BBC News - Business

The latest stories from the Business section of the BBC News web site.

July retail sales see sharp rise

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:09:48 +0000

High Street sales in July grew at the fastest pace since April 2007 and are set to keep growing, a CBI survey suggests.

Aldi's 'elusive' billionaire co-founder dies

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:07:01 +0000

The billionaire co-founder of budget supermarket Aldi, Theo Albrecht dies, aged 88.

Greek police clash with hauliers

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:48:31 +0000

Greek police fire tear gas to disperse hundreds of lorry drivers protesting in Athens against a government order to end their strike.

Royal Dutch Shell profits almost double

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:17:44 +0000

Second-quarter profits at oil giant Royal Dutch Shell have almost doubled after the firm completed a year-long corporate restructuring programme.

Metro Bank's first customers speak

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:06:57 +0000

The first High Street bank to launch in the UK for more than 100 years has opened its first branch in Holborn in London.

House prices 'now at 2006 levels'

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:33:43 +0000

House prices in England and Wales are now at similar levels as seen in the summer of 2006, says the Land Registry.

China agrees Guinea mining deal

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:02:00 +0000

Mining giant Rio Tinto completes a deal with Chinese firm Chalco to enter a joint venture in West Africa.

New bank promises customer service

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:14:57 +0000

The first High Street bank to launch in the UK for more than 100 years is promising longer opening hours for its customers.

Tight returns

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:01:27 +0000

Options for savers trying to pocket higher interest

Bank head hints rates to stay low

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:57:57 +0000

The governor of the Bank of England says he is more worried about slow growth than inflation, suggesting rates will stay low.

New High Street bank opens doors

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:40:50 +0000

The first High Street bank to launch in the UK for more than 100 years opens its doors for the first time.

BAE signs Indian Hawk jets deal

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:02:17 +0000

BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce sign a £700m deal to supply India's Hindustan Aeronautics with 57 Hawk training jets.

London 2012 eyes business backing

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:40:32 +0000

Small and medium-sized firms are asked to help raise funds for the British 2012 Olympic and Paralympic teams.

California in 'fiscal emergency'

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:49:33 +0000

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declares a fiscal state of emergency, putting pressure on lawmakers to pass a budget.

P&G in London 2012 Olympics deal

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:48:54 +0000

Consumer products giant Procter & Gamble becomes the 11th big firm to sign an Olympics sponsorship deal covering London 2012.

"All we do is look for a job"

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:16:40 +0000

A political crisis in Madagascar is devastating the economy, with children pulled out of school, hospitals struggling and factories closing.

Warning on local council pensions

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 23:01:06 +0000

Council workers across England face having to retire later or pay more into their pension scheme, the public spending watchdog warns.

Profits rise 98% at British Gas

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 11:29:54 +0000

British Gas profits almost double as the energy supplier benefits from rising customer numbers and last winter's cold weather.

BSkyB profits on high definition

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:44:18 +0000

Satellite TV group BSkyB reports a sharp jump in profits, driven by new subscriptions, particularly for high definition services.

BT profit up despite revenue fall

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:38:36 +0000

BT reports what it describes as "acceptable" quarterly results, with profits sharply higher despite a fall in revenue.

Lufthansa hurt by ash and strike

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:37:44 +0000

Lufthansa Group reports a net loss after disruption caused by the ash cloud from the Icelandic volcano and a pilots' strike.

Cameron launches India trade push

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:41:59 +0000

David Cameron begins a two-day visit to India with the aim of strengthening relations and creating jobs back in Britain.

Fresh pension tax plan considered

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:22:05 +0000

Government plans to restrict pension tax relief for the higher paid may be even more aggressive than Labour's, expert say.

Wealth in China

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:06:35 +0000

But many rich people still pay to move to the West

'Gissa Job' plea pays off

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:55:40 +0000

A man has landed a job after standing by a roundabout holding a placard pleading for work in Stoke-on-Trent.

Super-jet setters

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:53:19 +0000

Russian planemakers eye global markets

'Retirement rules work for employers'

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:25:24 +0000

Plans to scrap the default retirement will 'raise concerns' according to David Yeandle of the Engineering Employers Federation.

Scottish review warns of job cuts

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:49:37 +0000

Up to 60,000 people working in the public sector in Scotland could lose their jobs, according to an independent review commissioned by ministers.

'Older workers can pass on skills'

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:01:47 +0000

The government is planning to scrap the default retirement age in the UK from October 2011.

Russia in $30bn asset sale plan

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:00:34 +0000

Russia announces plans for its biggest privatisation since the 1990s - which it hopes will raise about $30bn.

Extent of Barcelona debt revealed

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:49:43 +0000

A new audit into Barcelona's finances reveals the club's debt is 442m euros (£369.5m) after a loss of more than 77m euros (£64.36m) last season.

Fixed retirement age to be axed

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:59:50 +0000

People reaching the age of 65 will no longer be forced to retire from October next year, under plans announced by the government.

House price inflation eases again

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:12:47 +0000

UK house prices fell 0.5% in July, the Nationwide says, cutting the annual rate of house price inflation to 6.6% from 8.7%.

Rise in number of fake £1 coins

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:33:37 +0000

Nearly two million counterfeit £1 coins were returned to the Royal Mint in the last financial year, figures show.

Who will win the 3D TV war?

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 08:35:59 +0000

Some of the biggest names in Japan's technology industry report earnings later today and the likes of Panasonic and Sony are betting on 3D to drive sales of new TVs, DVD players and camcorders.

Boeing profits slump by a fifth

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:33:44 +0000

Aircraft giant Boeing reports a sharp drop in profits between April and June amid falling plane deliveries.

Bright future

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:53:57 +0000

Electric motoring boosted by plug-in subsidy promise

Dusty desert

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:17:47 +0000

Land becomes valuable as solar panels move in

Filling the gap

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:53:26 +0000

Why British businesses still need immigrant workers

Shell sees profits almost double

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:48:57 +0000

Second-quarter profits at oil giant Royal Dutch Shell almost double after it completes a year-long restructuring programme.

Results boost AstraZeneca shares

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:22:06 +0000

Shares in AstraZeneca rise more than 4% after the drug company reports a rise in profits after strong sales of key drugs.

Ombudsman warns there is no such thing as free cash

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:32:48 +0000

Bank customers are warned that they are unlikely to be allowed to keep money mistakenly credited to their bank account.

Staff quit Cadbury after takeover

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:05:39 +0000

More than a 100 senior Cadbury staff have left since the company was taken over by Kraft six months ago.

Mulally motors on

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 07:33:28 +0000

Ford's market share is up and growth has returned