» SpongeBob fans add to BP anger
31 Jul 2010, 4:34 pm | Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world

The great BP clean-up has begun. With the well capped and the chief exec axed (sorry, sidelined), the company can start the long process of purging both the beaches and its reputation of the dirty bla. […]

» Shell looking slick compared with BP
31 Jul 2010, 4:22 pm | Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world

» New doubts on recovery as US economy falters
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

The pace of the recovery of the world’s largest economy slowed markedly during the second quarter of the year, official data revealed yesterday, prompting further anxiety about the global financial ou. […]

» Bradford & Bingley in profit
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

The nationalised lender Bradford & Bingley said yesterday it made a profit in the first half of 2010, but still owes the taxpayer £27m.

» Black cab maker stays in the red
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

The London black cab maker Manganese Bronze said it would remain in the red for the rest of this year amid “challenging” trading conditions.

» Bush backers engulfed in $550m scandal
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

America’s liberals must be thinking that Christmas has come early this year: two ultra-conservative Texan billionaires who played key roles in the re-election of President George W Bush now stand accu. […]

» Primark poaches Matalan director
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

The discount fashion retailer Primark has poached a director from rival Matalan to the strategically important role of chief operating officer.

» Hong Kong tycoon buys up UK electricity networks
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

Hong Kong’s business “Superman” Li Ka-Shing is paying £5.8bn for energy giant EDF’s 100,000 miles of the UK’s electricity network.

» Stephen Foley: Berkshire Hathaway’s sensational new guru
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

US Outlook: So it is “foregone conclusion” that Li Lu, Tiananmen Square student protest leader-turned-millionaire hedge fund manager, will be one of Warren Buffett’s successors at Berkshire Hathaway,. […]

» The business on…Alan Brown, Chief executive, Rentokil Initial
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

So he’s the rat-catcher-in-chief? Rentokil does indeed have a pest control business, but it has other strings to its bow, too – everything from cleaning to courier services.

» Market Report: Nerves jangle over report into Shire’s ADHD drug
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

Shire lost ground last night amid nervousness about American studies looking into the safety of the company’s attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs.

» TalkTalk to launch its own-brand mobile services after deal with Vodafone
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

The broadband company TalkTalk is to launch mobile phone and data services under its own brand after striking a deal with the network giant Vodafone.

» Stephen Foley: Facebook’s Hot Potato has start-ups drooling
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

US Outlook: Hot rumour of the week: Hot Potato to be acquired by Facebook. The social networking site everyone has heard of is about to buy the little New York start-up you almost certainly haven’t. T. […]

» Business Diary: Channel Five set to relocate
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

The creative types at Channel Five wondered what the impact would be of Richard Desmond’s purchase of the company.

» BA takes £250m hit from ash and strikes
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

Despite improving performance, British Airways was dragged down to a £164m pre-tax loss in the first quarter by the £250m cost of cabin crew strikes and the volcanic ash cloud, the carrier said yest. […]

» Stephen Foley: It won’t take much for fears of a lost American decade to become reality
30 Jul 2010, 11:00 pm | The Independent – Business RSS Feed

US Outlook: If the stock market’s reaction to his testimony before Congress this month doesn’t jolt Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke out of his complacency, then maybe the little tap on the shoul. […]

» Claridge’s hotel owner looks to US private equity for help
30 Jul 2010, 10:38 pm | Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world

The owner of Claridge’s and The Connaught is close to finalising an emergency £600m restructuring that will see the private US property manager Westbrook Partners become a leading investor in the pre. […]

» Nationwide to raise fees for foreign currency
30 Jul 2010, 9:55 pm | FT.com – UK Business news

UK’s biggest building society is increasing foreign currency charges on its FlexAccount bank card, a travel money ‘best buy’ used by more than 1m holidaymakers to boost their spending power overseas

» CBI chief in line for Indian envoy role
30 Jul 2010, 9:55 pm | FT.com – UK Business news

Cabinet ministers are to tap up Richard Lambert, the outgoing head of the CBI employers’ group, to become UK high commissioner to India as part of a drive to appoint captains of industry to important. […]

» Lloyds to lead way with £1bn in profits
30 Jul 2010, 9:29 pm | FT.com – UK Business news

The fortunes of Britain’s biggest banks have undergone a startling turnround, with profit growth at state-backed Lloyds set to eclipse that of the former industry star Barclays when first-half results. […]

» Banking recovery brings threat of backlash
30 Jul 2010, 9:25 pm | FT.com – UK Business news

The part-nationalised bank are expected to report marked improvements in interim reports. But the revival in their fortunes risks fuelling the political row about the broader role of banks in a societ. […]

» You don’t have to be Sir David Attenborough to spot the carnage at British Airways
30 Jul 2010, 8:21 pm | Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world

Another quarter, another roaring success for British Airways. It may have tested its passengers’ faith with 23 strike days. But the Wildlife Trust can spot a winner when it sees one.

» Double-dip feared as US economic growth loses pace
30 Jul 2010, 7:55 pm | Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world

Fear of a double-dip grips investors after US growth is shown to have contracted sharply in the second quarter.

» State-backed lenders bid to win back trust
30 Jul 2010, 7:39 pm | FT.com – UK Business news

For RBS and Lloyds, the financial crisis has ushered in behavioural changes, as bankers adjust to the ‘new normal’ – an environment where the public demands service over swagger

» Rentokil boss will have to work hard to see off the pests
30 Jul 2010, 7:27 pm | Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world

Luckily, Alan Brown has a fine sense of humour. He’s the man with the huge aerosol, drafted into Rentokil Initial as its new chief executive in May 2008 when investors found pests lurking in every cor. […]

» Knoc provides proof of funding for £1.7bn deal to buy Dana Petroleum
30 Jul 2010, 6:58 pm | Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world

South Korea’s national oil company has sent a letter to Dana Petroleum proving it has the financial firepower to fund a £1.7bn takeover of the London-listed rival.

» Music promoter accuses police of ’shakedown’
30 Jul 2010, 6:57 pm | FT.com – UK Business news

A businessman who successfully sued a local council over a cancelled concert is pursuing the police for damages, claiming they attempted to overcharge him for security

» ITV set to restrict some content to pay-TV
30 Jul 2010, 6:48 pm | Finance and Business. Latest breaking news, stocks and shares from the UK and world

Soon you may no longer be able to watch some of ITV’s hit shows for free.

» Will new entrants to the UK banking sector make a difference?
30 Jul 2010, 6:37 pm | Bank accounts, Credit cards, Household bills, Insurance, Investments, Loans, Mortgages, Pensions, Property, Savings, Tax, UK economy

Earlier this week we saw the introduction of Metro Bank into the UK with a very different approach to high Street banking, akin to the retail world, working hours and simplification of the current ban. […]

» Is it time to get positive on the UK economy?
30 Jul 2010, 6:36 pm | Bank accounts, Credit cards, Household bills, Insurance, Investments, Loans, Mortgages, Pensions, Property, Savings, Tax, UK economy

Historically it has always been darkest before the dawn and with the UK economy in the process of being talked down each and every day by the financial press and investors, are we now nearing that dar. […]