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.

Energy giant Centrica stoked anger over energy bills today by revealing that its British Gas residential arm made record profits of £742m last year.

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.

The rally on London’s FTSE 100 Index came to a halt today amid falls from heavyweight oil giant Royal Dutch Shell and concerns over escalating violence in Egypt.

President Barack Obama's State of the Union address buoyed the London market today as investors cheered moves to support growth in the world's biggest economy.

The London market roared ahead today on hopes for the world’s biggest economy after President Barack Obama promised to create jobs and support growth.

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

Takeover activity helped lift the London market higher today after blue-chip Old Mutual said it had entered into exclusive talks with HSBC to sell South African bank Nedbank.

The FTSE 100 Index was dragged lower today as continued fears over the pace of economic recovery offset the impact of merger and acquisition activity in the oil and gas sector.

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.

London’s top stocks lost another 1% today as worries over US and European economic health sparked a sell-off for the second session in a row.

Heavyweight companies including Shell, BP and GlaxoSmithKline will be in the spotlight during a busy period for corporate results this week.

The FTSE 100 Index entered the second half of the year with a more than 2% rise today as positive world manufacturing data helped boost hopes of economic recovery.

BORD Gais (BG) entering the domestic electricity supply market is being heralded by the Government and others as a victory for competition.

I WISH to congratulate Caroline O’Doherty for her excellent article on the timely challenge by Bord Gais (BG) to the ESB (February 19).

The FTSE 100 Index posted its first winning session of the week today as renewed optimism over the Fed's massive bail-out plan drove financial stocks higher.

Oil and gas firm BG Group today conceded defeat in its attempt to buy Australian company Origin Energy.

A further sharp slide in oil prices helped power the London market to a positive close today as travel firms and airlines soared on the lower cost of crude.

The London market struggled to find direction today as falls from heavyweight miners and Vodafone offset relief over Royal Bank of Scotland’s losses.

Shares in BG Group rose today after the oil and gas explorer announced another crude oil discovery off the coast of Brazil.

British energy giant BG Group today said higher commodity prices lifted profits by 92% to £1.4bn (€1.7bn) in the second quarter of its financial year.

Gas exploration firm BG Group turned up the heat on Australia’s Origin today by announcing plans to make an improved £6.7bn (€8.4bn) offer direct to shareholders.

The London market made modest gains today despite falling crude oil prices dragging down energy stocks.

BG Group expressed its surprise today after one of Australia’s biggest energy firms broke off discussions over a £6.6bn (€8.4bn) takeover.

Millions of households faced further pain today after British Gas owner Centrica signalled it may have to make another hike in energy prices.

Losses in the mining and banking sectors held back progress on the London market today despite a late session rally on better than expected economic news in the US.

A bad day for heavyweight mining and banking shares kept the London market in negative territory today.

Blue chip stocks saw more heavy losses today as disappointment over the Bank of England’s quarter-point interest rate cut sent the London market plummeting 2.6%.

BT and Yell were punished by investors today after the telecoms-based pair provided the City with cause for concern in third quarter results.

Households in the UK received a fresh blow to their finances tonight after the countrys largest energy supplier announced double-digit price hikes.

WEST HAM owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson yesterday assumed full control of the club in a move that has seen a severing of ties with chairman Eggert Magnusson.

The FTSE 100 Index tumbled back below the 6400 barrier today as investor doubts over plans by central banks to ease the credit crunch knocked 3% off UK blue chips.

London’s blue chip index fell more than 1% today after optimism over moves to pump billions into frozen money markets faded.

Barclays shares dived 9% today during another rollercoaster session for investors.

Rio Tinto shares put on another 8% today as traders continued to eye the possibility of a multi-billion pound takeover by BHP Billiton.

A huge offshore oil discovery in Brazil caused shares in UK oil and gas explorer BG to surge for the second successive session today.

Shares in Currys owner DSG International jumped 6% today as retail shares peppered the risers board of the FTSE 100 Index.

Oil and gas firm BG Group said today it remained in talks over a potential deal to supply Palestinian gas to Israel.

BG Group’s first-quarter results took a hit today after the UK-based gas exploration and production company faced lower prices and a fall in the US dollar.

Italian police arrested five people today, including a local British Gas manager, in a corruption probe into the firm’s construction of a gas plant in southern Italy.

A clutch of heavyweight companies were sharply higher today after posting annual results.

Oil and gas explorer BG Group said today higher gas prices and increased production levels around the world had helped boost profits.

The FTSE 100 Index closed above the 6000 threshold for the first time since May today buoyed by record levels in the US.