Latest Financial News
10 Questions to ask an Independent Financial Adviser
Finding out what an IFA does and how they operate is half the battle - Click here to read more
How can I build the right sort of portfolio?
Building an investment portfolio is a complex task but also an important one - Click here to read more
What is a Sipp and do I need one?
The appeal of Sipps is widening beyond their original appeal to wealthy people - Click here to read more
Is all debt bad debt?
The one sentence version: Neither a borrower nor a lender be; just how relevant is that advice today - Click here to read more
What is offshore investing?
How can I be greener and save money?
With energy prices going through the roof it makes financial sense to save energy even if you arent concerned about your carbon footprint - Click here to read more
What's the best way to donate to charity?
Use one of the tax deductible government schemes which enhances the value of your gift to the charity and can save you tax - Click here to read more
What is Inheritance Tax?
You may not be able to take it with you but the government is keen to get its share - Click here to read more
What happens if I?m self employed?
You become the driver not a passenger in your business; make sure youve passed the theory test before you start the ignition! - Click here to read more
Can my home be my pension?
Yes provided it is worth enough you have paid off your mortgage and you are prepared to trade down to a smaller home at retirement - Click here to read more
Do I have alternatives apart from taking an annuity?
Yes there are choices out there and you should be looking at them - Click here to read more
Can I really make a difference to the world around me?
Personally and financially theres never been a better time to be greener the choice is wider its easier to act upon and there are lots of people willing to help! - Click here to read more
Do I need a power of attorney?
Yes if you want to make sure your affairs can be managed in case of mental illness or incapacity the time to do this is now! - Click here to read more
How can I make a budget and stick to it?
Few individuals sit down and work out all their inescapable outgoings and set them against their income But unless you keep your spending within sensible limits leaving a margin for savings you can easily find yourself in trouble - Click here to read more
What is an IFA (independent financial adviser)?
An IFA can be many things; a source of financial advice a life-long financial coach a provider of advice for a single financial transaction an ear to bounce ideas off of a facilitator in realising your lifes goals - Click here to read more
How much do I need to retire on?
Because you need to ensure you dont run out of money before you run out of life - Click here to read more
How can I spot the type of IFA to avoid?
Steer clear of those who are not interested in your financial welfare - Click here to read more
What are investment bonds?
They are a potentially tax-efficient way of holding a range of various investment funds together in one place - Click here to read more
Seven easy steps to having enough money to retire on
Be realistic about the cost and plan accordingly - Click here to read more
What tax breaks will the Government give me?
Pensions remain one of the most tax-efficient means of saving for our retirement make the most of them - Click here to read more
Great tips to improve your credit rating
Nobody has an automatic right to credit Now that borrowing is harder its more important than ever to make sure your record is smartened up to impress choosy lenders - Click here to read more
Why should I do if I get into debt problems?
Taking positive action now can help you deal with debt problems before they get out of hand - otherwise organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureau or National Debtline can provide valuable advice - Click here to read more
What should I do if I get into debt problems?
Taking positive action now can help you deal with debt problems before they get out of hand - otherwise organisations such as Citizens Advice Bureau or National Debtline can provide valuable advice - Click here to read more
What happens to my tax affairs if I?m self-employed?
Once you become your own boss you are the driver not a passenger; make sure youve passed the theory test before you start the ignition! - Click here to read more
Do I really need life insurance?
How much are our lives worth and why do we need to insure them Advisers Julie Lord and Richard Gough debate the subject of life insurance - Click here to read more
Isn?t investing in the stock market risky?
Equities do carry risk but historically they also offer the best chance of beating inflation - Click here to read more
Can I be my own financial adviser?
DIY financial advice is time-consuming and risky while using an adviser can save you time and make you money - providing the find the right one - Click here to read more
Why is car insurance so expensive?
Thats a matter of opinion - in 2006 UK motor insurers wrote £102 billion of motor insurance premiums and paid out over £8 billion in claims - Click here to read more
What does 'risk' mean?
Risk is an inevitable and important part of investment and life - the key is taking the right level and kind of risk and spreading your bets as far as possible - Click here to read more
What will I do when I finish work?
Are you seriously telling me that work is the only thing in your life - Click here to read more
Whatever happened to company pensions?
The responsibility for your financial security in retirement now rests with you - Click here to read more
Am I addicted to debt?
No you are addicted to overspending - Click here to read more
How can I pay for school and college fees?
The numbers are big; start saving as early as you can - Click here to read more
Four questions to ask yourself about retirement
Get your head around four crucial questions and the road ahead will be much clearer - Click here to read more
Should I get a consolidation loan?
It could be useful if you need to reduce your monthly repayments on borrowing but the overall cost may be higher - Click here to read more
What is a fund?
A fund lets the smaller investor play with the big boys - Click here to read more
Will the state look after mum (or dad)?
Yes but depending on herhis state of health and her finances - Click here to read more
Can I have too much insurance?
Yes particularly if it is general insurance such as buildings contents or motor cover or income protection and permanent health insurance where there are limits on what will be paid out - Click here to read more
How can I find good financial advice?
The first step towards gaining control of your money is simply to make the commitment to take action; the fact that you are reading this shows that you are already over the first hurdle - Click here to read more
What costs more, what costs less when you have retired?
Dont assume your cost of living will fall significantly when you retire - Click here to read more
How good is the state pension?
With the state pension paying just 17% of average lifetime earnings the UK desperately needs a change - Click here to read more
Should I always tell the truth?
Yes - because if you dont your insurer can not only refuse to pay your claim but could also sue for fraud or obtaining money by deception - Click here to read more
How can I cope best with divorce?
You will cope best with divorce if you are realistic about what you need and do an inventory of all you own and owe - Click here to read more
What should I know about income drawdown?
More people are looking at the flexible option of income drawdown after they retire - Click here to read more
What do credit reference agencies do and why are they important to me?
Credit reference agencies maintain files on all your borrowings from credit cards to mortgages and any arrears or defaults will affect your ability to borrow in future - Click here to read more
How can I prevent solicitors charging excessive fees for obtaining Probate?
by not making solicitors executors of your will - Click here to read more
What will a good independent financial adviser do for me?
Your trusted adviser will help you to achieve your short medium and longer term goals and objectives in life by using a comprehensive financial planning strategy over time - Click here to read more
What if they say no to a claim?
Take the matter up with the insurer but if that is not satisfactory ask to have the matter referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service a free dispute resolution service - Click here to read more
Must Do for October: Offspring flying the nest? Give them water wings to stop them drowning
Give the student in your life a few financial lessons - Click here to read more
Why are credit reference agencies so important?
Credit reference agencies maintain files on all your borrowings and any arrears or defaults will affect your ability to borrow in future - Click here to read more
The type of independent financial advisers to avoid
A good IFA can be worth their weight in gold Just make sure you pick the right one - Click here to read more
Should I let my son/daughter buy a car?
Yes in term of safety its much better than a motorcyle scooter or bicycle and it saves you having to ferry them around - Click here to read more
What if my IFA sells up?
Good financial advice requires an honest and productive relationship between client and adviser but changes to a business can be positive if appropriate action is taken early - Click here to read more
A mass market marvel from Mondavi
Yes you can find good wines that sell by the gazillion; plus our weekly prize competition - Click here to read more
A Beaujolais that is a cut above the rest at a bargain price
Yes there are decent wines from there; plus a chance to win a years access to Janciss new website - Click here to read more
Win £50 of wine in our favourite bottle competition
Just tell us about your most memorable wine to win the prize - Click here to read more
An Olympian Pinot Blanc from California
Plus a chance to win two great wine DVDs - Click here to read more
It?s not Malbec, but it?s from Argentina and it tastes great
Find out about this wine and win two wine DVDs in our competition - Click here to read more
An appealing Spanish red
Tasting this rioja feels like putting on an old pair of slippers - Click here to read more
A cool and fresh Italian white
Plus a £70 prize on offer in our wine competition - Click here to read more
A true bargain Riesling at under a fiver
Not dry but priced so sweetly - Click here to read more
A beautiful Rhône for your Christmas table
Great wine great label great price: what more could you ask for - Click here to read more
What Does Risk Mean?
What do I do with my boomerang children?
You can encourage them to survive on their own with advice and financial help - Click here to read more
Are comparison sites useful?
Generally yes but you must treat the information with caution - Click here to read more
How do I pick a care home for dad?
By doing your research visiting likely homes asking friends - in particular parents doctors or medical advisers who may know what is available locally with suitable care at a price you can afford and checking with your local authority - Click here to read more
Must do for January: Take a long hard look at retirement
Retirement its in front of you oh yes it is! Dont let yours be a riches to rags story says Joss Harwood of Eldon Financial Planning - Click here to read more
Have a sweet new year with this lovely Sauternes
As sampled at Buck House no less - Click here to read more
A Spanish surprise from an unlikely region
The wonderful thing about Spain is that great wines pop up in some of the least celebrated places - Click here to read more
A good wine and a good conscience
For the first time ever Wine Relief the wine-related fundraising initiative in aid of Comic Relief has its very own wines - Click here to read more
Find this wine!
Mount Horrocks Semillon 2007 Clare Valley is made in very small quantities allowing the producers to keep a close eye on every detail that matters - Click here to read more
A stunning wine from central Italy
Make no mistake about it 2006 has produced some stunning wines from central Italy including this beauty which is exceptionally easy to find - Click here to read more
One of the best-value labels around
When a friend asks me which wines they should buy for a party I very often steer them towards Yering Frog bottlings - Click here to read more
A sweet, round and rich red
This Terrasses cuvée is sweet round and rich with that delightful herby overlay of successful southern Rhône reds - Click here to read more
A sweet wine with pioneering beginnings
Jancis Robinson tries the Averys Pioneer Range Shiraz 2005 Yarra Valley - Click here to read more
Sipps: who should invest and why
The tax relief charges and options available with Sipps - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson?s wine of the week
Sulphur dioxide or the sulphites that are cited on more and more wine labels worldwide are not evil weapons in the modern winemakers arsenal of added chemicals - Click here to read more
Good value Argentine reds
Jancis Robinson is taken by the Tapiz Malbec 2007 Luján de Cuyo - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson's wine of the week
These hand-crafted wines are truly great value - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: Two great Chilean Sauvignons
In hot humid weather what could be more agreeable than a really sleek racy cool refreshing Sauvignon Blanc - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: A Riesling to remember
If you want to see what the fuss about the new generation of dry German Rieslings is try this wine - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: This wine is too good a bargain to ignore
A bargain red with rich spiciness from Asda - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: a red you can drink just on its own
This light soft red is a special bottling that has been created for Wine Rack - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: a wine to stop you in your tracks
A fragrant delicate white that makes a terrific summer apéritif - Click here to read more
Where to get the best student accounts
With the next lot of students getting ready for life at university sorting out the finances is vital - Click here to read more
Dos and don'ts of student bank accounts
Stick to these rules when you start university life and your finances will take care of themselves - Click here to read more
How to buy time when owing tax
If you are subject to self assessment are strapped for cash and want to avoid paying tax penalties the HMRC has set up a service that can give you a period of grace - Click here to read more
A short cut to spread betting
Angus Campbell of Capital Spreads gives you the run-down on how financial spread betting works - Click here to read more
Over-50s, take advantage of the ISA limit increase
This October the over-50s will have their ISA limit increased by £3000 - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: white delights
Fine intellectually interesting and sensually stimulating alternatives to white burgundy - Click here to read more
How to buy a property at auction
Buying a property at an auction seems to be gaining momentum But while this can produce a bargain there are all sorts of pitfalls - Click here to read more
10 tips for buying a property at auction
If you decide to buy a property at auction make sure you follow these 10 tips - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: Canadian cheer
A truly dynamic duo from the land of the Mountie that will amaze wine lovers - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: the Brangelina connection
The estate has strong links to the music industry and to Brad and Anje On top of this this wine is a tangy white that is impressively persistent - Click here to read more
The answers to your inheritance tax questions
Dozens of Citywire readers have sent in questions about IHT Tax expert Colin Jelley provides the answers - Click here to read more
Will your home be your retirement fund?
How your home can provide you with an income in your twilight years - Click here to read more
The best Child Trust Funds on offer
Parents should not let money in CTFs languish; it should be invested as soon as possible - Click here to read more
Why being charitable can help your pension
Pension savers on an income greater than £150000 can boost their tax relief by making donations to charity - Click here to read more
Top tips for insuring a holiday in the UK
With the current trend for holidaying in the UK just how much cover do you need to take out - Click here to read more
10 tips to selling property at auction
Some basic steps you should take when considering selling your house at auction - Click here to read more
How to sell property at auction
Selling at auction could be a good move if you want to get the best price for your property - Click here to read more
How to pick stocks
Whether you want to pick stocks yourself or are looking to buy a fund it is essential you do plenty of homework before you hand over your cash - Click here to read more
Wine of the Week: Roasted autumnal scents
Jancis Robinson raves about a wine with a great combination of approachability structure for the future and lovely purity - Click here to read more
Top 10 pension dos and don'ts
When you plan your pension these top tips will help you on your way - Click here to read more
Castillo, queen of the desert
Young with an admirable intensity and pungency this Sauvignon Blanc from the Elqui Valley is a force to be reckoned with - Click here to read more
Wine of the week: South Africa's First Lady
One of those rare easy reds that can happily be imbibed on its own - Click here to read more
Forget champagne for a tenner - try this one instead
The British media have recently been bedazzled by the notional prospect of champagne as cheap as £10 a bottle by Christmas but Jancis Robinson thinks it is worth spending a little more - Click here to read more
Some tips to help you write a will
Many people dont know whom to consult about writing a Will and it is right to be more than a little sceptical - Click here to read more
Don't underestimate this mass-produced wine
I dont think Ive ever recommended a wine of the week that seems to be as widely available as this one writes Jancis Robinson - Click here to read more
How to invest ethically
More people are interested in investing with their conscience While it is difficult to know where to put your money and whether it really is doing any good there are some good options - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson finds 'a truly ground-breaking wine'
The wine writer is impressed by a unique Australian Shiraz - Click here to read more
How to give to charity ? without filling the government?s coffers
Andy Gadd head of research for the Lighthouse Group explains how to give to charity tax efficiently - Click here to read more
How to protect your pension against inflation
The size of the inflation threat we face is uncertain but there are measures you can take to prepare yourself - Click here to read more
Corporate bonds explained
What they are how they are priced and the risks - Click here to read more
How to choose the right Sipp
The questions you need to ask yourself when choosing a Sipp by financial planner Francis Klonowski - Click here to read more
Moving or retiring abroad and your finances: more of your questions answered
Our tax expert provides the answers to your questions about the impact on your finances of moving or retiring abroad - Click here to read more
House buying and selling without using an estate agent
Want to avoid the expense and pain of using an estate agent Lorna Bourke outlines the options and whether it can be done successfully - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: A Bourgogne Blanc to heartily recommend
Fans of pure white savoury burgundy are encouraged to try these wines imported into the US by Michael Skurnik and Atherton but practically unknown in France itself - Click here to read more
Your SIPP questions answered
John Moret has answered the questions on self-invested personal pensions submitted by Citywire readers - Click here to read more
10 questions you should ask an IFA
The crucial questions you should ask an IFA before you become their client by Simon Gibson of Atkinson Bolton Consulting - Click here to read more
Your SIPP questions answered: Part 2
John Moret has answered Citywire readers questions on SIPPs - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: A well-deserved gold medal winner
One of those rather rare red wine varieties that produces wines you can drink with or without food - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: Spain continues to surprise wine lovers
I never thought I would ever be convinced by a Spanish Riesling but Castell dEncus Ekam 2008 Costers del Segre has won me over - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: A bargain among the 2008 burgundies
A pure poised marvel which will be much cheaper to buy now rather than later - Click here to read more
Protecting your wealth against a weak pound - more questions answered
Currency specialists HiFX answer questions covering pensions abroad and the pounds strength against the euro dollar and Swiss franc - Click here to read more
Protecting your wealth against a weak pound - your questions answered
Mark Bodega of foreign exchange specialists HiFX has answered questions from Citywire readers on how to protect your overseas wealth in the face of a weak pound - Click here to read more
Don't miss the online tax filing deadline
Allow plenty of time before the 31st January deadline writes Lorna Bourke who provides some helpful guidance - Click here to read more
How to prepare yourself for a rise in Capital Gains Tax
With a CGT rise likely after the election investors should review their portfolio of shares and property to see what can be done to minimise any potential tax bill - Click here to read more
How to invest in bonds and gilts
What are bonds and gilts and where can you buy them - Click here to read more
How to get the best from a financial adviser
Lorna Bourke offers some golden rules for getting the best out of any financial adviser - Click here to read more
How to use spread betting to trade currencies
Angus Campbell of Capital Spreads explains how to use spread betting to trade currencies - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: an elegant, refreshing and nuanced Pinot Noir
This 2008 Pinot Noir has both fruit and freshness but is far from simple - Click here to read more
Jancis Robinson: a lusciously aromatic red
This is strongly recommend to those looking for a versatile red that offers a whole range of new flavours and textures - Click here to read more
Why you should take capital gains tax seriously
With a little careful planning you can avoid unnecessarily gifting some of your hard-earned savings to the taxman writes Fidelity tax expert Paul Kennedy - Click here to read more
Tax changes are coming ? here?s how to prepare
End of year tax planning should start early this year as there is a raft of changes of which high earners must take account - Click here to read more
Investment trusts: unloved but full of promise
Investment trusts are often overlooked but there are some good reasons why you should consider them as part of your portfolio - Click here to read more
The tax-efficient way to pass on pension funds to your kids
Unused pension savings passed on to relatives can be heavily taxed but using pension income to fund further pensions contributions for children or grandchildren can prove very efficient writes Andrew Tully of Standard Life - Click here to read more
Inheritance tax: a five point guide to gift allowances
Financial planner Saran Allott-Davey explains the inheritance tax gift rules - Click here to read more
Inheritance tax: How to pass on your money without getting stung
Many people are confused about IHT gift allowances but there is a little-used and poorly understood way of passing on your money explains financial planner Saran Allott-Davey - Click here to read more
Inheritance tax: a six point guide to gift allowances
Financial planner Saran Allott-Davey explains the inheritance tax gift rules - Click here to read more
Don't let estimated energy bills put you in debt
Estimated bills can cause consumers to rack up serious debt without even realising it so make sure you monitor your energy usage carefully - Click here to read more
How to register on the electoral role
Gordon Brown has confirmed the next general election will be May 6 so if you have not yet put yourself on the electoral role you must move quickly - Click here to read more
Ten ways you can speed up your broadband
If you are frustrated with a slow internet connection here are ten ways you can help speed your broadband up - Click here to read more
How to register on the electoral roll
Gordon Brown has confirmed the next general election will be May 6 so if you have not yet put yourself on the electoral roll you must move quickly - Click here to read more
20 websites where you get things for free
Here are 20 websites that can help you pocket a little extra cash and do your bit to keep reusable goods out of the landfills Perhaps the best things in life are free - Click here to read more
Volcanic ash cloud: Your rights if your flight is cancelled
A volcanic ash cloud from Iceland has forced airlines to cancel all flights in and out of the UK today Here are your rights - Click here to read more
The Goldman Sachs fraud case explained
One of the reasons the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has taken so long to prosecute anyone over failing CDOs is their complexity Here Citywire explains how the trade works - Click here to read more
Redundancy: a guide to your rights
Whoever wins the next election belt tightening will lead to job losses in both the private and public sectors - Click here to read more
What accounts for 90% of returns but is ignored by investors?
Most investors spend their time researching entirely the wrong thing writes financial planner Mike Deverell - Click here to read more
How to manage your SIPP
Ten key questions for SIPP investors to consider - Click here to read more
Is your home in the wrong council tax band?
If you suspect your home is in the wrong council tax band it is crucial you take the time to check and ensure you are not paying too much - Click here to read more
Moving abroad: what it means for your finances, pension and taxes
A guide to the key financial matters you should consider when moving abroad - Click here to read more
Writing a will: why it matters and how to do it on the cheap
A simple guide to explain why you need to make a will what it should include and how to get one made as cheaply as possible - Click here to read more
How can I protect my investments when markets take fright?
Is there anything you can do to protect your investments when markets head south - Click here to read more
Are energy prices going to rise - and should I fix my tariff?
Are the big six energy suppliers going to increase their prices now new energy company OVO has withdrawn its cheapest tariff And is it a good idea to lock in to a fixed rate deal - Click here to read more
Starting a family: a guide to your finances
Not only will a new baby bring sleepless nights but also extra costs and in many cases reduced income as a parent gives up work to look after the new arrival Time to review your finances - Click here to read more
How a new voting system would work
David Cameron pledged this week to hold a referendum on electoral reform But how would our voting system change - Click here to read more
Is your pension invested in the right place?
Many people are losing out on their workplace pensions by choosing the default option writes Lorna Bourke - Click here to read more
Your rights if the BA strikes go ahead
If the British Airways strike goes ahead as planned next week and your flight is cancelled it is important you know what your rights are - Click here to read more
Inheritance tax explained: giving gifts and using your exemption
A rise in capital gains tax may be dominating the headlines but Citywire has been inundated with questions about inheritance tax Phil Carroll IHT expert at Skandia has answered your questions - Click here to read more
Q&A How to complain about your bank
If you are unhappy with your bank or another financial services provider here is our quick guide to filing a formal complaint - Click here to read more
Q&A: How to complain about your bank
If you are unhappy with your bank or another financial services provider here is our quick guide to filing a formal complaint - Click here to read more
How to recycle your old mobile phone for cash
UK consumers own around 85 million old mobile phones according to Consumer Focus Here is how you can get paid for recycling yours - Click here to read more
Q&A: How do the banks set interest rates?
The Bank of England base rate has been at record lows for over a year but the rates bank charge borrowers are rising What is going on - Click here to read more
A guide to mortgages for first time buyers
Repayment of interest only Fixed interest or tracker We explain your options - Click here to read more
Q&A: A beginner?s guide to easy access savings accounts
In our quick guide to easy access savings account we explain how they work and what pitfalls savers need to watch out for - Click here to read more
Q&A: A beginner?s guide to fixed rate savings accounts
In our quick guide to fixed rate savings account we explain how they work and what type of savers they suit best - Click here to read more
Q&A: A beginner?s guide to ISAs
In our quick guide to ISAs we explain what an ISA is how they work and why you should invest in one - Click here to read more
Investor given no reason for rejected Keydata compensation bid
The Financial Services Compensation Scheme has refused to release evidence justifying why it rejected a claim from a consumer who bought a Keydata Secure Income bond - Click here to read more
First independent official growth forecasts to be published Monday
The newly-formed Office of Budget Responsibility will publish its first independent forecast of UK Growth on Monday 14 June a week ahead of the budget - Click here to read more
Northern Rock to close final salary pension scheme
Northern Rock said it has begun talks with the union over plans to cut 650 jobs and to close the final salary pension scheme - Click here to read more
Experts warn on giving CGT advantage to business assets
The government is under pressure to alleviate the impact of hiking CGT by reinstating taper relief while avoiding the mistakes made when it was previously in force - Click here to read more
Top 10 coalition Budget predictions
An extension of the taper on higher rate relief for pensions and punitive non-dom taxes could surface in the first coalition Budget on 22 June according to tax experts - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup Update: Panmure and Numis positive on Hyder Consulting
Collins Stewart favours Penna Consulting and Morgan Stanley overweight in Travis Perkins - Click here to read more
Are SIPP providers ripping us off?
Are investors being ripped off by SIPP providers who in many cases are paying nothing at all for cash held on deposit Lorna Bourke considers the facts - Click here to read more
Goldmans issued with subpoena for failing to work with US govt
Firm issued with court order after accusations that it stalled in providing documents for investigators - Click here to read more
Premier League footballers enjoy 11% pay rise
More than two thirds of Premier League revenue now spent on wages - Click here to read more
Morning Market: US Fed chair's comments steady markets
Renewed takeover activity also helps sentiment with Chloride sharply higher on ABB bid - Click here to read more
?Decisive action? needed to complete euro project
European policymakers must take decisive action to complete eurozone monetary union International Monetary Fund warns - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup: Goldman reviews engineering sector
Credit Suisse overweight in equities and RBS recommends WS Atkins - Click here to read more
Morning Eyecatchers: Chloride agrees 325p-a-share bid from ABB
Aggreko full-year to be better than expected WH Smith Q3 sales hit by ash cloud disruption and Rockhopper confirms placing to raise £485 million - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Bernanke suggests there's going to be no double-dip recession in US -- other news
IMF has told the eurozone bloc to speed up budget cuts or risk eroding the confidence of financial markets - Click here to read more
Ombudsman probes mis-selling by Lloyds' investment arm
Bank of Scotland Investment Service (Bosis) the controversial sales arm of Lloyds Group has caught the attention of the Financial Ombudsman Service for its flawed advice to older customers - Click here to read more
Q&A: What moves the gold price?
Gold reached an all-time high yesterday as world turmoil bolstered demand but what is pushing it higher - Click here to read more
Will pension saving survive the cost-cutting?
Theres a lot of talk about how the pensions tax relief given to higher rate taxpayers costs us billions of pounds If higher rate tax relief is a cost so is basic rate tax relief How far will this cost-cutting go - Click here to read more
BP shares fall to year lows on US political pressure over oil spill
BP shares fell in very heavy volumes amid growing fears that US political posturing could curb Gulf of Mexico drilling or persuade BP to cut its dividend - Click here to read more
FSA forks out £638,500 for hospitality at Canary Wharf
The Financial Services Authority spent £638500 last year on hospitality for meetings held at its office a a Freedom of Information request has revealed - Click here to read more
London tube union announces strike dates
Rail union RMT today announced London tube workers will strike for six days in June and July in a dispute over jobs pay and working conditions - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Is this really a new 'age of aspiration' for first time buyers?
The government says it is But theres no money left in the pot to help FTBs and prices will remain sky high housing minister adds - Click here to read more
NHS hospitals make millions from car parking charges
Consumer champion Which has named the four worst hospitals for clamping fining charging and complaints - Click here to read more
Investors return to funds as sentiment improves
Improving economic data led investors around the globe to make a return to funds last week acccording to new data - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup Update: Brokers positive on ASOS and IG Group after figures
Numis downgrades Centamin Egypt and Ambrian has a speculative buy for African Consolidated Resources - Click here to read more
RBS shares gain on asset sales hopes
RBS has secured interested bidders for assets worth more than $5 billion - Click here to read more
Morning Market: Late rally in New York prompts brighter tone
Miners lead the recovery but BP remains under its oil spill cloud; Misys jumps on Allscripts stake sale and a positive update supports IG Group - Click here to read more
BT union rejects new pay offer
BTs biggest union yesterday said until any real progress is made on improving a pay offer it will press ahead with plans to hold a strike ballot - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup: UBS initiates coverage of Pru with a buy and 641p target
Morgan Stanley reviews property sector - Click here to read more
Morning Eyecatchers: IG Group expects to report revenue of £298mln
Misys to sell 546% stake in Allscripts and ASOS year profit up 44% - Click here to read more
Italy is biggest threat to euro, says Europe's top bond manager
Investors have been missing the point: Italy not Greece is the main threat to the eurozone says star global bond fund manager Stewart Cowley - Click here to read more
New regulations for private landlords axed
Housing minister Grant Shapps promises no more red tape as the new government abandons plans to introduce a national register for landlords - Click here to read more
Government bond sell indicators flash red
The major European economies sovereign debt no longer looks a safe haven offering little value to compensate investors for the mounting risks - Click here to read more
Should there be a tax on chewing gum?
And would such a tax stop people spitting their gum into the street - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Why our broken university system needs a radical overhaul
Too many students too many institutions and too often poor quality teaching new universities minister David Willetts is right that the system needs radical change - Click here to read more
Bank of England holds rates at 0.5%
The Bank of Englands rate setting committee voted to hold interest rates at the historic low of 05% for the 15th month in a row - Click here to read more
Chief of City regulator collects £108k bonus
The Financial Services Authority annual report reveals that chief executive Hector Sants was paid a £108000 bonus last year - Click here to read more
Investment banks face OFT probe over fees
Office of Fair Trading launches investigation into the fees investment banks charge companies for advice on mergers and cash-calls - Click here to read more
Market Update: Shares reverse early falls after evidence global recovery is on track
BP above worst but still vulnerable to dividend cut fears but miners recover as Chinese exports surge 50% - Click here to read more
Hargreaves calls for £50k cap on annual pension contributions
Hargreaves Lansdown says a £50000 limit on yearly contributions would match revenue raised by a taper - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup Update: Panmure favours Barratt and Persimmon
Morgan Stanley overweight in Misys and Wood Group and Ambrian likes European Goldfields and Tanzanite One - Click here to read more
Woolwich and Bovis launch 90% mortgage
Woolwich has launched a new 90% loan to value mortgage available exclusively to people who purchase their property from Bovis Homes - Click here to read more
Morning Market: BP shares savaged again
Caution ahead of interest rate decisions from Bank of England and European Central Bank - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup Update: Positive notes on Essar Energy
Deutsche Bank recommends Tesco and RBS has a buy for ITV - Click here to read more
Morning Eyecatchers: BP has cash to cover oil spill costs
OFT to examine underwriting market Halfords year profit up 27% but Argos hit by weak gaming and TV sales; Premier Farnell total profit before tax £222 million and Hargreaves pulls out of UK Coal talks - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Barclays strikes a mortgage partnership with Bovis Homes -- bid news and gossip
Santander buys rest of its Mexican banking business for £17bln - Click here to read more
Future of Banking report out soon, says McFall
The Future of Banking Commission is due to publish its report this weekend according to one of its authors John McFall former Labour MP and chairman of the influential Treasury Select Committee - Click here to read more
Deal of the week: Free DVD rental and cinema tickets
This week LOVEFiLM is offering new customers a 30 day free trial and two free cinema tickets when you sign up - Click here to read more
A novel fixed rate bond ? but you can get better returns elsewhere
Lorna Bourke considers where savers would be best to put their money - Click here to read more
Is the US heading for a double-dip recession?
Fears the US may fall back into recession is adding to investor nervousness Here analysts and fund managers give their views - Click here to read more
Video: Will the economy dip back into recession?
Citywire investment editor Charlie Parker and markets correspondent Deborah Hyde weigh the chances of the US and UK economies dipping back into recession - Click here to read more
Worldcuponomics - How South Africa 2010 will boost Britain
It may end in heartbreak on the pitch but several sectors are set to boom as football mania sweeps the nation - Click here to read more
Paying 3.5% or more on your mortgage? Switch to a better deal
Anyone who is currently paying 35% or more who has at least 15% equity in their homes can now remortgage to a better rate - Click here to read more
Market Update: Shares shrug off gloomy inflation data
Strong rally in BP shares also helps sentiment and takeover hopes excite BRIT Insurance and International Power - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup Update: UBS recommends BP and Morgan Stanley equal-weight on Pru
RBS has buys for Premier Farnell Sainsbury and Tesco - Click here to read more
Morning Market: Wall Street bounce gives FTSE early lift
BP leads rally in oils but miners mixed - Click here to read more
Friday Five: Reasons why the World Cup is better than the Olympics
Cheaper fairer more excitingif only England had won the right to host the World Cup rather than the Olympics - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup: Goldman downgrades Rexam and has a sell for Home Retail
HSBC upgrades ENRC and JP Morgan initiates coverage of Kenmare with an overweight - Click here to read more
Morning Eyecatchers: Hammerson buys Leadenhall Court for £95 million
Fuller Smith pre-tax profit up 86% Punch Taverns sells pubs to Greene King for £53 million and BP reportedly exploring options on dividend - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: BP oil spill 'double early estimates' -- other news
Dow advances 273 points and US state department has said the BP oil spill will not affect the relationship between the US and Britain - Click here to read more
Would you buy shares in Ocado?
Can your friendly grocery delivery firm convince you to buy shares - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: other news.
Saturday Papers: bid news and gossip
Saturday Papers: tips and comment
Saturday Papers: BP ready to suspend its dividend -- other news.
US retail sales mark their first monthly drop in eight months but consumer sentiment improved in June to its strongest point in over two years - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: Resolution in talks to buy AXA UK units for £2.8bln -- bid news and gossip
Santander has cut its offer for RBS retail branch network and Brit Insurance holds out for Apollo to raise $11bln offer - Click here to read more
How to protect your savings from the ravages of 5% inflation
That old bogeyman of the 70s is back again inflation now running at 53% as measured by the retail prices index (RPI) Fortunately National Savings has an answer - Click here to read more
Sunday Papers: tips and comment
Comment on BP Tesco Vodafone RBS and ASOS and tips for Safestore Smiths Group Lookers Shell and Hogg Robinson - Click here to read more
Eight proposals to reform retirement saving
Inheritance tax free pension fund bequests and a single contribution limit for pensions and ISAs among proposals from Centre for Policy Studies - Click here to read more
ISAs aren?t the best choice for retirement ? at least not rationally?
The taxation of pensions makes them mathematically a better option than ISAs for retirement - but we rarely act so rationally Surely there is another option - Click here to read more
UK banking system needs 'profound reform', says commission
Ordinary people should be put at the heart of an improved system according to a heavyweight group of industry leaders and politicians - Click here to read more
The best credit card deals for 0% transfers
Austerity chic is now the order of the day with everyone looking around to save money The same goes for credit cards - Click here to read more
Coping with rising school fees
School fees are a big expense and have risen well above the general rate of inflation in recent years - Click here to read more
Know your internet limit - or risk being cut off
If you do not know what your internet download limit is you are at risk of exceeding your allowance and being disconnected - Click here to read more
BP hit by fears of $20bn demand for Gulf clean-up
(Update) BP shares tumbled more than 9% today as news that US politicians want the oil giant to set aside $20 billion (£135 billion) to pay compensation claims alarmed investors - Click here to read more
Experts' View: what Budd's forecasts mean for the emergency Budget
The new Office for Budget Responsibility chaired by Sir Alan Budd has cut UK growth and debt forecasts Unfortunately that does not mean there is less pressure on the emergency Budget next week to make far-reaching cuts - Click here to read more
John Carlin's England verdict: 'Dull, disjointed crap'
But why did England entrust their fortunes to a foreign manager - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Shrewd investors see this as moment to buy BP
The news from America is leading towards two fundamental conclusions about BP as it faces the Gulf of Mexico oil spill crisis - Click here to read more
UK growth estimate cut to 2.6% but markets pleased
(Update) Sterling bounced two cents higher against the dollar after the Office of Responsibility said growth will be lower than earlier forecasts but much better than some had feared - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup Update: Numis has a buy and 50p target for Capital & Regional
Panmure has a buy and 100p target for Huntsworth - Click here to read more
Market Update: Miners continue to lead markets higher
Dividend uncertainties weigh on BP but favourtable press comment supports Intercontinental and Smiths Group - Click here to read more
The UK's growth forecast will be slashed today
The first Office of Budget Responsibility growth forecast is expected to slash previous Treasury predictions for 2011 and beyond - Click here to read more
Tax on alcohol may rise another 5%
Alcohol prices could soar again next week as the government considers introducing another 5% increase in alcohol duty and a rise in VAT - Click here to read more
Morning Market: bright start on upbeat miners
Share prices make a bright start to the week against a background of growing investor confidence on the outlook for the global economic recovery although BP remains in the doldrums - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup: Morgan Stanley downgrades Lloyds, overweight Barclays
Exane and Bank of America positive on Barclays and UBS upgrades Standard Chartered - Click here to read more
Morning Eyecatchers: Resolution in talks to buy most of AXA UK life assurance units for £2.75bln
BP oil spill bill hits $16 billion Weir Group trading stronger than expected and Majestic Wine year profit up 26% - Click here to read more
Monday Papers; UK growth forecasts face cut from Office for Budget Responsibility -- other news
White House turns up heat on BP with flurry of new demands and CBI says Britain will avoid a double-dip recession although recovery will be weak - Click here to read more
Monday Papers: tips and comment
Comment on BP Halfords Blinkx Akers Biosciences and Intercontinental Hotels - Click here to read more
Henderson investment chief tips FTSE to finish year near 6,000
Bill McQuaker the head of equities at investment group Henderson New Star reassures investors with a forecast that the FTSE 100 could rise 15% by the end of the year - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Rupert Murdoch seeks full control of BSkyB -- bid news and gossip
Santander makes bid for RBS branch network - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: tips and comment
Comment on BP OBR Resolution United Utilities 888 Hamworthy Mothercare Cineworld Weir Group 3i Group Supergroup and Kingfisher - Click here to read more
Market Update: Inflation fall brings some cheer
BSkyB hold firm following bid approach but Healthcare Locums suffer as offer talks collapse - Click here to read more
BSkyB rejects Murdoch?s takeover bid
BSkyB has turned down a 700p takeover bid from Rupert Murdochs News Corporation - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup Update: Collins Stewart downgrades Connaught
Deutsche Bank has a buy and 710p target for Prudential - Click here to read more
Market Report: BSkyB jumps as News Corp seeks to gain control
Markets generally ease back as eurozone debt worries resurface and sluggish UK sales figures overshadow Tesco - Click here to read more
Banks urged to cut ?excessive? card charges
Charges for handling debit card payments have almost doubled in five years and cost retailers nearly four times more than cash transactions - Click here to read more
Tesco remains upeat after mediocre numbers
While sales growth was low in the first three months of the year the group remains upbeat on its ability to harness a consumer recovery - Click here to read more
Home owners rush to sell following abolition of home information packs
House prices edge up again in May but surveyors expect a 15% increase in supply following the abolition of HIPs and ahead of any rise in CGT - Click here to read more
BP hires banks to handle Gulf of Mexico liabilities
BP has hired a consortium of banks to manage its liabilities in the Gulf of Mexico as US senators continue their calls for a $20 billion pay out - Click here to read more
Emergency budget must find £85bn in tax and cuts, warns IFS
The institute of Fiscal Studies believes it is possible George Osborne can meet his deficit reduction targets without further tax rises but highly unlikely - Click here to read more
Morning Eyecatchers: Tesco Q1 international sales up 11.9%; UK sluggish
Bellway trading in line Alexon trading broadly satisfactory Ted Baker 18% increase in group revenue Cinven confirms it may bid for Spice and Healthcare Locums no longer in offer talks - Click here to read more
A vision of a brighter, savings future
The government wants us all to suggest ideas to reform tax and benefits It couldnt do better than listen to the Centre for Policy Studies on simplification of the pensions and savings regime - Click here to read more
Is Selfridges the best store in the world?
Selfridges has today been named the best department store in the world beating off competition from Bloomingdales in New York to claim the title - Click here to read more
UK house price inflation climbs to over 10%
But the proportion of first time buyers falls to a three year low lenders report - Click here to read more
Government scores own goal by adandoning buy-to-let clampdown
The plan for a new register of buy-to-let landlords - now abandoned by the new government - would have made it easier to clamp down on tax cheats Lorna Bourke argues - Click here to read more
Budget threat to medical insurance
The government is expected to double the rate of insurance premium tax to 10% at the budget which will net £6 billion in revenues - Click here to read more
Capping payday loan rates would not help borrowers, OFT warns
More needs to be done to help consumers make informed decisions when taking out expensive short term loans the Office of Fair Trading says - Click here to read more
Morning Line: How far dare the government go on public pensions?
Deputy prime minster Nick Clegg yesterday promised to reform unfair public sector pensions But how far dare the coalition government go - Click here to read more
A vision of a brighter savings future
The Centre for Policy Studies wants to simplify of the pensions and savings regime - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: Dow boosted by gain in the euro -- other news
George Osborne to warn big banks over crisis tax and house buyers could be refused mortgages under new Bank of England powers - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: News Corp bid for BSkyB wins early support from investors -- bid news and gossip
Jupiter to float near bottom of price range and Mongolia set to list vast mineral assets in London - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: tips and comment
Comment on BP BSkyB Ted Baker Oxford Instruments Hargreaves Services Western Coal GlaxoSmithKline Ted Baker Bellway and IG Group - Click here to read more
Osborne set to press ahead with plans for new bank tax
New chancellor also expected to press ahead with plans to reform the Financial Services Authority is his first Mansion House speech tonight - Click here to read more
J Sainsbury shares gain after numbers but analysts remain cautious
Analysts say Sainsbury is already trading at a premium but that reflects bid rumours rather than better growth prospects - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Stop whingeing - tax rises are inevitable
Despite all the objections of vested interests a rise in VAT to 20% makes a lot of sense - Click here to read more
Market Update: Early advance stalls ahead of Mansion House speech
RBS firm on asset sale news but negative broker notes hit Schroders and Kingfisher and BP remains nervous ahead of Obama meeting - Click here to read more
Equitable victims fear government may seek cut in compensation
The Equitable Members Action Group victims fear that a promised payout by the coalition government for the near collapse of the mutual insurer may be cut to £1 billion from early £46 billion estimates - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup Update: UBS positive Aggreko and Carphone Warehouse
Numis has a buy for Bellway and upgrades Bluebay to buy from add - Click here to read more
BP ticks higher ahead of meeting with President Obama
BP shares bounced 117% higher as it said it will discuss arrrangements to ensure claims are paid out in a fair and timely manner with the US president later - Click here to read more
Morning Market: Firm start as eurozone debt worries subside
Banks and miners lead the way ahead and Greenland wells approval boosts Cairn Energy; Schroders dip after a Citigroup rating downgrade - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup: JP Morgan reviews mining sector
Citigroup downgrades Schroders and Bank of America downgrades Kingfisher - Click here to read more
Morning Eyecatchers: Sainsbury taking share in a tough market
Jupiter prices IPO at 165p-a-share and Liontrust slashes dividend as profits slump - Click here to read more
BlackRock takes £39m stake in Jupiter
(Update) BlackRock has bought a 51% stake in the Jupiter IPO which was oversubscribed after being set at the lower end of its price range - Click here to read more
Unemployment steadies around 2.5m but the peak is yet to come
While the number of people out of work was slightly lower in April than in March most agree joblessness will continue to rise once Budget cuts bite - Click here to read more
Value for the brave in BP bonds?
Some investors are now starting to see value in the companys debt - Click here to read more
Osborne confirms Sir John Vickers to head banking commission
Chancellor says ex-chief economist of Bank of England will lead commission into whether banks should be broken up - Click here to read more
BP shares pricing in 'at least' 50% divi cut, leading investor says
Fund manager Nigel Thomas expects BP to cut its next dividend by at least half and perhaps even more - Click here to read more
FSA bans three more brokers for mortgage fraud
The Financial Services Authority has banned three mortgage brokers fining two of them £420000 as part of its crack down on home loan fraud - Click here to read more
Full text of George Osborne's Mansion House speech
The chancellor has announced sweeping reforms to the system of financial regulation in the UK - Click here to read more
Hector Sants to stay on as City watchdog boss
(Update) FSA boss Sants will become chief executive of new prudential regulator after overseeing the transition to a post-Tripartite system of financial regulational - Click here to read more
FSA axed and Bank of England beefed up in regulatory shake-up
Chancellor George Osborne announces biggest shake-up in City regulation in 13 years - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup Update: Citigroup negative on Tesco
Numis upgrades Mouchel and Canaccord has a buy for Centamin Egypt - Click here to read more
BA and Unite remain ?deadlocked? as talks collapse again
Unite union looks set to ballot British Airways cabin crew over further strike action after failing to agree a deal with the airline yesterday - Click here to read more
Is BP too big to fail?
As the latest news filters through that BP is to create an escrow fund of at least $20 billion to deal with burgeoning litigation claims some believe the oil giant is simply too big to fail - Click here to read more
Morning Market: BP rebound after offering confidence in the future of the company
Banks firm but miners fall back in generally mixed trading - Click here to read more
BP shares up as it bows to US pressure to cut 2010 dividends
(Update with opening share price) BP has confirmed it will not pay a dividend due Monday and will not pay any other dividends in 2010 after it agreed to US demands to place $20 billion into a US compensation fund - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup: JP Morgan and UBS positive on BP
Citigroup upgrades Drax Group and Bernstein has outperforms for Diageo and SABMiller - Click here to read more
Morning Eyecatchers: Property sales by Land Secs and Hammerson
RBS to sell its retail banking assets in the United Arab Emirates WS Atkins and Ashtead prepare for tighter government spending and loss of car park revenue will affect Stagecoach profit by around £8 million - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: BP to suspend dividends and set aside £13.5bln to cover spill claims -- other news
Sweeping regulatory changes gives power to Bank of England governor as Osborne abolishes FSA; Director Hector Sants to stay on to affect the shake-up - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Rumours of £2bln bid swirl around Northumbrian Water -- bid news and gossip
Luminar believed to have drafted in advisers from PwC to help restructure the company - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: tips and comment
Comment on Jupiter Safestore RPC Kea Petroleum Weir Group Tullett Prebon Filtrona and Harvey Nash and tips for Intercontinental Hotels and Salamander Energy - Click here to read more
Landline companies forced to slash charges for leaving service
BT TalkTalk and Virgin Media have agreed to reduce the cost of exiting their landline contracts early under pressure from Ofcom - Click here to read more
Coalition announces £10.5bn of cuts ahead of budget
No blushes are spared as the government scrapes free swimming for children a visitors centre in Stonehenge and a £450 million hospital building project - Click here to read more
BP boss faces wrath of Congress
Tony Hayward attempted contrition but instead was labelled evasive by furious lawmakers in Washington - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup: JP Morgan upgrades Aviva.
Brokers largely positive on BP while cutting target prices - Click here to read more
Threadneedle: BP could be event that stalls recovery
Threadneedles head of UK equities Simon Brazier has warned the Gulf of Mexico oil spill will put renewed pressure on the regulation of oil companies and could ultimately affect the oil price - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: EU agrees on tougher budget rules and policy coordination -- other news
BP chief Tony Hayward told by angry US Congressional panel his firm ignored dangers when drilling in the Gulf of Mexico - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: Qatar fund set to take over Songbird Estates -- bid news and gossip
Cape receives preliminary approach from third party and RBS sells Kazakh business to HSBC - Click here to read more
Barry Norris: Where to find the winners and losers in Europe
Europe may be getting a bad press but it contains good companies on attractive valuations says Argonaut co-founder Barry Norris - Click here to read more
Robin Hepworth: Why my fund is 15% in cash
Robin Hepworth manager of the Ecclesiastical Amity International fund explains why he is cautious on global equities and has 15% of the portfolio in cash - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: tips and comment
Comment on UK banks BP China Biodiesel Elektron Ashtead WS Atkins Consort Medical and Balfour Beatty and tips for Fuller Smith Workspace and Hightex Group - Click here to read more
The FSA failed but can the Bank of England do any better?
Can we rely on the Bank of England to burst the next financial bubble - Click here to read more
Church leaders unite to attack ?shocking? bank lending practices
Heads of the Catholic Methodist Protestant and Presbyterian churches in Northern Ireland issue joint statement comdemning the continuing failure of banks to lend to small businesses - Click here to read more
Morning Line: The financial sector parties again like it is 2007
While the rest of the country is bracing itself for a new age of austerity the City is enjoying a new age of plenty How do they get away with it - Click here to read more
BP deal with Obama provides some clarity but growth risks emerge
BP shares are rebounding from lows as dividend cuts provide clarity but BP may be hobbled for years to come - Click here to read more
Shove off Bill Gross you don't scare us
The UK has proved that it is not vulnerable to attack from bond vigilantes in the way continental Europe is - Click here to read more
10 of the greatest con artists in history
From renowned stock market swindlers to imaginative impostors and creative kids we look at ten of the most famous fraudsters of all time - Click here to read more
BT calls on union to re-open strike talks
BT is urging the Communication Workers Union to re-open negotiation talks after the union said it would be willing to compromise on a pay deal - Click here to read more
Broker Roundup Update: Citigroup downgrades Victrex
UBS downgrades Serco and Ambrian initiates coverage of Xstrata with a buy and £1430 target - Click here to read more
Market Update: Shares consolidate early gains helped by fesh recovery in BP and a firm mining sector
Capita Serco Victrex Hikma and Tesco overshadowed by negative broker views but Innovision jump on Broadcom bid - Click here to read more
Spain's Santander makes offer for 300 RBS branches
Santander - which already owns Alliance and Leicester Abbey and some Bradford and Bingley accounts - will own one in eight bank branches in the UK if the bid succeeds - Click here to read more
Morning Market: Shares edge ahead helped by resilient Wall Street
Aviva benefits from JP Morgan upgrade and BP brighter after chief executive survives a grilling by Congress - Click here to read more
World Cup 2010: Citywire's international staff blog
Citywire staff are a multi-national bunch hailing from such far flung countries as New Zealand and Serbia; they share their views and experiences of the World Cup so far - Click here to read more
Weak pound is a double-edged sword
Sterlings weakness is good for the UK says LGIMs credit strategist Ben Bennett for now at least - Click here to read more
Market Update: Shares consolidate early gains helped by fresh recovery in BP and firm mining sector
Capita Serco Victrex Hikma and Tesco overshadowed by negative broker views but Innovision jump on Broadcom bid - Click here to read more
Savings Ratewatch: can you beat inflation and the taxman?
Inflation may have fallen marginally to 34% according to the consumer price (CPI) index but savers are still finding it almost impossible to find a savings account which shows a real return after tax - Click here to read more
Mortgage Ratewatch: phew! no mortgage cap after all
Homebuyers and lenders breathe a sigh of relief The chancellor did not announce a 75% loan to value cap on mortgages - Click here to read more
Why I don?t care about house prices
House prices are up again - but how does this really affect me - Click here to read more
Sunday Papers: other news
Osborne set for hardest Budget in a generation - Click here to read more
Sunday Papers: bid news and gossip
TPG pays £300m to acquire Republic fashion chain - Click here to read more
BP shares down as partner says will not share costs
BP shares are hit again by accusations from well partner Anadarko and talk the oil giant may have to issue new bonds to a market with little appetite for its debt - Click here to read more
Emergency Budget: what to expect
In what will be the toughest budget for a generation here is a roundup of what chancellor George Osborne is likely to announce on Tuesday - Click here to read more
Council tax freeze expected in Budget
Chancellor George Osborne to work with local councils to freeze council tax for one year - Click here to read more
Fidelity to ask Pru chairman to resign as Myners tipped as replacement
City minister Lord Myners and former Zurich Financial Services chief executive Jim Schiro have both been tipped to replace Harvey McGrath as Pru chairman - Click here to read more
Monday Papers: Barclays chiefs to take stand in Lehman?s lawsuit - other news
John Varley and Bob Diamond the two top executives at Barclays will take stand in Lehmans lawsuit against the UK bank - Click here to read more
Monday Papers: Winton opens new fund to retail investors - bid news and gossip
Bain Capital to sell TeamSystem for as much as 600m - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Beijing's renminbi move sets positive tone - other news
SEC accused ICP Asset Management of defrauding investors in collateralised debt obligations - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Korn/Ferry International eyes European expansion - bid news and gossip
One of the worlds biggest headhunters has shifted its Los Angeles-based chief executive to London for three months - Click here to read more
Video: The tax changes ahead in today's budget
The chancellor may be promising to simplify the tax system but investors will still struggle to keep up with what could be a myriad of changes today - Click here to read more
Markets cheered by Chinese currency revaluation hopes
Shares and metal prices were higher in afternoon deals as investors cheered China plans to allow its currency to gain ground against the dollar - Click here to read more
Morning Line: the pension schemes that cost the country a fortune
Are you a member of one of the 19 big public sector pension schemes the government has in its sights Then watch out changes are afoot to get you to pay a bigger share of the cost of your pension - Click here to read more
Public sector net debt to fall to 1.1% of economy by 2016
The Chancellor says spending cuts will reduce debt payments to £3bn a year by the end of the current parliament - Click here to read more
Let staff watch the England-Slovenia match, unions urge employers
Denying employees the chance to watch vital World Cup matches will hit productivity and increase absenteeism TUC warns - Click here to read more
Comment: I am a middle class benefits scrounger
One thing is clear Osborne will be fight to remove the middle classes from the benefits system in this budget - Click here to read more
BA agrees plan to tackle £3.7bn pension deficit
British Airways has agreed a plan with trustees to cut its pension deficit without closing its pension schemes - Click here to read more
VAT: Chancellor claims Budget hike in sales tax to 20% was 'unavoidable'
(Update) Chancellor George Osborne has increased the rate of VAT to 20% from January generating £13 billion in revenue for the government - Click here to read more
Bank shares rally as new bank tax is less onerous than feared
(Update) Lloyds shares led the risers as Fitch said the new bank levy is manageable and retail banks will be charged less than riskier institutions - Click here to read more
Budget hits savers as interest rates set to stay low for longer
The delay in the VAT rise will help allay inflation fears and means interest rates will stay at record lows well in to 2011 possibly 2012 - Click here to read more
Budget crackdown could claim 725,000 public sector jobs
Economists have warned job losses could reach 725000 as the public sector recession begins - Click here to read more
Housebuilders, banks and retailers the big Budget winners
The three sectors gained after the bank levy and CGT rise were not as bad as expected while VAT boosted the retailers - Click here to read more
CGT increase will lose Treasury £200 million in revenue warns think-tank
The rise in capital gains tax (CGT) to 28% for higher rate earners will see the Treasury lose £200 million in revenues as taxpayers opt to hold on to assets rather than sell them according to think-tank the Adam Smith Institute - Click here to read more
Budget links ISA limits to retail price index
Emergency Budget includes plan to link ISA subscription limit to the retail price index from April 2011 - Click here to read more
Gilt market stutters on spending cut plans
Yields on 10 year gilts crept up after Budget announcement and although the government has bought itself some time concerns continue to abound - Click here to read more
Budget outlines temporary age 77 rule
The government has proposed raising the age at which members of registered pension schemes have to buy an annuity to 77 as an interim measure before it scraps compulsory annuitisation - Click here to read more
Relief for investors expecting worse capital gains toll in Budget
The vast majority of investors will still be able to realise up to £10100 of gains a year tax free - which means that investors in bonds and shares will largely be able to avoid CGT altogether - Click here to read more
Non-dom tax law to be reviewed
The government has promised in the Budget to review the taxation of non-domiciled individuals to make sure they are making a fair contribution to the UK - Click here to read more
A fair Budget with protection for the poorest
George Osborne has met his requirement to raise substantial sums in extra tax and cuts in benefits but in the fairest possible way with the costs being carried mostly by those who can afford to pay - Click here to read more
Sterling rallies after Budget speech
Sterling rallied as firmer detail on how the deficit would be tackled was announced but further out experts see less chance for further sustained strength - Click here to read more
Budget CGT hike will clash with current tax rules, says S&W
(Updated) Capital gains tax (CGT) will rise to 28% for higher rate taxpayers from midnight in a move Chancellor George Osborne estimated would raise £1 billion - Click here to read more
Gilt yields down and shares off lows as emergency Budget reassures on growth
Sterling unmoved as Budget suggests interest rate hikes are some way off - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: Chancellor announces kill or cure budget - other news
Osborne outlined cuts for most government departments of 25 per cent by 2014-15 - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: Bureau Veritas buys inspection group from 3i - bid news and gossip
BlueCrest Capital has raised £350m through the launch of new shares in AllBlue Limited - Click here to read more
UK growth forecasts could be revised again, says Sir Alan Budd
UK growth forecasts have already been revised twice since the government came to power and could be revised again in the autumn says the man in charge of the newly formed Office of Budget Responsibility - Click here to read more
Moody's says UK's credit rating is supported by Budget
Respected bond investor Jim Leaviss agrees we may keep our prized credit rating but said the risk of another recession has increased after the Budget - Click here to read more
Fair Budget? Banks get a boost and we get 'unavoidable' pain
The banks are rejoicing after their Budget boost from the chancellor while the rest of us are left punch drunk - Click here to read more
Morning Line: How can Nick Clegg sleep at night?
The Liberal Democrat leader faces uncomfortable questions both within and outside his party following the VAT rise and spending cuts in the emergency Budget - Click here to read more
Tube Lines seeks court order to stop underground strike
London underground workers plan to strike from 7pm tonight until 7pm on Friday in a dispute over pay jobs and working conditions - Click here to read more
Sterling climbs on news that Bank of England rate-setter voted for rate hike
Bank of England rate-setter Andrew Sentance voted for a 025% hike at the last MPC meeting two weeks ago sparking a fresh debate on the direction of the cost of borrowing - Click here to read more
At least Budget freeze on council tax is good news
Among all the Budget tax rises announced by the chancellor the one-year freeze on council tax - saving the average family £210 a year - stood out as a rare piece of sunshine in the gloom - Click here to read more
CGT hike could also hit basic rate taxpayers
Basic rate taxpayers will be hit by the new 28% rate of capital gains tax if the sale of an asset takes them into the higher income threshold - Click here to read more
Video: Lorna Bourke assesses the impact of the Budget
Citywires personal finance columnist joins Gavin Lumsden in the studio with her views on what the Budget means for those of us outside the City - Click here to read more
Shares track New York markets lower ahead of US rate decision
All eyes are on the central banks today as investors are increasingly nervous about the prospects for the global economy - Click here to read more
Video: The budget impact for entrepreneurs
A leading wealth manager on what the budget means for those trying to build their own businesses - Click here to read more
Investment Line: What the budget means for UK shares
Whether you think this budget will be good for shares really depends what you fear most - Click here to read more
State pension age to rise to 66 as early as 2016
Default retirement age also set to be scrapped in major shake-up of pension system - Click here to read more
Market lower on renewed fears about US economy
Shares fell as US data adds to worries about the outlook for the global economy - Click here to read more
BP based spill plans on flawed data
BP shares are a tick higher after reports say its safety report was based on bad US government data about the likely impact of a spill in the Gulf of mexico - Click here to read more
Osborne considering further taxes on UK banks
Chancellor George Osborne has hinted that UK banks might face further tax bills over and above the £2 billion levy announced in the emergency budget - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Osborne heralds fresh onslaught on welfare bill - other news
£4bn in subsidies for elderly under threat - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Battersea heads for listing - bid news and gossip
Facebook is looking east for its next phase of expansion - Click here to read more
Tips to help you minimise your capital gains tax bill
The increase in Capital Gains Tax announced in the Budget is not as severe as feared and there is still scope for mitigation - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Birth school work death - welcome to the Con-Lib future
Forced to work into your 70s just to pay for that overpriced rabbit hutch of a house todays news on state pensions reform paints a bleak picture for todays youth - Click here to read more
Are Europe's leaders risking another recession by cutting too soon?
European leaders risk derailing the economic recovery with their new-found love for slashing deficits US Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has warned - Click here to read more
BP based spill plans on flawed US data
BP shares are a tick higher after reports say its safety report was based on bad US government data about the likely impact of a spill in the Gulf of mexico - Click here to read more
BP rumoured to be selling Latin American assets
A BP spokesman refused to confirm reports it is selling its Argentine assets - Click here to read more
Anger at 'outrageous' Olympic Visa tie-up
Sports fans wanting to buy London 2012 tickets with a debit or credit card will only be able to use Visa under controversial deal - Click here to read more
Millions of savers transferred as AXA sells out to Resolution for £2.75bn
Are you one of millions of people with a life insurance or savings policy with AXA Sun Life Equity and Law or Winterthur If so this man has just bought the business behind your policy - Click here to read more
Lloyds TSB cuts overdrafts fees on current accounts
Lloyds TSB to cut unauthorised overdraft fees by up to half but also stops paying interest on current accounts - Click here to read more
Would a reduced super tax make miners more attractive?
The new Australian prime minister will reopen talks with miners about potentially reducing the looming mining super tax but is this good news for the sector and investors - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: Sovereign debt concerns drive confidence lower - other news
The UKs economic recovery is at risk if the nations banks do not move swiftly to raise the £750bn-£800bn the BoE said - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: Resolution agrees £2.75bn Axa deal - bid news and gossip
The specialist financial consolidation group buys most of Axas UK life assurance operations - Click here to read more
State pension age to increase every five years
The coalition government is planning to increase the state pension age every five years and link payments to life expectancy for the first time according to The Times - Click here to read more
Mortgage borrowers given protection from ?unscrupulous? lenders
New rules demanding tough standards from firms dealing with arrears and sale and rent back customers will come into place next week alongside plans to make all mortgage advisers personally accountable for their actions - Click here to read more
Banks set to win reprieve over capital requirements
Banking regulators are set to water down proposals ordering banks to hoard billions of pounds in the wake of the financial crisis - Click here to read more
A revolutionary new way to buy houses?
Google has entered the UK property search market - Click here to read more
John Carlin?s World Cup Blog: The Hand of Roo?
Is it football or is it war - Click here to read more
Video: Yes bonuses could stall the recovery
Bonuses did not just play a role causing the recession they could also play a role slowing the recovery - Click here to read more
Investment Line: Hide! The market is facing a double death cross
If you care what the charts tell you about equity markets then now is the time to run for the hills - Click here to read more
Markets shrug off US losses
Banks lifted the FTSE higher after yet more signs that global banking rules will be watered down - Click here to read more
Q&A: When will interest rates rise?
A Bank of England rebel voted to lift interest rates in May Does that mean rates will head higher this year - Click here to read more
Ask Citywire: How to buy gold, and what's a subscription share?
In the first of a new series we tackle the questions posed by readers in the Citywire Money forums - Click here to read more
Little help for savers in Budget ? so where should you put your cash?
There was very little for savers in the Budget and nothing much for ISA holders except confirmation that indexation of the maximum investment would remain - Click here to read more
Interest rate fog makes for tough decisions for borrowers
Whom should homebuyers believe about when interest rates will rise Is now the time to remortgage or will you get a better deal in a years time - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: US finalised sweeping overhaul of financial regulation - other news
New regulation would impose a $19bn levy on Wall Street - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: Avis Europe plans to raise £151m to expand in China - bid news and gossip
Morgan Stanley pays $102m to settle a suit brought by the state of Massachusetts - Click here to read more
How to avoid the 'unavoidable Budget'
According to the doomsters we are all going to be worse off as a result of the Budget increases in taxation But will we really or is it just high earners who will suffer And can we mitigate the worst effects of the changes - Click here to read more
Sunday Papers: G20 leaders expected to commit to halving budget deficits - other news
Kirby Adams the controversial chief executive of Corus is to quit the company - Click here to read more
Sunday Papers: Mitchells & Butlers to sell ten-pin bowling centre chain - bid news and gossip
Fitness First is being lined up for a £2 billion listing - Click here to read more
How one sentence could hail a new future for pension saving
The government may finally have made it pay to save in a pension writes Steve Bee - Click here to read more
Ten things the Budget did for savers
We know taxes are going up and government spending is going down but what did chancellor George Osbornes emergency Budget do for savers Here are the ten things you need to know about changes to pensions ISAs and capital gains tax - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: US finalises sweeping overhaul of financial regulation - other news
New regulation would impose a $19bn levy on Wall Street - Click here to read more
Union may postpone BA strike vote in hope of deal
The union representing British Airways cabin crew has said that Tuesdays strike ballot is likely to be delayed as members consult on a new offer from BA - Click here to read more
Government to create Equitable Life compensation commission
The coalition government will establish an independent commission in the first session of parliament that will design a scheme to pay compensation to Equitable Life policyholders - Click here to read more
Govt plans pensions deal to counter public sector unrest
Prime minister David Cameron could offer state employees a deal on pensions in order to avoid industrial action over the slew of job cuts the coalition government is planning according to The Daily Telegraph - Click here to read more
G20 agrees tougher capital rules for banks
The G20 group have agreed to implement budget cutting measures and tougher capital rules for banks to prevent a repeat of the banking crisis but leaders decided that each country should determine its own plan - Click here to read more
Monday Papers: G20 backs drive for crackdown on banks - other news
Leaders insisted on implementing tough capital rules to force banks to hold sufficient buffers to guard against a future crisis - Click here to read more
Monday Papers: GM hopes to raise between $10b and $15b - bid news and gossip
MA Industries to buy Albaugh for about $1 billion to bolster its presence in the Americas - Click here to read more
House prices fall in May
House prices fell by 02% in May the first negative monthly movement for over a year according to figures from Land Registry - Click here to read more
Which UK stocks can fill the BP income gap?
The suspension of BPs dividend for the remainder of 2010 has left a large hole in the dividend yield expected from the FTSE this year But where are investors looking to fill the income void - Click here to read more
Pension rule leaves over 75s no access to lump sums
Retirees will not be able to take a lump sum from their pension after the age of 75 under the interim rules imposed by the Budget - Click here to read more
We are walking on deflationary quicksand
The clowns pulling the levers of fiscal and monetary policy will take us back into recession with outright deflation beckoning as we all turn Japanese according to SocGens perma-bear Albert Edwards - Click here to read more
German goalkeeper Oliver Kahn reveals investment picks
It seems veteran German football star Oliver Kahn is smarter than the average footballer when it comes to investing He revealed his investment strategy in an interview with a German magazine - Click here to read more
Morning Line: benefits, CGT and pensions ? none of it is set in stone
How different will the governments money-raising plans look in a years time - Click here to read more
Tax expert suggests door is still ajar for more CGT rises
The top rate of capital gains tax could rise as soon as next year to 40% or 50% despite the Budget already hiking it from 18% to 28% according to accountant Mario Gregori - Click here to read more
Should the speed limit be dropped to 20mph?
Time to reclaim urban streets from motorised vehicles ministers have said as they launch proposals for a 20 mph speed limit - Click here to read more
FTSE flat as BP gains but banks weigh
UK shares are posting a modest recovery after falling 4% last week - Click here to read more
My Sipp: piloting my portfolio through conflicting market forces
Wherever we look markets and policy makers seem caught in the grip of opposing forces Rob Kyprianou explains what this means for his self-invested personal pension (Sipp) - Click here to read more
Introduction to the Citywire Money forums
Fourteen years after forums first appeared on the web weve finally built some of our own You could say were fashionably late to the party - Click here to read more
Q&A: what regulation means for banks
Banks were at the heart of the financial crisis and are now the subject of efforts in the UK and internationally to improve their regulation The big question is can we punish the banks without damaging the economic recovery we need - Click here to read more
Is it time for goal-line technology following Lampard's non-goal?
Or is a little controversy all part of the games appeal - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Interest rates - a little pain now or a lot of pain later?
Recent comments from MPC member Andrew Sentance suggest a rate hike might be closer than many people think - Click here to read more
Banks yield to improvements for cash ISA savers
Banks will have to clearly publish the interest rates on the face of cash ISA statements and will also speed up ISA transfers after an investigation from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) - Click here to read more
FTSE falls 2% as risk aversion takes hold
(Update) The FTSE is back to levels seen at the end of May as signs the Chinese economic growth is slowing and European debt worries weigh - Click here to read more
Auditors? failings in the crunch prompts regulatory scrutiny
The role of auditors is to be scrutinised following criticism that they were not sceptical enough of companies during the financial crisis - Click here to read more
Are finance professors and their theories to blame for the financial crisis?
Finance boffins have gained prominence in recent years the efficient market theory in particular but has its influence contributed to the financial crisis - Click here to read more
European fears send investors fleeing to T-bills
The yield on US Treasury bills has fallen to levels not seen since the height of the credit crunch as investors flee to safety on the back of European sovereign debt risk and poor US economic data - Click here to read more
FTSE back below 5,000 on weak Chinese data
All FTSE 100 stocks started the day in the red as euro weakness and disappointing data in China and Japan add to worries about the future pace and shape of global economic growth - Click here to read more
Pension saving succumbs to the downturn
The proportion of people saving adequately for retirement has sunk to its lowest since 2006 as the full impact of the downturn on peoples pension provision becomes evident a report finds - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Markets seek new direction after G20 - other news
Siemens plans to set up its own bank - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Elevation Partners acquires additional 5m shares in Facebook - bid news and gossip
Raven Russia plans to move to the main market of the LSE - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: US lawmakers scrap plan for $19bn bank fee - other news
Democrats struggled to secure sufficient votes to pass the Wall Street reform bill - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: Bidding war seen as Scott Wilson agrees offer - bid news and gossip
A £161m URS offer for the design and engineering consultancy was topped by a £189m bid by CH2M Hill - Click here to read more
Housing market: beware the Budget?s knock-on effects
Soon well see just how cruelly even the most property-friendly Budget can affect the market - Click here to read more
Investment Line: Can sterling's post-election honeymoon last?
Despite dire warnings about what a coalition government would do to the currency sterling has performed well in the seven weeks since the UK general election But can it stay strong for much longer - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Are we prepared for the job carnage to come?
The Treasury estimates that up to 13 million jobs may be lost over the next five years according to reports today - Click here to read more
John Redwood: Evercore is victim of City whispering campaign
Redwood dismisses claims by peers that his firm is taking risky bets and acting like a hedge fund - Click here to read more
Suspects in alleged Ponzi scheme ordered to return £115m to investors
Investment plan offered returns of up to 13% a month but FSA warns investors are unlikely to ever see their cash again - Click here to read more
Cameron to hand more regulatory powers to Europe
David Cameron is planning to hand regulatory supervision to the European Union despite previously opposing plans to give Europe greater powers according to The Daily Telegraph - Click here to read more
House prices growth slows
Nationwide figures add to evidence that the housing market is starting to cool - Click here to read more
What the CGT hike means for trusts and international investors
Christopher Shaw group head of wealth planning at Societe Generale Private Banking Hambros talks investors through what the changes to CGT will mean for trusts and international investors - Click here to read more
Tony Bonsignore leaves Citywire
Northampton fan sharp divider of readers opinions incisive-yet-controversial writer Tony Bonsignore is leaving Citywire - Click here to read more
What went wrong in markets in the second quarter?
The early optimism after the European Central Banks May bailout package soon subsided as a slew of weak economic data sent markets into a tailspin - Click here to read more
John Carlin?s World Cup Blog: now for the real contest
The riff-raff have left the stage; now the aristocracy of football need to show their true worth - Click here to read more
New funds aim to help investors reduce carbon footprint
A new investment company intends to offer investors the opportunity to capitalise on the fortunes of carbon efficient companies - Click here to read more
Benefits and pensions: how are we going to sort out this mess?
Means-tested entitlements for the elderly whether they are taken up or not act as a disincentive to saving for younger people - Click here to read more
EU set to clampdown on bankers' bonuses
The European Union is set to pass legislation that could restrict the cash element of bonuses to just 20% - Click here to read more
China's revised growth numbers: why the economists are dismayed
Economists strategists and fund managers have largely dismissed the revised growth figures released yesterday which led to a widespread market sell off - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Ireland records 2.7% GDP growth - other news
German policymakers and bankers are braced for emergency capital injections - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Portugal blocks Telefónica?s Vivo bid - bid news and gossip
Lisbon uses special veto rights to block Telefónicas 715bn offer - Click here to read more
Morning Line: The house price double dip
A couple of surveys showing house price rises slowed in June a 01% increase according to Nationwide and talk of a housing crash begins immediately Is this the tipping point - Click here to read more
Markets fall again on disappointing Chinese data
World markets started the second half of the year on the back foot as yet more disappointing economic data weighed - Click here to read more
Why the outlook for the pound is now brighter
John Freeme of currency exchange specialists HiFX explains why the Budget was good for the pound and what to look out for next - Click here to read more
UK shares head further south after yet more US jobs misery
US shares struggled at the open as investors weighed yet more downbeat jobs news against a successful Spanish government bond auction - Click here to read more
Optimism over UK corporate earnings is evaporating
Forecasts for UK stockmarket earnings down month on month led by downgrades in the oil and gas and life insurance sectors - Click here to read more
Trio of BoE rate-setters dampen talk of interest rate hikes
Pound lower again after a third Monetary Policy Committee member says it is too early to lift interest rates - Click here to read more
No newspaper roundups this weekend
Due to unforeseen circumstances there will be no newspaper roundups this weekend The service will resume as normal on Monday We apologise for the inconvenience - Click here to read more
The crises of capitalism, and their inescapable conclusion
Radical but influential anthropologist David Harvey exposes the flaws in our ways of thinking about the financial crisis in this brilliant animated video - Click here to read more
10 answers to your questions about pensions and tax
How much should you save for a pension What are the rules on taking a tax free lump sum Plus more of your questions answered - Click here to read more
Markets retreat from highs after US job losses
Markets fell back from mid-morning highs after news 125000 Americans lost their job in June - Click here to read more
Longer life expectancy is enough to drive you to drink ? or worse
Oh hell! Scientists have developed a genetic test that can fairly accurately predict whether we will live to 100 - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Why the Bank of England has to talk down the economy
The only difference between the UK and other developed countries is that inflation has been rising meaning rate-setters here have one more reason to be nervous - Click here to read more
HMRC paid £1.24m to just seven directors last year
The government has revealed in its quango rich list that seven directors of HM Revenue and Customs earned up to £124 million in pay and benefits last year - Click here to read more
Share tips for a falling market
Despite the FTSE All-Share index suffering a near 17% fall there are still individual stocks showing bullish characteristics writes Graeme Dickson - Click here to read more
Life expectancy gap between rich and poor widens
The gap in life expectancy between the rich and poor has widened despite targets to reduce inequality by 2010 according to the governments auditor - Click here to read more
Inflation or deflation? We pit hawks against doves
Depending on who you listen to the global economy could soon be assailed by deflationary quicksand or through hyper-inflation - Click here to read more
New rules pressure investors to scrutinize companies
A new set of principles aims to encourage more active engagement from big investors in the companies they back - Click here to read more
Stockbroker jailed for unauthorised trading
Trader given two-and-a-half year sentence after costing employer £3 million on unauthorised HSBC shorts - Click here to read more
Miners win major compromises on Oz mining tax
Mining companies have won big concessions from the Australian government on the shape of its planned mining tax - Click here to read more
Global slowdown fears mount on US and Asian data
Momentum in manufacturing from China to the United States is slipping fuelling fears of a global slowdown in the pace of recovery - Click here to read more
Keydata Crisis: one year on and still the boss won't say sorry
Tens of thousands of investors in Keydata Investment Services have endured a nightmare year since the company was forced into administration Yet Stewart Ford its multi-millionaire founder refuses to say sorry and blames the City regulator - Click here to read more
Q&A: What could push the pound higher?
The pound has been enjoying a bit of a relief rally recently but what moves the pound and can it keep going higher - Click here to read more
The pensions steamroller all companies face
It has basically been decided that employers will need to fill the gap left by the demise of the old state second pension Steve Bee questions whether they are ready for some huge changes - Click here to read more
Put spice in your pension without buying risky shares
Emerging market bonds deserve a look for pension investors wanting their savings to pack a punch without taking on the level of risk associated with investing in shares - Click here to read more
Claiming business expenses: a guide for the self-employed
The self employed can claim relief from tax on certain expenses incurred during the course of business Geoff Everett and Liz Richardson of Smith and Williamson explain what qualifies under the strict rules - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Investors take stock as growth doubts linger - other news
Fairfield Energy aims to achieve a market value of more than $1bn - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Abertis investors eye ?25bn buy-out - bid news and gossip
Daiwa set to pay $1bn for KBCs global convertible bond and Asian equity derivatives businesses - Click here to read more
Bradford & Bingley investors not entitled to compensation, rules valuer
The independent valuer of Bradford and Bingley says shareholders are not entitled to any compensation for the loss they suffered when the bank was taken under government control in 2008 - Click here to read more
Should it be illegal to re-sell tickets at rip-off prices?
Or is ticket touting a fair trade - Click here to read more
BP may prefer new CEO over strategic investment
There are many problems for BP in accepting a strategic investor it may prefer to dump its bosses instead and hope for the best - Click here to read more
Kevin Murphy: Why I doubled my stake in BP
Why the co-manager of the Schroder Income fund believes he has found value in the troubled oil giant - Click here to read more
Odey backs ?cheap, attractive and under-owned? equities
Hedge fund stalwart Crispin Odey says markets are pricing in profits falls of up four times those actually seen during the credit crunch - Click here to read more
FSA bans six mortgage brokers in fraud crackdown
The Financial Services Authority has banned six brokers and fined one of them £130000 as part of its mortgage fraud crackdown - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Eurocrats are right to interfere with our pensions
The failures of the financial crisis have convinced the EU it needs more control over member state finances including pensions Can the eurocrats succeed where we are failing - Click here to read more
£4.5m tax fraud gang receive combined 43-year sentence
An Ukrainian gang which stole more than £45 million by making a series of fake tax repayment claims has received jail sentences for a combined 43 years - Click here to read more
FTSE lower on further signs of Chinese slowdown
With the US markets closed for Independence Day and little economic news due investors are preparing nervously for interest rate decisions from the Bank of England and European Central Bank - Click here to read more
Civil servants? redundancy pay to be slashed
The government plans to push through emergency legislation to reduce the cost of cutting thousands of public sector jobs - Click here to read more
Tom Tuite Dalton: The top three trusts for income
The BP dividend suspension and share price fall have highlighted the advantage of income diversification The investment company sector has much to offer says Oriel fund analyst Tom Tuite Dalton - Click here to read more
Blue Sky bought by investment banking giant Incapital
Blue Sky Asset Management has been bought by the European arm of US investment bank Incapital as part of a new targeted approach to work with IFAs and wealth managers in the UK - Click here to read more
Equitable Life appoints BlackRock as investment manager
The asset management group is tasked with proving investment and risk management for policyholders and group scheme members - Click here to read more
Lloyds under pressure to sell Scottish Widows
Resolution and Chinese group Ping An are in frame to buy Scottish Widows in a deal which could be worth £7 billion according to reports - Click here to read more
Seven magnificent ways to invest in global emerging markets
Long-term investors simply cannot ignore the power of emerging markets to shoot them out of trouble in retirement Here are seven ways we recommend for investing in the shares of companies from countries as diverse as Brazil Russia India and China - Click here to read more
Sir Alan Budd to leave Office for Budget Responsibility
(Update adds Treasury response) Chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility Sir Alan Budd is to step down from the role at the end of this month after just three months in the job - Click here to read more
BP rally continues as it rules out issuing new shares
BP has quashed talk it will issue new shares to Middle Eastern investors saying it has enough cash - Click here to read more
6 Music is saved! Another triumph for the whinging rockerati
The BBC Trust has caved into pressure from the luvvies; shame on it - Click here to read more
BP and miners push FTSE higher in morning deals
BP rose another 4% after it said it would not issue new shares to a strategic investor - Click here to read more
Legal dispute forces BT union to cancel strike ballot
Communication Workers Union forced to cancel its strike ballot following legal challenge from BT But several other unions push ahead with strike plans - Click here to read more
Ocado seeks £1 billion valuation
Ocado which delivers Waitrose groceries is looking at selling shares between 200 pence to 275 pence with loyal customers getting the option to buy a stake - Click here to read more
MP warns against financial regulation 'on the hoof'
Treasury Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie has warned that the government may be creating financial regulation policy on the hoof in scrapping the Financial Services Authority and transferring many of its powers to the Bank of England - Click here to read more
Sir Alan Budd leaves Office for Budget Responsibility up in the air
(Update) Chancellor George Osborne has suffered a setback after Sir Alan Budd (above) the chairman he appointed to found the Office for Budget Responsibility said he would leave at the end of the month - Click here to read more
John Carlin's World Cup Blog: Romance 0, Vorsprung durch Technik 1
All the stars failed to shine but we do at least have a great semi-final to look forward to - Click here to read more
Employers insist graduates have 2:1 degree
With more graduates chasing fewer jobs three quarters of employers will only consider applicants with a first class or 2:1 degree - Click here to read more
Morning Line: don't soften us up for cuts we don't need
The coalition government has thrilled many right wingers with its plans to scale back the state but in being so aggressive on spending cuts it is taking a big risk on consumer confidence - Click here to read more
The costs facing the 11 public sector pension schemes
John Hutton the head of the governments Public Service Pensions Commission must examine public sector pension schemes and make recommendations on how to control their cost Here we break down their liabilities and contributions - Click here to read more
10 tips to prepare for redundancy
With thousands of public sector jobs about to be axed many people are worried about what would happen if they were made redundant Here are ten ways you can prepare for the worst - Click here to read more
Watch out Henley, the Thought Police are here!
Is the regulator capable of deciding whether a fund manager at Invesco Perpetual - or anywhere else - is thinking independently - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: Risk rally ebbs on US economy worries - other news
US justice department investigates several HSBC customers over potential tax evasion - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: My-wardrobe.com gets $9m investment from Balderton - bid news and gossip
RBS is preparing to sell up to £3bn of real estate loans - Click here to read more
Looming mortgage drought threatens housing market
As dark economic clouds gather a double-dip in the housing market looks less like media speculation and more like tomorrows news - Click here to read more
Two members of tax fraud gang ordered to repay £92m each
Two members of a tax fraud gang have been ordered to repay a record £923 million each in the biggest-ever confiscation order secured by HM Revenue and Customs - Click here to read more
Amazon launches online grocery store
Amazon has today launched a new grocery section on its website boasting thousands of popular household brands challenging online supermarkets Ocado and Tesco - Click here to read more
Put the Bank of England in charge of public sector pensions
Should the Bank of England be put in charge of putting our public sector pensions on a more rational economic footing - Click here to read more
FSA fines three mortgage brokers £50,000
The Financial Services Authority has fined three partners of Sheffield mortgage broker Pace Financial Management a combined £50000 for failing to prevent one of its own staff members committing fraud - Click here to read more
Homeowners clueless about mortgage interest rates
Three quarters of mortgage holders do not know how an interest rate rise would affect their monthly payments - Click here to read more
Bank of England to keep interest rates on hold this week
Andrew Sentance may want to raise rates now but fellow Bank of England rate setters will want to see the next inflation report before making any move - Click here to read more
Does Shell really deserve the anti-BP money?
Investors have piled into Royal Dutch Shell as they have retreated from BP But this oil major has its own problems - Click here to read more
Wiltshire man pleads guilty to defrauding Friends Provident of £2m
A Wiltshire man has pleaded guilty to defrauding Friends Provident of more than £2 million by manipulating an investment bond product - Click here to read more
Online holiday scams are growing, experts warn
People who book holidays online must to do more to protect themselves against the growing number of holiday scams on the internet - Click here to read more
Markets yet to fully price in slowdown, warns HSBC's Dunsford
HSBC GIF Global Macro fund manager Jim Dunsford says value is emerging in equities but they could have further to fall - Click here to read more
Public sector pensions likened to ?Ponzi scheme?
The independent Public Sector Pensions Commission calls for change to halt the spiralling cost of unfunded public sector schemes - Click here to read more
Why I won?t be using Amazon for my weekly food shop
I asked for ice cream not ice cream candles - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Colony Capital close to deal for Miramax - bid news and gossip
London headhunter Hogarth Davies and Lloyd is suing Nomura over fees - Click here to read more
Fund of the Week: Ruffer Investment Company
Ruffer a pioneer of absolute return investing has consistently delivered strong returns to investors in all market conditions - Click here to read more
State-owned banks could be snapped up by new fund
New venture aims to buy parts of nationalised banks like Northern Rock Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group - Click here to read more
Trio banned after £2 million insurance scam
The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has banned three insurance professionals for their parts in a £2 million fraud - Click here to read more
Should you make investment calls based on the Baltic index?
The index which tracks worldwide international shipping prices has more than halved from its May high but economists warn against ditching commodities - Click here to read more
UK economy slowed in second quarter, say economists
Economy grew 07% in the three months ending in June according to estimates by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research - Click here to read more
Interest rates held at 0.5%
The Bank of Englands rate-setting committee has voted to hold interest rates at their historic low of 05% - Click here to read more
Why investors are buying banks again
Bank shares are having a good day after a full house of good news over the last twenty four hours - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Population growth and scorched public services ? an explosive mix?
What happens when the rocketing number of people coincides with years of cuts to public services an unbending refusal to save for the future and a hefty bill to pay for the generation of baby boomers - Click here to read more
House price fall picks up pace
House prices fell for the third straight month in June dropping another 06% according to data from Halifax - Click here to read more
UK will not seek exemption from EU bank rules
Financial Services Authority dismisses claims that it will challenge tough European rules governing bankers pay - Click here to read more
Surging banks push global markets higher
US markets climbed 3% as some upbeat news in the banking sector reassured investors that markets were undervalued after the recent sell-off - Click here to read more
Five fold increase in UK property millionaires since 2000
There has been a five fold increase in the number of property millionaires in the UK in the past decade with the credit crunch proving a mere blip in the fast upward trend according to Santander - Click here to read more
How to avoid getting short changed by your bank
A survival guide on how to get the best out of your bank - Click here to read more
Pension schemes face sweeping EU rules
In addition to the creation of an EU-wide pension protection fund pension schemes in member states would need more capital to cover liabilities - Click here to read more
IMF warns of growing risks to global economic recovery
The International Monetary Fund expects global growth to slow in 2011 but says that governments must tighten fiscal policy - Click here to read more
Do councils really only ever fine drivers who endanger children?
Councils are trying to take the moral high ground with car parking penalties when we know many of their practices are highly dubious - Click here to read more
Lloyds offers 18 year old bank account costing 10% of income
Lloyds recently tried to sell an 18 year old student a packaged current account that charges more than 10% of his total monthly income without telling him about the fee - Click here to read more
Private final salary pensions to get lower inflation rise
The government is to switch the index linking of private sector final salary pension schemes to the consumer price index (CPI) in a move that helps employers but hits pensioners and workers - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: Carlyle acquires landmark London properties - bid news and gossip
The buyout group has completed the £671m acquisition of central London properties - Click here to read more
John Carlin's World Cup Blog: a Spanish rhapsody
Barca in red shirts or La Liga rejects in orange ones Hmm tough choice that one - Click here to read more
Would you pay to find out what diseases you face?
Personal genetic testing is big bucks You can find out and do your best to prevent illnesses you may face in later life for less than $500 - Click here to read more
Does Britain need the 'grumpy old men' bank?
City grandee Sir David Walker and former Labour MP John McFall (main picture) made their names bringing banks to account But do we need them to launch a company buying up banks in Britain - Click here to read more
Pension scheme trustees powerless against new inflation target
The Trades Union Congress has claimed pension trustees will be powerless to protect schemes from linking to the Consumer Price Index - Click here to read more
Leigh Harrison's top share picks for income
The Threadneedle fund manager names five top income picks for tough markets - Click here to read more
BT ends strike talks with new pay deal
BT and the Communication Workers Union (CWU) today announced they have agreed a new three year pay deal worth 93% - Click here to read more
Shares tick higher, buoyed by more Wall Street gains
Shares are on track for a strong weekly performance after yet more gains in the US and Asia overnight - Click here to read more
Economics chief Budd quit after Osborne pressure over jobs data
The government has admitted the newly formed Office for Budget Responsibility made last-minute changes to job forecasts - Click here to read more
Retirement Radio: How the baby boomers stole their children's future
The contract that binds society together is breaking down says David Willetts MP - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: Euro pares gains as risk rally slows - other news
Money market funds enjoy their biggest weekly inflows in 18 months - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: Buy-out battle rages for Findus Italy - bid news and gossip
Permira Lion Capital and BC Partners are set to enter the final bid for Findus - Click here to read more
Five easy ways to organise your finances in 48 hours
Read on for our five step guide to sorting out your finances and making the most of your money - Click here to read more
State pensions should be backed by cash, not political promises
Pensions backed by money have more certainty than pensions backed by political pledges writes Steve Bee - Click here to read more
We need ?active ageing? to solve the pensions crisis
Until we enable people to work longer we can have no hope of a solution to our pensions crisis or avoid a frightening increase in old age dependency - Click here to read more
Sunday Papers: Chinese export surge fuels trade surplus - other news
Budd to lay out a blueprint to make the OBR more independent - Click here to read more
Sunday Papers: Kent Reliance in talks with JC Flowers - bid news and gossip
A joint venture will see the KRBS and JC Flowers both put £50m into a new vehicle - Click here to read more
10 job hunting tips for graduates
With nearly 70 graduates applying for every job vacancy and the amount of graduate roles on offer predicted to plummet further this year finding a job is no easy feat for people in their twenties Here are 10 ways graduates can improve their chance of success in the job market - Click here to read more
Budd to shake up OBR to ensure independence
Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR) chairman Sir Alan Budd will set out a plan to ensure the watchdog is more independent following doubts about its projections for the UK economy - Click here to read more
JC Flowers to invest £50m in Kent Reliance
Private equity firm JC Flowers is in talks to fund a £50 million rescue of mutual Kent Reliance in the first step of a plan to consolidate struggling building societies - Click here to read more
Exxon given go ahead to make £100bn bid for BP
The US government is believed to have given oil giant Exxon the go ahead to launch a £100 billion takeover bid for BP - Click here to read more
Monday Papers: Top bankers discuss ?20bn European Recovery Fund - other news
The fund could bail out failed banks in the event of another financial crisis - Click here to read more
Monday Papers: Blackstone to run Bank of America fund - bid news and gossip
The buyout giant is taking over the management of a portfolio of Asian real estate investments - Click here to read more
More than 15,000 people scammed by fraudsters in six months
The amount of money individuals lost in the first half of 2010 ranged from £6 to over £1 million - Click here to read more
Budd says OBR needs to be free of Treasury to ensure independence
(Updated) Office of Budget Responsibility chairman Sir Alan Budd says the group needs non-Treasury staff and needs a new office to help ensure its independence - Click here to read more
US bank reforms risk derailing commodity markets
Concerns are mounting that the restrictions on the US banking sector could suck liquidity out of the commodity markets - Click here to read more
EC proposes increasing bank deposit compensation to ?100k
The European Commission is set to increase the level of compensation for bank depositors to 100000 and is proposing returning lost money within seven days if a bank collapses - Click here to read more
CPI link hastens demise of final salary pensions
The government has provided employers with a perfect excuse for reducing pension benefits with its switch to the consumer price index for occupational schemes - Click here to read more
Pound falls as data shows recession was deeper than thought
Sterling is on the back foot after the final reading of GDP shows the UK shrank 64% in the downturn more than first thought - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Is your fund manager really necessary?
Some fund managers have claimed that the BP debacle highlights the virtues of active fund management But the figures dont really bear this out - Click here to read more
Q&A: Is the worst really over for BP?
BP has had a good run as analysts and investors say even their most pessimistic forecasts are more than priced in and takeover talk has taken off - Click here to read more
Ocado flotation: what the weekend papers said
Scepticism is growing about the prospects for this years biggest stock market flotation - Click here to read more
FTSE ticks higher ahead of data onslaught this week
BP is keeping the FTSE 100 in the black as bid speculation takes hold - Click here to read more
House prices may not regain 2007 peak for a decade
UK house prices are unlikely to reach their pre credit crunch peak for five possibly ten years according to accountants PricewaterhouseCoopers - Click here to read more
More pain ahead for homeowners as demand slows
Surveyors say there is rising evidence that house prices are set to fall in the months ahead - Click here to read more
RBS chief: Taxpayers must profit from bank bailout
(Update) Stephen Hester says taxpayers can and should make a profit on the banking bailout but new Treasury Committee chairman Andrew Tyrie says the government should instead focus on improving competition - Click here to read more
The best global funds for investment income
BPs suspension of its dividend following problems in the Gulf of Mexico is the latest blow to investors seeking income in the UK Here we reveal how to source your dividends from overseas with the aid of Citywire Selection - Click here to read more
Big investors expect global economy to decline
A growing number of fund managers expect the global economy to deteriorate in the next 12 months while sentiment towards the US stockmarket hits its lowest since November 2006 - Click here to read more
Nationalised banks are failing the financially excluded
RBS may be majority owned by the taxpayer and Lloyds Group partially taxpayer owned but they arent doing much for financial social inclusion - Click here to read more
Inflation falls to 3.2%
(Update) Consumer price inflation has fallen to 32% driven down by lower fuel prices official data showed today - Click here to read more
FSA paid KPMG six-figure sum for staff tax advice
The Financial Services Authority paid £230000 to KPMG for tax advice for 43 international staff on secondment in 2009 a Freedom of Information request has revealed - Click here to read more
FTSE opens higher after solid start to US earnings season
All eyes are on UK inflation data later which is expected to show a decline to 32% - Click here to read more
Banks urged to offer bank accounts to bankrupts
Many banks ban people going through bankruptcy from opening even a basic bank account where they can pay in their wages according to Citizens Advice - Click here to read more
Lenders told to check borrowers? income for all mortgages
The Financial Services Authority is proposing that lenders be responsible for making sure borrowers are able to pay their mortgages - Click here to read more
BA and 17 FTSE firms could 'benefit immediately' from CPI link
British Airways would be one of the biggest winners from government plans to link pension schemes to the consumer price index - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Investors cautious ahead of US earnings - other news
Bank lending to small and medium-sized businesses is showing little sign of improving surveys find - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Aon to buy Hewitt in $4.9bn deal - bid news and gossip
Asia-based hedge fund managers generate higher returns survey finds - Click here to read more
Government launches banking competition inquiry
The Treasury Committee has announced the launch of an inquiry into competition in the banking sector - Click here to read more
Banks need to be more honest about charges, say MPs
Banks lure in customers with misleading introductory offers said the new chairman of the Treasury Committee as he launched an investigation into banking competition - Click here to read more
The great funds of China
The Chinese stock market has had a tough year so far but the long-term prospects for the country are standing strong Here are five funds to help you tap into this phenomenal investment growth story - Click here to read more
Morning Line: New rules will create millions of mortgage prisoners
Its already difficult enough to get a mortgage but if the FSA cracks down on income requirements we could have a whole generation of mortgage prisoners - Click here to read more
Pound adds to gains as unemployment falls
Unemployment fell again in the three months to May but there is still concern that it could begin to rise next year - Click here to read more
Ryanair slammed for 'misleading' cheap flight ads
Ryanair was today reprimanded for misleading customers with adverts for cheap flights following a complaint from fellow budget airline easyJet - Click here to read more
Webb: CPI link is a less volatile measure for pensions
Pensions minister Steve Webb has justified the move to link final salary schemes to the consumer price index (CPI) saying it is more stable and more suitable for pensioners than the retail price index (RPI) - Click here to read more
Bankers attacked for selling over-complex and risky products
FSA chairman Lord Turner (pictured) argues against the large bonuses bankers receive for selling over-complex and risky products - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: Solid start to US earnings season trumps China worries - other news
The eurozones 440bn sovereign rescue fund will be operational by the end of the month - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: ABN Amro takes 25% stake in The Order Machine - bid news and gossip
Citigroup sells off its interests in $5bn of private equity assets - Click here to read more
Consumers do not want to pay for smart meters
Nine in ten people think energy companies not consumers should pay for smart meters to be installed a consumer group has said - Click here to read more
Angela Knight: New rules must not stop banks lending
British Bankers Association chief executive Angela Knight says new rules for bankers need to be based on logic and reason not emotion - Click here to read more
Public pension reforms may prove hard to stomach
The Public Sector Pensions Commission has come up with a raft of recommendations to address the crisis in funding We look at its proposed menu for change - Click here to read more
Stop laying into the students
Firsts handed out like confetti Mickey Mouse courses declining standards and todays layabout illiterate generation: just a few of the accusations regularly levelled at students and younger people in general - Click here to read more
BP faces seven year ban on US drilling
A US congressional committee has passed a bill to stop BP from drilling for offshore oil or gas in the US for seven years - Click here to read more
Activist investor Myerson vows to clear his name after ban
Activist investor Brian Myerson has threatened to take his case to the European Courts after the Takeover Panel banned him from engaging in merger-related business for three years - Click here to read more
New ?graduate tax? could replace university tuition fees
Vince Cable to propose replacing tuition fees with a graduate tax students pay when they begin working as part of plans to reduce higher education funding costs - Click here to read more
Gartmore fund manager resigns over FSA probe
Gartmore fund manager Guillaume Rambourg has resigned from the firm and intends to devote all his attention to FSA investigators - Click here to read more
Economic woes as Chinese and US growth slows
(Update) FTSE opens lower after data showing the Chinese economy slowed markedly in the second quarter while the Federal Reserve is cutting back its 2010 forecasts - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Dovish Fed minutes stem rush to risky assets - other news
German prosecutors on Wednesday staged raids on more than a dozen Credit Suisse offices - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Candover talks with Aimco near collapse - bid news and gossip
The UK private equity group prepares to sell Ontex and Parques Reunidos for more than 3bn - Click here to read more
Student funding: 'Graduate tax' or make companies pay?
The government is considering a graduate tax targeting higher earners as part of plans to radically reform the higher education funding system - Click here to read more
Osborne admits further welfare spending cuts are likely
Chancellor George Osborne tells the Treasury Select Committee that further cuts will be made if possible in a bid to reduce the deficit quicker - Click here to read more
Gold price can top $3000 says star investor
Golds 18-year bull run could peak beyond $3000 says the manager of one of the best-performing funds of the past decade - Click here to read more
Treasury Select Committee to get power of veto over OBR appointments
In a surprise move Chancellor George Osborne has given the Office for Budget Responsibility the ability to veto his hires - Click here to read more
Ryanair?s O?Leary apologises for ad depicting Stelios as Pinocchio
Adverts had called on Easyjet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou to stop hiding the truth about the airlines flight delays and resume publishing weekly performance details - Click here to read more
Pension savers given greater choices at retirement
Pension savers will be given more choice over how they receive the money they have saved in a pension at retirement under new plans outlined today by the government - Click here to read more
Why a graduate tax is a bad idea
And why graduates who earn more should not be made to pay more for their education - Click here to read more
Home owners have short window of opportunity to remortgage
A potential double dip in house prices persistent inflation which could push up interest rates and historically affordable mortgages mean the opportunity to remortgage could be fleeting - Click here to read more
Would you pay £20K more to live closer to a station?
Londoners would it seems But arent there higher priorities for City dwellers like having a garden or a larger house Is it just more evidence of the absurdity of house prices in the capital - Click here to read more
Pensions: how to avoid the annuity trap and provide a good income in retirement
Buying an annuity is arguably the second most important financial transaction people have to make in their lives after buying a home Here is a quick guide to help you make the best decision - Click here to read more
Over one million energy customers forced to cut themselves off
Over a million people using prepayment energy meters have been forced to cut off their own energy supply in the last year - Click here to read more
Goldman Sachs fined record $550 million
US investment bank Goldman Sachs has agreed to pay a mammoth $550 million fine to settle claims that it mis-led investors into backing a doomed mortgage-backed security - Click here to read more
BP shares soar as it stops oil gushing from Gulf leak
BP has stopped oil gushing from its well in the Gulf of Mexico for the first time since the disaster at the end of April - Click here to read more
US fund abandons bid for embattled Candover Investments
A rescue bid for Candover Investments planned by a US pension fund has been abandoned - Click here to read more
Sex.com anyone?
The internet domain name Sexcom is for sale and expected to raise millions But can you make money by investing in domain names - Click here to read more
New investment to feed the world and make a profit
A new fund is investing in American firms to exploit the growing demand from crops in developing countries - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: US Senate passes financial reform - other news
Fairfield Energy on Thursday postpones its $500m listing - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: Nokia Siemens in talks to buy Motorola arm - bid news and gossip
NTT has agreed an all-cash deal to buy Dimension Data - Click here to read more
Airport staff to be balloted for summer strike
Unite union today announced it will ballot staff at BAA airports over strike action - Click here to read more
Treasury queasy at liberating pensions from inheritance tax
Government plans to abolish the rule forcing people to buy an annuity with their pension savings demonstrate a curious hostility to those wishing to pass on assets when they die - Click here to read more
Writing a will: watch out for scams
If you fall victim to a rogue will writer you could be left hundreds of pounds out of pocket and without a will you can rely on It is therefore vital you take steps to protect yourself - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: other news
The top ISAs and bonds for hard-pressed savers
Inflation is eating into savers funds and it is increasingly difficult to make a real return with such low interest rates - Click here to read more
Exchange traded funds face income tax alert
Take care if you invest in exchange traded funds outside the tax wrapper of an ISA (individual savings account) or Sipp (self-invested personal pension) You may be liable for a higher tax rate on your investment gains than you thought - Click here to read more
Are we facing a return to recession?
There are signs the recovery could be short-lived but is a second recession really inevitable We look at the arguments each way - Click here to read more
Estate agents: barter with them, but beware the pitfalls
House sellers have been advised to negotiate their fees down But if your estate agent is too much of a pushover is he really the negotiator you want on your side - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: Betfair to consider £1.5bn listing - other news
AIG is to pay $725m to a group of Ohio pension funds to settle class action lawsuit - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: FriendFinder Networks makes $210m bid for Playboy - bid news and gossip
Citigroup notched a second consecutive quarter in the black - Click here to read more
Sunday Papers: Telefonica gives up bid for Brazilian Vivo - bid news and gossip
Government to demand a radical shake-up in bank lending to small and medium-sized businesses - Click here to read more
Free banking? There is no such thing, says Tyrie
Hidden bank charges are coming under Parliamentary scrutiny thanks to Andrew Tyrie the new chairman of the Treasury Select Committee - Click here to read more
NS&I pulls inflation linked savings products
The government backed savings body has withdrawn its savings certificates from sale and reduced the rates on other products in a blow to savers struggling to make a return above inflation - Click here to read more
Q&A: Would breaking up BP solve its Gulf of Mexico woes?
IS BP really ready to sell its petrol stations - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: TPG and Carlyle win bid war for Healthscope - bid news and gossip
The consortium trumped a rival bid from Kohlberg Kravis Roberts - Click here to read more
10 tips to drive down rising car insurance costs
The price of car insurance has soared in recent months and unfortunately looks set to continue rising Here are 10 things you can to do help keep costs down - Click here to read more
How to set up your own business
Students about to graduate this summer should consider starting their own business if they cant get a job universities minister David Willet has said This is no easy task but help is at hand - Click here to read more
Investor confidence is falling, and it's little wonder
A growing number of investors believe recent upbeat news is merely papering over the cracks of a glut of weak economic data - Click here to read more
Healthy banks? Stress tests will do little to boost confidence
The European Central Bank is poised to publish the results of its bank stress tests on Friday but investors are sceptical about whether the measure will restore stability to the markets - Click here to read more
Save child trust funds says new lobby group
The Save the Child Savings Alliance has written to the government asking to keep the child trust fund wrapper open - Click here to read more
Time to trade investment trust favourite RIT Capital Partners?
Even the best investment trusts including this one backed by Jacob Rothschild sometimes present trading opportunities - Click here to read more
Morning Line: Most people will still have to buy an annuity
Government plans to abolish the requirement to use pension savings to purchase an annuity by age 75 will change nothing for the vast majority of pension savers - Click here to read more
Cocoa trade will leave bitter taste in the mouth of chocoholics
The Armajaro hedge fund snapped up 241000 tons of cocoa beans in the biggest single trade in 14 years which could force up the price of chocolate - Click here to read more
FSA fines father and son £180k for market abuse
Father and son fined by FSA for market abuse relating to shares in Tower Resources Plc - Click here to read more
Ocado flotation: poor interest from customers ? but company was warned
Ocados planned stock market flotation took several further blows at the weekend as newspaper reports added further doubts about its plans - Click here to read more
Markets fall for fourth successive day as BP woes return
Shares fall again as worries about the US economy and European sovereign debt weigh - Click here to read more
BT to increase call charges by 10%
BT will increase the cost of calling from a landline and its monthly line rental fee from the beginning of October - Click here to read more
Former Prudential chief Mark Tucker to head AIA
Former Prudential chief Mark Tucker will go head-to-head with his old employer in Asia after taking the helm of AIAs Asian business according to reports - Click here to read more
Cameron to launch Big Society plan to raid old bank accounts
Prime minister David Cameron will today launch his Big Society a plan to pass money in dormant bank accounts to communities to help them fund local projects - Click here to read more
BP consults shareholders about possible break up, say reports
BP directors have been canvassing shareholder opinion on whether to break up the oil giant following the problems in the Gulf of Mexico according to The Sunday Times - Click here to read more
Our top 10 homes for property millionaires
There are now more than 100000 property millionaires in the UK as prices have soared But where do the seriously rich live - Click here to read more
Morning Line: 'Bonfire of the taxes' or just a fatter bill?
An Office of Tax Simplification looks good on paper But a taxpayer friendly result is unlikely - Click here to read more
Four recession indicators flash red
A range of data now suggests that the US is set to contract during the next two quarters - Click here to read more
Pound falls as government borrowing higher than hoped in June
Sterling falls against the euro and dollar as data shows government debt is not falling as fast as hoped - Click here to read more
Mortgage lending rises 15% in June
Mortgage lending has increased by £17 billion since May according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders - Click here to read more
Shares lower as disappointing company earnings weigh
Shares open lower as CandW Worldwide warns government cuts will hit profits - Click here to read more
Mortgage Rescue Scheme funding cut
Funding for a government scheme that helps protect homeowners at risk of repossession is to be reduced the housing minister announced today - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Earnings provide lift against Europe debt concerns - other news
Hoare Govett won a co-broker mandate at Cable and Wireless Worldwide - Click here to read more
How do savers beat inflation now?
The surprise withdrawal of all National Savings and Investments savings certificates has left savers scratching around for a safe haven for their money which will show a real rate of return - Click here to read more
Goldman Sachs 82% earning drop pulls FTSE lower
Goldman Sachs results were far worse than analysts had expected adding to pain after disappointment overnight from IBM and Texas Instruments - Click here to read more
Economic watchdog chief Budd said he was mad to take the job
Sir Alan Budd chairman of the newly formed Office for Budget Responsibility said he must have been mad to take the job but is hopeful a successor can still be found when he steps down - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: Goldman profits plummet by 83% - other news
The Wall Street bank suffered as the exceptional trading conditions that followed the 2008 financial crisis evaporated - Click here to read more
BA cabin crew reject new pay offer
British Airways cabin crew have rejected the airlines latest pay offer raising the possibility of more strike action - Click here to read more
Treasury Committee warns of Budget's impact on poorest
The Treasury Committee has warned of the impact that the emergency Budget measures will have on the poorest sector of society - Click here to read more
Goldman Sachs 82% earnings drop pulls FTSE lower
Goldman Sachs results were far worse than analysts had expected adding to pain after disappointment overnight from IBM and Texas Instruments - Click here to read more
Three great ways to invest in the emerging power of India
In the third of our series on emerging markets we look at three investments to help you buy into the India growth story - Click here to read more
Ocado denies it needs more cash after stock market debut
Shares in Ocado fell nearly 14% to 155p in the first day of conditional trading as a number of investors shorted the stock - Click here to read more
House prices: the areas where it is cheaper to buy than rent
A new survey reveals the places where it is cheaper to buy a home than rent one provided you can get the mortgage - Click here to read more
Now could be the moment to buy back into China
With the market down by a third many high profile investors are now starting to find value in Chinese equities - Click here to read more
Mortgage ?calculation error? leaves 18,000 customers with shortfall
Thousands of Yorkshire and Clydesdale mortgage customers have been left with a shortfall on their mortgage after the bank miscalculated their monthly repayments - Click here to read more
Morning Line: perhaps Andy Pandy can do a better job on 'death taxes'
The detested death tax has hit the headlines again Andy (Burnham) and Andrew (Lansley) are at each others throats over the vexed issue over paying for long-term care for the elderly Poor old Andrew (Dilnot) is sitting in the middle What are we to make of it all - Click here to read more
Are train ticket machines too hard to use?
And what should be done to improve the rail service - Click here to read more
Bank of England?s Sentance the lone voice for interest rate rise
Pound falls on news that the Bank of Englands rate-setting committee remains divided with members voting seven to one against lifting rates at their last meeting - Click here to read more
Can we afford to ditch 30,000 troops?
New cost-cutting proposals would involve a major reorganisation of the British military - Click here to read more
M&A lifts the FTSE 1.5% in opening deals
Reckitt Benckiser has bid for condom-maker SSL and BP has sold $7 billion of assets - Click here to read more
BP sells $7bn worth of assets amid talk Hayward to stand down
BP has sold $7 billion (£46 billion) of assets amid speculation that its chief executive Tony Hayward is set to stand down - Click here to read more
Ocado slashes price of share issue
Ocado has been forced to slash the price of its share issue to 180p after weeks of criticism that the online grocery delivery companys valuation was too high - Click here to read more
Why I'm backing gold mining shares through the global turmoil
Experienced investor David Kempton tips junior gold miners to profit through the continuing uncertainty in markets - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Oil groups form $1bn spill response unit - other news
Santander is gearing up to list its UK operations on the LSE - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Reckitt snaps up SSL for £2.5bn - bid news and gossip
Paulson and Co is to launch a new fund open to retail investors - Click here to read more
Network Rail wins approval for six figure bonuses
Network Rail has won approval to pay £235 million in bonuses to many of its senior executives despite protest from the Prime Minister and trade unions - Click here to read more
Has Goldman Sachs weathered its 'perfect storm'?
Goldman Sachs may have endured a dreadful second quarter but analysts believe it is far from down and out - Click here to read more
Santander plans £3 billion UK listing to expand further
The Spanish bank may need to float part of its UK business to fund its planned acquisition of RBS branches - Click here to read more
Bernanke quashes market hopes on more stimulus
The Fed chairman said he would act again but is certainly not ready to now - Click here to read more
From Aberdeen to Brasilia: three reasons to invest in Latin America
The prospectus for the soon-to-be-launched Aberdeen Latin American Income fund explains why investors are taking the region seriously - Click here to read more
Two jailed over £7m boiler room scam
Fraudsters who made more than £56 million over the course of a three-year boiler room scam were each jailed for seven years at Ipswich Crown Court today - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: Only seven institutions fail stress tests - other news
Five of them were cajas Spanish savings banks - Click here to read more
Saturday Papers: RBS in talks with US buyout firms over GMS - bid news and gossip
Sanofi-Aventis makes preliminary takeover approach to Genzyme the US biotech group - Click here to read more
Cor! look at my courgettes
A tale of horticultural boom and bust from a north London allotment - Click here to read more
Seven banks fail European stress test
Seven banks have failed the European stress test including Hypo Real Estate in Germany five banks in Spain and one in Greece - Click here to read more
Investors back BP as buy and Hayward to keep job
An exclusive survey of professional investors conducted by Citywire over the past two days has shown they back BP chief executive Tony Hayward to keep his job and rate the stock a buy - Click here to read more
Markets tread water ahead of GDP and bank stress reports
UK shares posted modest gains in opening deals as investors waited for growth data later this morning - Click here to read more
Citywire reader wins broadband battle with 3 and Carphone Warehouse
Mobile phone company 3 and retailer Carphone Warehouse have agreed to refund a customer for a broadband service she was unable to use for more than 18 months after purchasing the deal - Click here to read more
Keydata scandal causes compensation claims to soar
The collapse of Keydata Investment Services has sparked a 500% rise in the number of investment-related claims to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme - Click here to read more
Cazenove: Get the inflation debate wrong and you will be 'toast'
Cazenove multimanager Marcus Brookes believes investors must not risk finding themselves on the wrong side of the inflation versus deflation debate - Click here to read more
ECB president criticises US stimulus policy
Jean-Claude Trichet advocates upping taxes and reducing public spending in stark contrast to the US - Click here to read more
Standard Life's McVie downplays inflation fears
Tam McVie investment director at Standard Life Investments believes UK inflation fears have been overdone and is positioning the Global Absolute Return Strategies fund for a drop in the consumer price index - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: New York files suits against BofA and Merrill - other news
The state alleges its pensioners suffered losses because of both companies actions during the financial crisis - Click here to read more
Friday Papers: GM acquires AmeriCredit in $3.5bn deal - bid news and gossip
Standard Life rejects £29bn Tomkins offer - Click here to read more
Inflation changes to pensions leave us in the dark
Its not at all clear who will lose out as a result of pensions changes nor by how much writes Steve Bee - Click here to read more
10 scandalous adverts that were banned from TV
This month weve seen Burger King forced to remove an advert making a chicken burger look bigger than the real thing a Tesco ad bite the dust for wrongly claiming all its stores bake fresh bread from scratch and Ryanair made to apologise for depicting rival EasyJet founder as Pinocchio However here are 10 of the best television adverts that have been removed from our screens over the years Remember these were banned for a reason so read on at your peril - Click here to read more
BP preparing for exit of chief executive Tony Hayward
BP is preparing to announce the departure of chief executive Tony Hayward and his replacement with US managing director Bob Dudley - Click here to read more
Sunday Papers: Interest rates will stay low until 2014, predicts E&Y - other news
Equitable Life chief Chris Wiscarson damns Chadwick Report - Click here to read more
Sunday Papers: Virgin Active in the running for £1bn sale - bid news and gossip
The health and fitness chain has met a series of private equity - Click here to read more
Monday Papers: Alarm at banks? unreported risk - other news
BP poised to announce the departure of its chief executive Tony Hayward - Click here to read more
Monday Papers: US buyout group raises $613m for Africa - bid news and gossip
Private equity groups are producing disappointing returns a London-based think-tank said - Click here to read more
BP claims 'no final decision made' on Hayward
Though it looks near certain the chief executive Tony Hayward will depart BP has effectively deferred the announcement until after a board meeting this evening - Click here to read more
Bolton on why China could lead next leg of bull market
Legendary investor Anthony Bolton believes the Far East giant will be at the vanguard of a multi-year bull run - Click here to read more
Markets await US GDP figures for further cue
Traders likely to be muted on the results of European banking stress tests - Click here to read more
Old bill, new bill: how to protect yourself if regulators let you down
The government is changing the way financial services are policed No one knows if the reforms are going to work so it is down to you to protect yourself - Click here to read more
Ombudsman denounces proposed £400m Equitable payout
The Parliamentary Ombudsman Ann Abraham has denounced Sir John Chadwicks proposal to pay Equitable Life policyholders just £400 million as unsafe and unsound - Click here to read more
Why would India want a ?special relationship? with us?
Declining nation with aging population over-reliance on the financial sector and stagnant economic growth seeks partner with average age of 25 years old near double digit economic growth and a burgeoning middle class of 143 million - Click here to read more
Stress tests: what the results mean for bank shares
Many European bank stocks have risen following publication of the EU stress test results although there are concerns the tests may not have been tough enough - Click here to read more
Morning Line: interest rate rise or not, savers are unlikely to benefit
Seldom have economists been so divided over when interest rates will rise But whatever happens it is unlikely that savers will benefit - Click here to read more
Is the country mouse more honest than the town mouse?
Is that how a village can leave their local grocery store unlocked and unmanned 24 hours a day without anything being stolen - Click here to read more
Equitable Life chief criticises Chadwick compensation figures
Equitable Life chief executive Chris Wiscarson has written to Treasury minister Mark Hoban to criticise the Chadwick Report which has controversially proposed that policyholders should receive only a tenth of their losses - Click here to read more
The investment trusts to replace Gartmore European
For all the fuss his Gartmore European trust performance over the past few years is not that sparkling relative to peer group - Click here to read more
Avoiding Annuities: is 'drawdown' the right way out for you?
The government is abolishing the unpopular rule forcing people to buy an annuity when they retire This makes it easier to draw down an income and retain control over your savings It sounds good but is it the right answer for you - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: Hayward to be offered BP Russia job - other news
Jain moves to integrate Deutsche Banks investment banking units - Click here to read more
Tuesday Papers: BC Partners agrees sale of Picard Surgelés - bid news and gossip
The deal with Lion Capital could be valued at up to 15bn including debt - Click here to read more
BP chief Hayward steps down after $17 billion quarterly loss
(Update) Oil giant BP confirmed chief executive Tony Hayward will be replaced after the Gulf of Mexico disaster pushed the group to an unprecedented $17 billion (£11 billion) loss in the second quarter - Click here to read more
New home sales data boosts Wall Street
European indices also inch higher as traders reacted to the stress test results - Click here to read more
FSA probes Connaught after 70% share fall
The Financial Services Authority is probing social housing maintenance company Connaught after its share price dropped 69% following a warning it was in urgent need of additional funding - Click here to read more
BP: should anyone hold this stock outside of an investment fund?
The dreadful impact the Gulf of Mexico crisis has had on the BP share price underlines the advantages of saving into a properly diversified investment fund We highlight eight from Citywire Selection - Click here to read more
Broadband providers are still not up to speed, says Ofcom
An overwhelming 97% of broadband customers are not receiving the connection speed they are paying for according to Ofcom - Click here to read more
Treasury consults on raft of tax reforms
The Treasury has launched a raft of nine tax consultations including one addressing pension tax relief and inheritance tax - Click here to read more
Investment in India: the obstacles to growth
India has great growth prospects But the obstacles to growth in the country should not be underestimated say fund managers - Click here to read more
Roger Guy goes defensive on US and Chinese growth concerns
The Gartmore European fund manager has moved out of cyclical stocks as the headwinds in the global economy get stronger - Click here to read more
Banks boost the FTSE as regulatory pressures ease
News that new international banking rules will be less stringent than feared lifted UK banks between 46 and 675% in morning deals - Click here to read more
FSA bans ex-Northern Rock finance director
The Financial Services Authority has banned former Northern Rock finance director David Jones and fined him £320000 for misreporting mortgage arrears figures - Click here to read more
Lloyds stops selling payment protection insurance policies
(Update) Consumer groups claim victory after Lloyds bank announces controversial loan protection policies will no longer be sold to Lloyds TSB Halifax Bank of Scotland Cheltenham and Gloucester and Black Horse customers - Click here to read more
Banks cut savings rates without telling customers
Many savings providers rely on newspaper adverts and branch notices to inform customers about changes made to the interest rates on their accounts - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: Investment banking boosts UBS earnings - other news
Deutsche Bank reported net income of 12bn for the second quarter - Click here to read more
Wednesday Papers: Soros in talks to buy stake in BSE - bid news and gossip
Soros Fund Management is planning to pay about $40m for a 4% stake - Click here to read more
Economy at risk of return to negative growth
The outlook for the UK economy has deteriorated over the last three months and the risk of negative growth has increased says leading think tank NIESR - Click here to read more
Why everyone is excited about Lloyds shares again
New global banking rules look set to be watered down adding to the reasons to buy Lloyds say analysts - Click here to read more
Morning Line: In support of a 'negative income tax'
Reform of the tax and benefits system is decades overdue and could produce the greatest boost the economy has had in years creating real incentives to work while saving billions - Click here to read more
British Gas profits almost double in six months
British Gas saw profits rise 98% in the first half of 2010 after the UK suffered one of the coldest winters on record - Click here to read more
Banks lead European markets to 5-week closing high
US stocks fell after consumer confidence retreated to a five-month low - Click here to read more
Will a 'stronger, better' BP be a top dividend payer again?
BP is doing all the right things to pay down debt and reassure investors but will it ever be the dividend payer it was If not should you own its shares anyway - Click here to read more
House prices rise slightly in June
Land Registry reports 01% rise in June following Mays slight fall Figures come in contrast to other indices which are showing falling prices - Click here to read more
Santander hiring 600 staff as it goes on customer service assault
Spanish bank hiring 600 UK staff as it tries to improve its much-maligned customer service - Click here to read more
House prices: Nationwide reports first drop since February
Nationwide has reported a 05% drop in the price of an average UK property adding to evidence that prices are heading lower - Click here to read more
Shell profits nearly double
(Update) Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell said its profits had soared 94% in the second quarter thanks to oil price rises production increases and cost-cutting - Click here to read more
Stocks fell amid downbeat assessment of US economy
Lower-than-expected orders for durable goods also weigh on markets - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: ICBC plans to raise $6.6bn in rights issue - other news
Three former executives of units of GE Capital charged with fraud - Click here to read more
Thursday Papers: Private equity firms in $850m HGI deal - bid news and gossip
Buy-out arm of Goldman Sachs and CDR join hands to acquire HGI from Jordan Company - Click here to read more
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