Shopping centre owner Hammerson has sold up its out-of-town shopping centres in Britain and the North for a total of £400m (€477m).

Sterling fell against the euro and the dollar as the political machinations in Westminster brought the likelihood of a general election much closer.

Hammerson, the owner of shopping centres in Britain and Ireland, named insurance giant AIG executive James Lenton as its new finance chief, months after saying Timon Drakesmith would step down from the role this year.

The British and German owners of the Dundrum Town Centre - the largest shopping and leisure development in the country - are leading the opposition against plans by property investment company IPUT for a new retail and residential development at Carrickmines in south Dublin.

The new plan will see a new east-west pedestrian street between O'Connell Street and Moore Street, two new civic squares, shops, offices, apartments, a hotel and a metro station.

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French shopping centre owner Klepierre raised its takeover offer for rival Hammerson, but the London-listed company said it still undervalued its worth and advised shareholders to reject it.

UK shopping centre landlord Hammerson — which owns the Dundrum Shopping Centre here — said the impact of Britain’s decision to leave the EU on property valuations was still unknown, but the lettings and investment markets were facing a period of uncertainty.

The sale of the Dundrum Town Centre to UK property development company Hammerson, and Allianz Real Estate, as part of a portfolio of assets worth €1.85bn has been finalised.

The preferred bidders on Nama’s largest ever portfolio of assets will pay more than the speculated sale price but significantly less than the face value of the assets.

Nama has received three binding bids from a reduced pool of interested parties for a large-scale property portfolio which includes loans relating to Dundrum Town Centre.

Fears that Greece will crash out of the euro triggered a global sell-off that left London’s leading shares index at its lowest close of 2012.

London’s leading shares index struggled to find direction today as downbeat housing data in both China and the US saw the recent upbeat mood stutter.

The London market closed in the red today after disappointing jobs data in the US reignited fears over the strength of the global economic recovery.

The banking sector dragged on the London market today after HSBC posted annual results which fell below market expectations.

Libya’s ongoing crisis sent the London market into the red today as oil prices continued to surge.

Escalating violence in Libya sent London’s FTSE 100 Index into the red today and pushed oil prices up to two-and-a-half-year highs.

The FTSE 100 Index just managed to keep its head above water today after spending much of the session in the red following mixed economic data from the US and concerns over European debt.

The FTSE 100 Index soared past the 5600 level today as stock markets worldwide rallied ahead of Tuesday's key meeting on interest rates by the US Federal Reserve.

The FTSE 100 Index was dragged lower by commodity stocks today as results from blue-chip miner Eurasian Natural Resources fuelled fears over the recovery.

Mining firms led the FTSE 100 Index lower by midday today as the takeover buzz in the sector fizzled out in London and metal prices dipped.

The FTSE 100 Index relapsed into the red today as it gave back Tuesday's gains on persistent fears over the Greek debt crisis.

Worries over the eurozone recovery held back the FTSE 100 Index from adding to 22-month highs today.

Property advisory firm DTZ boosted recovery hopes in the sector today after seeing better levels of activity in its key markets of London and Paris.

Fresh optimism over economic recovery prospects ensured the London market started the new year in the same fashion it ended 2009.

London’s FTSE 100 Index jumped 1.5% today as worries over the global impact of the Dubai debt crisis showed signs of easing.

Fears over Royal Bank of Scotland's plans to sell parts of its business to appease European concerns sent its shares tumbling today ahead of tomorrow's bank restructure announcement.

The London market followed Wall Street lower today amid more nerves over prospects for economic recovery.

Downbeat housing market data from the US sent London stocks into reverse today in a nervous session for the FTSE 100 Index.

More dire figures on the state of the UK's public finances today failed to derail the FTSE 100 Index's winning run despite a subdued day of trading.

The FTSE 100 Index limped into the black today as a better than expected start on Wall Street helped the London market claw back early losses.

Fears over US consumers’ appetite to spend sparked a global sell-off today that sent the FTSE 100 Index tumbling 1.5%.

The FTSE 100 Index was dragged back from a new 10-month high today as a steep fall on Wall Street put an end to London’s winning streak.

Takeover rumours in the property sector kept the FTSE 100 Index in positive territory today as commodity stocks also gave the top tier a boost.

Renewed hopes of a takeover for Friends Provident sent the insurer's shares soaring today, but part-nationalised banks suffered amid uncertainty over future prospects.

Shares in part-nationalised Lloyds Banking Group raced 11% ahead today after the bank said the worst of its HBOS bad debts were behind it.

The FTSE 100 Index roared to its highest close since last October today as strong banking results and a renewed surge from mining stocks cheered investors.

The FTSE 100 Index finished ahead for the first time this week as sentiment was given a tentative boost by more upbeat corporate and economic news today.

Consolidation hopes in the mining sector failed to drag the London market out of the red today as lower oil prices weighed.

The London market finished virtually flat today as no-change rate decisions from central banks in the UK and Europe failed to make an impact.

Barclays led the FTSE 100 Index lower today after one of its biggest investors sold a major stake in the banking giant.

The FTSE 100 Index was stuck in the red today as investor nerves continued to weigh on sentiment.

The FTSE 100 Index struggled for direction today despite a boost for Barclays and a positive start on Wall Street.

The FTSE 100 Index shed more than 2% today as cautious economic forecasts from the Bank of England dealt a blow to market sentiment.

London’s blue chip share index rallied higher again today thanks to hopes that the worst of the recession may be over.