Another £13bn (€15bn) in British Government borrowing last month sent total debt soaring to a record 56.6% of UK output, official figures revealed today.

Nationalised British lender Northern Rock is to be sold off by the end of the year as the UK government seeks to retrieve money pumped into the banking sector, it was reported today.

The City watchdog in the UK is to hold an investigation into the events which led to the British government’s rescue of HBOS and Royal Bank of Scotland, it was reported today.

The FTSE 100 Index slid more than 3% today amid more woes in the banking sector and fears of bankruptcy among major US carmakers.

Gordon Brown hailed the British government’s £50bn (€64bn) bank bail-out plan today, saying it should restore “confidence and trust” to the financial system.

The Financial Regulator is giving its backing to the Government's plan to underwrite the loans and deposits of six Irish banks.

Fraudulent emails about Bradford & Bingley and Halifax have more than tripled as criminals try to cash in on customers’ anxiety, figures showed today.

Savers in the UK are moving their money between providers to find a safe home for their money.

The European Commission today approved the British government’s rescue package to bail-out mortgage lender Bradford & Bingley.

The FTSE 100 Index slipped below the 5000 barrier today after another gruelling session for top-flight banking shares.

The London market was mired in the red today as uncertainty over the US Treasury’s $700bn (€474bn) banking rescue rattled investors.

Merger talks between banking giants HBOS and Lloyds TSB failed to prevent a late slide on the London market today after heavy falls on Wall Street dragged stocks lower.

Excitement over a potential tie-up between high street banking giants HBOS and Lloyds TSB put the London market on firmer ground today after two days of turmoil.

More than £50 billion was wiped off the value of blue chip stocks today as news of Lehman Brothers’ dramatic demise spread havoc throughout world stock markets.

A computer glitch paralysed the London Stock Exchange for nearly seven hours today, wiping out trading during one of the busiest days of the ye

The London Stock Exchange ground to a halt today as its trading system was hit by a embarrassing technical glitch.

The buy-out group involved in Bradford & Bingley's ill-fated capital raising was today reported to be circling another buy-to-let lender.

Britain’s high street banks have agreed to buy a large chunk of shares to rescue troubled Bradford & Bingley, it was reported today.

The FTSE 100 Index was a sea of red today after falling more than 2% amid further signs of economic gloom.

The FTSE 100 Index rose almost 2% today as investors returned to the market after the sell-off of the previous week.

The City put Marks & Spencer under further pressure today during an otherwise solid start to the trading week for the London stock market.

AT the end of a week which saw the Irish market dip below 5,000 for the first time since January 2004, The ISEQ index fell 69.33 to 4,863.23 yesterday as the financial stocks lost more ground.

Hefty falls in the banking and insurance sectors wiped another 1% off the London market today to close a volatile week for UK blue chips.

London’s FTSE 100 Index fell nearly 1% today as fresh fears surfaced over the banking sector and weak metals prices held back miners.

The FTSE 100 Index fell almost 3% today after investors were spooked by a sudden spike in oil prices and fears over inflation in the UK and US.

The London market was on the back foot once more today as early gains faded in the face of further bad news from the housing market.

IN A mixed day for the markets the ISEQ Index rose 1.38% driven by good performances from some of the banks as well as a sharp rise in Ryanair.

The Bank of England’s decision to keep interest rates at 5% failed to hold back banking and property stocks from making advances on the London market today.

THE Irish market reopened after the bank holiday down 138.71 points to 5,967.16.

The London market held firm in positive territory today as stocks regained their poise following the turmoil seen yesterday on Bradford & Bingley's profits warning.

The ISEQ index was sent reeling this morning following yesterday's profit warning from British lender Bradford & Bingley.

Banks led a cautious recovery for the London market today as the dust settled after yesterday’s profit warning from Bradford & Bingley.

The London market endured a turbulent start to the week today as bank shares came under pressure following a profits warning from lender Bradford & Bingley.

Weaker mining stocks following a fall in commodity prices ensured London’s FTSE 100 Index traded on the back foot today.

UK Mortgage bank Bradford & Bingley today sought to scotch rumours that it was planning to launch a rights issue.

Takeover speculation and hopes of a dividend hike from Royal Bank of Scotland caused shares in the financial sector to surge today.

Optimism ahead of results from the banking sector and a surprise rise in house prices helped the FTSE 100 Index surge by nearly 3% today.

London’s FTSE 100 Index slipped into the red today after fresh fears over the US economy affected trading on both sides of the Atlantic.

Shares in Barclays fell by more than 1% today after Goldman Sachs warned earnings estimates for the bank were too high in the current climate.

Bradford and Bingley was today being linked to a possible move to buy assets from the troubled British lender Northern Rock.

Two major UK mortgage lenders today reassured investors over prospects despite the woes of crisis-hit Northern Rock.

The UK's third-biggest buy-to-let mortgage lender is planning to sell off loan assets to stave off a funding crisis, it was reported today.

UK mortgage lender Bradford & Bingley today sold £4.2bn (€5.8bn) of loans as it moved to boost cash reserves at a time of soaring wholesale funding costs.

Mining giants added their weight to the London market today, steering blue-chip stocks into positive territory.