth has started to recover from the tsunami which hit the island state in December.
Expansion for the year to March was 4.8%, up from the 4.4% recorded three months earlier. ...(more detail)

India's Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) has made the country's biggest natural gas discovery.
GSPC has discovered 20 trillion cubic feet of gas, worth £27bn ($50bn), four miles off the An...(more detail)

Oil prices climbed further, surging to a new record on concerns that demand will outstrip supply.

US sweet light crude closed up 70 cents at $60.54, having touched a high of $60.95 while Brent, th...(more detail)

Indian wines could be one of the next big things among UK drinkers, according to a London-based wine merchant.

Novum Wines has started to import a range of bottles from India's biggest selling pre...(more detail)

China is to scrap export tariffs on 78 categories of clothing and textiles in an apparent escalation of a trade dispute with the US and European Union.

Beijing introduced the tariffs to try to con...(more detail)

Paul Wolfowitz has marked his first day as the new head of the World Bank by reaffirming his plan to focus primarily on reducing poverty in Africa.

In addition, he intends to tackle corruption and...(more detail)

Two ex-Walt Disney directors are suing the firm claiming investors were misled over the selection of a new chief executive to succeed Michael Eisner.

Roy Disney, nephew of founder Walt Disney, and...(more detail)

Toyota bucked the trend at many rival carmakers with its fifth year of record profits on the back of higher sales to the US and China.

Net profits rose 0.8% to 1.17 trillion yen ($1bn; £532m), whi...(more detail)