BBC News - Business
The latest stories from the Business section of the BBC News web site.
Blackburn bidder's firm shut down
Mon, 30 Aug 2010 19:42:50 GMT
A Bahrain-based company run by the man behind a £300m takeover bid of Blackburn Rovers has been instructed to cease trading by Bahrain authorities.
ECB ups eurozone growth forecasts
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:32:34 GMT
The European Central Bank raises its forecast for eurozone growth for this year and next year, and keeps interest rates on hold.
RBS job losses 'horrific', says union
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:42:39 GMT
Royal Bank of Scotland has said it is planning to cut 3,500 jobs as part of its plans to halve its administration centres across the UK. Siobhan Endean of Unite called the job losses ''horrific'' and said union members ''are paying the price for decisions by senior bankers''.
Vivendi raises full-year outlook
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 07:28:05 GMT
Artists such as Lady Gaga cannot stop sales falling at Universal Music but its owner Vivendi reports a rise in profit.
You're grounded
Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:13:18 GMT
Airline compensation claims scuppered
Chunnel to see German train trial
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:34:10 GMT
Germany's Deutsche Bahn will test a high-speed train in the Channel Tunnel in a bid to rival Eurostar.
Sony rolls out rival to iTunes
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:33:35 GMT
Sony has unveiled its own music and video download in an announcement timed to coincide with an Apple media event.
Paying the price
Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:06:26 GMT
PayPal's co-founder worked so hard he would sleep in the office
Credit card debt is hitting banks
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:39:17 GMT
Banks have written off a record amount of credit card debt despite charities reporting a fall in calls from worried borrowers.
TVs and iPads boost Currys sales
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:04:09 GMT
DSG International, which owns Currys and PC World, reports a 3% rise in sales, boosted by demand for TVs and iPads.
Saving lives
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:46:51 GMT
21st Century technology is helping to fight female foeticide
Greenpeace rig activists arrested
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:49:48 GMT
Four Greenpeace activists are arrested after giving up their occupation of a Scottish company's drilling rig off Greenland.
Apple's social network for iTunes
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:07:23 GMT
Apple has launched a new social network feature called Ping for its iTunes software.
Nationwide: Sellers back in market
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:41:25 GMT
House prices fell for the second month in a row in August, according to the Nationwide building society.
Premier League spending tumbles
Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:14:41 GMT
Spending by English Premier League clubs in the summer transfer window has tumbled 22% from last year, a report says.
Recruitment firm warns on UK jobs
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:37:37 GMT
Although firms are replacing employees who have left, they are not creating new jobs, the UK's largest recruitment company warns.
Australian economy doubles pace
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:53:56 GMT
Australia's economy grew for its sixth straight quarter hitting 1.2% thanks to high demand for commodities.
Hawk-Eye firm lined up for sale
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 11:14:20 GMT
The British company behind the Hawk-Eye ball-tracking technology used in tennis and cricket is to be put up for sale.
Cold winter boosts Gazprom profit
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:11:10 GMT
Russian gas monopoly Gazprom reports a threefold surge in profits for the first three months of the year, despite a sharp fall in gas prices.
Winning formula?
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:01:57 GMT
Formula 1 sponsors form alliance to lobby the sport's power brokers
Doing Islamic business in Russia
Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:23:11 GMT
Tatarstan has discovered a new money-making opportunity: providing services to its Muslim community.
Lehman 'could have received help'
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:53:33 GMT
The former head of Lehman Brothers, Dick Fuld, blames regulators for the collapse of the Wall Street investment bank.
Ferrari recalls cars after fires
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:17:13 GMT
Luxury carmaker Ferrari recalls all of the 458 Italia cars made this year, following reports of the supercars catching fire.
Pernod Ricard seeks to lift sales
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:58:34 GMT
Pernod Ricard says it will spend more on marketing to encourage consumption as the drinks market begins to recover.
RBS to cut a further 3,500 jobs
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:57:47 GMT
Royal Bank of Scotland is planning to cut 3,500 jobs from its technical and back office division.
Blair 'warned on economy' in 2005
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 17:52:17 GMT
The UK should have addressed its public deficit back in 2005, former Prime Minister Tony Blair has told the BBC.
Four power firms face sales probe
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:26:49 GMT
Four of the "big six" UK energy suppliers are to be investigated amid concerns of mis-selling to customers, the regulator says.
Bird business
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:51:03 GMT
The back-breaking, ear-splitting work on Peru's guano islands
Chocolate delight
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:35:10 GMT
The importance of Fairtrade to Kraft and Cadbury
Peru island makes gains from guano
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:24:26 GMT
An island off Peru is making money from selling bird poo to use as organic fertiliser.
Sailing sponsorship
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:36:20 GMT
How an event was created around corporate hospitality
Afghan bank 'to avoid collapse'
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:34:24 GMT
The head of Afghanistan's Central Bank tells the BBC he will not allow the country's biggest commercial bank to collapse.
Boots to dissolve pension scheme
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:13:00 GMT
The drug company Alliance Boots is dissolving one of its two final-salary pension schemes to 'ensure long-term security'.
Eurozone growth of 1% confirmed
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:54:55 GMT
The eurozone economy grew by 1% between April and June, driven by strong German growth, official figures confirm.
US and China manufacturing grows
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:32:58 GMT
Positive manufacturing data from America and China eases concerns over the strength of the global economic recovery.
Currency trading hits $4tn a day
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:54:10 GMT
A three-year report into currency dealing shows rapid growth in trading, with the majority of trades happening in London.
Brazil's property boom
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 12:59:51 GMT
After years of building for others, Sergio has bought his own home
Fed mulls further debt purchases
Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:02:49 GMT
Minutes from its August meeting reveal the US Federal Reserve will buy up more debt if conditions worsen "appreciably".
Online clothes shopping booming
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:30:00 GMT
Online clothes shopping is expected to grow to $144 billion by 2014 in western Europe according to market research company
Standard Life set to cut 500 jobs
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:35:40 GMT
Edinburgh-based insurance and pensions giant Standard Life is to cut up to 500 jobs over the next 15 months.
Apple launches MySpace challenger
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 19:48:35 GMT
Apple launches a music-based social network called Ping as part of its latest upgrade to the iTunes music software.
Zara launches online retail store
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:35:48 GMT
Zara starts selling its clothes online for the first time following similar moves from Gap and Banana Republic last month.
Higher student loan rates begin
Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:42:00 GMT
Millions of graduates will now start paying interest on their student loans again as new interest rates come into effect.
Boom allows Brazilians a home
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:55:47 GMT
The property market in Brazil is booming, as the country enjoys rapid economic growth - and it has enabled thousands of people to buy their first home.
Ofgem to investigate mis-selling
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:48:31 GMT
Four of the UK's biggest energy suppliers are to be investigated over concerns that customers have been mis-sold contracts.
House prices fall again in August
Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:44:18 GMT
House prices fell for the second month in a row in August, according to the Nationwide building society.
