Royal Dutch Shell is to axe 6,500 jobs this year and step up spending cuts, responding to an extended period of lower oil prices which contributed toa 37% drop in the oil and gas group’s second-quarter profits.

Royal Dutch Shell expects oil prices to gradually pick up over the next five years, with progress slowed by global oversupply and receding Chinese demand growth.

T5 Oil and Gas — the Dublin and London-based exploration firm headed up by former Tullow Oil directors — is expected to take control of loss-making UK explorer Gulf Keystone before the summer.

Royal Dutch Shell has agreed to buy smaller rival BG Group for £47bn (€65bn) in the first major energy industry merger in more than a decade, closing the gap on market leader ExxonMobil after a plunge in prices.

Refusing to pay Irish Water bills will be pursued through the courts and have the debt removed from payslips, Jan O’Sullivan has said she will not “completely capitulate” on plans for Junior Cert reform, Cork GAA have denied money for the Páirc Uí Chaoimh redevelopment has been withheld and Garth Brooks could be coming back to Ireland. These are some of the latest and most read news on irishexaminer.com.

The Supreme Court in Washington has rejected Argentina’s appeal of a British natural gas company’s multi-million dollar award against the government.

The FTSE 100 Index fell for the fourth session in a row in today as traders took little comfort from the latest eurozone recovery measures.

Heavyweight stocks helped maintain the modest recovery of the FTSE 100 Index today after decent gains for oil firms and phone giant Vodafone.

Brokers have described fresh rumours of CRH attracting takeover interest from global peers as being “highly speculative” and “unlikely”.

Uncertainty over whether US political rivals will agree a crucial spending and taxation deal drove a volatile run on the London market today.

A drop in oil prices triggered by a joint US and UK move to release strategic reserves pulled energy stocks and the wider FTSE 100 Index into the red today.

Bullish results from housebuilder Galliford Try and recruitment firm Hays helped the FTSE 250 Index outshine its top-tier partner today.

A year to forget for investors ended today with London’s benchmark index 5.5% lower than its starting point in January.

Hopes that politicians will make further progress tackling the eurozone debt crisis this week saw world markets make cautious gains today.

Banks helped lift London's leading index sharply higher today after Lloyds Banking Group boss Antonio Horta-Osorio received backing for his plans to overhaul the taxpayer-controlled bank.

Protesters have blockaded employees inside offices of Tunisia’s largest natural gas producer, Britain’s BG Group, and disrupted its operations.

The London market sunk deeper into the red today after further falls in commodity prices hit traders' confidence.

The FTSE 100 Index surged ahead for the third session in a row today as a multi-billion dollar telecoms deal offset concerns over military strikes in Libya and the ongoing nuclear crisis in Japan.

The London market held its nerve today despite a 6% slump for Tokyo’s Nikkei index in the aftermath of Japan’s devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Blue chip stocks remained deep in the red and oil prices surged past $110 a barrel as the crisis in Libya showed no sign of easing today.

The FTSE 100 Index pushed to a fresh two-and-a-half-year high today after the banking sector shrugged off British government plans to increase the rate of its new levy.

Chancellor George Osborne’s move to increase the levy on banks to £2.5bn (€2.95bn) this year had little impact on leading shares in the sector today.

Travel firms slumped into the red today as fears over political unrest in Egypt hit blue chip stocks.

London’s FTSE 100 Index sunk into the red today as political unrest in Egypt hit sentiment and sent travel stocks lower.

The FTSE 100 Index edged higher today as traders sat on the sidelines ahead of an expected interest rate hike in China this weekend.

A strong show from banking stocks offset disappointing trading updates and led the London market higher today.

The London market moved cautiously today as fears over the European debt crisis remained.

The FTSE 100 Index pressed ahead today on the back of a strong show from the oil and gas sector and a weaker US dollar.

Robust third quarter updates from the likes of BP and insurance giant Aviva helped drive further gains on London’s blue chip share index today.

Scottish & Southern Energy's plans to raise gas bills by 9.4% fuelled gains among blue chip utility stocks today.

The London market closed lower today as investors feared US Federal Reserve plans to inject more cash into the economy may fall short of expectations.

A spike in the US dollar triggered by the prospect of smaller-than-expected stimulus measures from the Fed caused mining stocks to slide and dragged the London market lower today.

BP led a fresh rally for the FTSE 100 Index today as higher oil prices and the potential resumption of dividend payments cheered investors.

The London market fell into the red today in the face of deepening concerns over a European debt crisis, with the banking sector bearing the brunt of the pressure.

Better-than-expected economic data in the United States provided a late session boost for London’s blue chip share index today.

Blue-chip Old Mutual led the FTSE 100 Index higher today as miners also lent support on hopes that Australia’s election result will scupper a new super tax.

London’s blue-chip share index failed to hold on to gains today as losses on Wall Street wiped out early progress.

Fears over Europe's debt plight resurfaced today as world markets cooled their initial enthusiasm over China's decision to let its currency rise.

Financial and mining stocks dominated the blue-chip risers board today as investors displayed a renewed appetite for risk.

The London market was struck by more tremors today as uncertainty continued over Greece’s debt crisis.

The London market narrowly held on to Wednesday's 21-month high today despite falls for banks and miners as investors looked to take profits.

Gains in the mining sector helped the London market pull out of its losing streak today but economic worries continued to shake confidence in financial stocks.