Staff at axed British catalogue business Index will today discover if their jobs are likely to be among 3,200 to be cut by the chain’s owner Littlewoods.

British retail group Littlewoods is to cut up to 3,200 jobs after announcing plans today for the closure of 126 of its Index catalogue-based outlets.

More than 600 UK jobs were at risk today after the owner of the Eisenegger discount clothing chain became the latest retailer to collapse this year.

Department store group Debenhams hailed the popularity of its designer-led strategy today after achieving further growth in sales and profits.

American insurance broker Marsh & McLennan could cut hundreds of jobs in the UK this spring, it emerged today.

Department store group Debenhams today said it had agreed to buy eight Allders stores from the administrators of the collapsed UK retail chain.

Nearly 700 staff at collapsed UK department store chain Allders have been made redundant, administrators said today.

Collapsed UK department store group Allders is to be broken up, administrators revealed today.

Floor coverings group Carpetright today reported a “tough” January sale in the UK and Ireland and said trading in all its markets had been subdued.

Troubled British department store chain Allders went into administration tonight, casting a shadow over more than 5,000 jobs.

A former boss of Allders is preparing a bid to save the ailing UK department stores group from administration, it was reported today.

Discount clothing retailer Primark - which trades as Penneys in Ireland - is targeting Britain's Allders department stores, which were put on the market by property group Minerva, it was reported today.

Profit takers pounced on blue-chip stocks today as a downbeat opening on Wall Street sparked a late sell-off on this side of the Atlantic.

Actress Leslie Ash said today she is ready to draw the curtain on a “traumatic year” as she began promoting a lingerie range.

Minerva – the property company currently involved in the building of the tallest structure in the City of London – saw its share price rocket 28% today after confirming it had received a takeover approach.

Shares in Selfridges are set for further gains this week as more potential bidders for the department stores group emerged over the weekend.

London shares had a volatile session today, but managed to close ahead as retail stocks made gains.

The prospect of a downbeat start on Wall Street subdued trading across the London market today.

A strong close on Wall Street last night failed to inspire London traders this morning, as the FTSE 100 Index headed for a subdued end to the week.