Plans to shake-up struggling UK tour operator Thomas Cook are set to include the closure of about 200 travel agencies, it was reported today.

Thomas Cook’s chief executive has resigned following a disastrous year for the holiday giant.

EasyJet and Virgin Atlantic may join forces to make a £2.5bn (€2.9bn) bid for Gatwick Airport, it was reported today.

UK package holiday company MyTravel today lost a claim for compensation against the European Commission for blocking a merger with rival tour operator First Choice.

Holidaymakers hoping to escape the dismal UK summer were warned today to expect higher prices and fewer late getaway deals.

Tour operator Thomas Cook today said it was on course to meet expectations after trading for the summer remained strong in “all major markets”.

Tour operator Thomas Cook today said it was on course to meet expectations after trading for the summer remained strong in “all major markets”.

Travel giant Thomas Cook today said it had agreed to buy French firm Jet Tours in a €70m deal forming France’s third largest tour operator.

Travel giant Thomas Cook today won the global rights to the famous name after buying back its former businesses in India and the Middle East.

A hotel booking website set up in 2003 was today snapped up by UK holidays giant Thomas Cook in a deal worth £21.8m (€29m).

UK holidays giant Thomas Cook today said it was in good shape for the year ahead after consumers showed no sign of cutting back on major foreign trips.

Thomson tour holiday operator TUI Travel today announced plans to close 100 of its UK-based travel stores.

Travel giant Thomas Cook today said profits were set to soar ahead of forecasts as it showed further signs of improvement in its UK business.

Travel giant Thomas Cook today revealed that the recovery in the UK summer holiday market had been weaker than hoped despite the disappointing summer weather.

Department store chain Debenhams has approached a number of continental retailers about the possibility of a merger, it was reported today.

Travel giant Thomas Cook said UK summer bookings were down 5% today as the firm continued to report “challenging” conditions in several markets.

The FTSE 100 Index made strong gains as London investors followed the lead of counterparts on Wall Street today.

Staff at hundreds of travel agents could lose their jobs following the creation of a massive £12bn (€17.6bn) UK holiday company.

Mining firms and weaker than expected inflation figures provided a boost to the London market today, offsetting declines from a host of property companies.

The London market today lost some of its recent gains, as weakness in the oil and gas sector dragged the blue-chip stock index down.

Rival British tour operators MyTravel and Thomas Cook are to join forces after revealing plans for a £2.8bn (€4.2bn) merger today in a move that has sparked fears of job losses.

Rivals MyTravel and Thomas Cook today announced plans to bring together the two firms, creating a tour operator with nearly 33,000 staff.

Vodafone steadied the FTSE 100 Index after investors gave the thumbs-up to the mobile phone group’s deal to bolster its presence in India.

Tour operators MyTravel and Thomas Cook today announced plans to merge.

MyTravel and Thomas Cook said today that they had agreed the terms of a merger deal.

UK travel and tour operator First Choice was today preparing for life with its new business, internet-based hotel booking site Laterooms.com.

Bidding for the mainstream holiday packages business of UK travel company First Choice today looked to have become a straight fight between MyTravel and Thomas Cook.

A £1.2bn (€1.8bn) takeover of RHM by Premier Foods caused shares in the food sector to surge today.

THOMAS COOK was said to be eyeing up the £500 million (€740m) package holiday arm of First Choice Holidays.

Investors endured a miserable start to the week after the FTSE 100 Index tumbled 1% on the back of worries over the weak US dollar today.

European markets resumed their decline today as investors again fretted about the weakness of the US dollar.

First Choice Holidays today said it was in discussions with a number of suitors over the sale of its package holidays business.

London’s leading shares were on the front foot today led forward by stronger financial stocks and the miners on the back of rising copper prices.

Bid talk surrounding fund-management firms and a strong performance from Vodafone helped the FTSE 100 Index move further from the 6,000 barrier today.

The London market was on the front foot today led forward by a strong performance from Next as investors cheered first-half results.

The London market finished just below its opening mark today following a mixed session for leading shares as fears of an imminent interest rate rise across the Atlantic loomed again.

The London market slid into the red today after details of a “mass murder” terror plot emerged but shares recovered substantially throughout the session as investors showed confidence in blue-chip stocks.

The London market plunged into the red today as details emerged of a “very significant” terrorist plot to blow up aircraft in mid-air.

Airline and travel shares were badly hit today as details emerged of the terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-air.

Beer sales in the UK have soared to all-time record levels due to demand from thirsty football fans during the World Cup, figures suggested today.

The London market was firmly on the front foot today as investors cheered a bidding war for the UK’s largest ports operator AB Ports.

City traders celebrated a new milestone today when the FTSE 250 Index broke through the 10,000 barrier on a day when blue-chip stocks were also in hot demand.

A sharp rise by Vodafone and the possibility of two more heavyweight deals re-ignited the FTSE 100 Index’s push towards the 6000 barrier today.

The FTSE 100 Index slipped below the 5500 barrier today as lower copper prices scuppered progress by miners.

Explorers weighed on the FTSE 100 Index today as shares in London struggled to build on recent gains.

Tour operator MyTravel said it made “strong progress” last year despite terrorist attacks, hurricanes and soaring fuel prices.

Tour operator MyTravel today said it was bringing forward the closure of more than 100 of its high street travel agents after internet bookings soared.

Insurers provided a boost to the London market today as investors welcomed an upbeat set of results from Prudential.

Publishing group Emap paced London’s leading shares to another positive close today as a trading update cheered investors.

DIY firm Kingfisher led the FTSE 100 Index higher today as renewed bid speculation caused investors to pile into its shares.