First quarter figures from Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland come amid intense scrutiny on the taxpayer-backed players after Lloyds revealed the collapse of its planned sale of 632 branches.

Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group will reveal the impact of another year of scandal when they report further big losses.

Tullow Oil slumped to a four-month low in London trading yesterday after failing to make a commercial find at the Zaedyus-2 well off French Guiana in South America.

he global success of Fifty Shades Of Grey and other copycat erotic books hit Harry Potter publisher Bloomsbury as it lost out to rivals in the first half.

A surge in Spain’s borrowing costs to within bail-out territory triggered another session of losses for London’s leading shares index today.

A surge in Spain’s borrowing costs to a fresh euro-era high put European markets under more pressure today.

Supermarket giant Tesco failed to win over investors with its £1bn plan to revive its UK arm today as the grocer followed world markets into the red.

Upbeat retail sales figures in the US outweighed concerns over Spain’s creaking finances today as world markets continued to make solid gains.

Car insurer and pensions giant Aviva said 2011 profits were up 6% to £2.1bn today after it boosted its share of the UK market.

BP shares were sharply higher today after its €5.8bn deal with 110,000 businesses and individuals over the Deepwater Horizon disaster.

The Bank of England was today urged not to waste time in issuing another dose of emergency medicine to help the ailing British economy.

Investors shrugged off a gloomy autumn statement from Chancellor George Osborne today as optimism over a solution to the eurozone debt crisis pushed the London market higher.

London’s leading shares index took a fresh beating today as continued deadlock over America’s budget deficit added to worries about European debt.

Retailer Game slashed its sales forecasts today despite strong demand for record-breaking title Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

Fashion house Burberry today indicated demand for luxury branded goods such as its coats and leather bags remained strong despite the global uncertainty.

The FTSE 100 Index continued its rebound today as positive jobs and manufacturing data from the US ensured a last minute push into the black.

The UK's stuttering economic recovery faces a further test when revised figures for second quarter GDP are published.

A UK technology company set up in 1996 is to be taken over by Hewlett-Packard in a £7.1bn deal that will net its founder more than £500m.

EU leaders were accused of just buying time and not resolving the Greek debt problem, amid warnings that their agreement reached in Brussels last night will keep the spotlight on the euro and on weaker countries like Ireland.

British retail sales figures released today are expected to reveal a modest rise in spending in June after some of the country's biggest store chains started their summer sales early to tempt cash-strapped consumers.

The banking sector dragged on the London market today after HSBC posted annual results which fell below market expectations.

William Hill today said new gaming machines and demand for bets during sporting events helped it deliver a sharp rise in profits today.

Royal Bank of Scotland is expected to remain in the red tomorrow when the part-nationalised player reveals full-year figures.

The publisher of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday today said it had slashed its UK regional newspaper workforce by another 8% as revenues and circulation continued to fall.

Online fashion retailer ASOS today said sales soared 59% in the Christmas quarter thanks to a record performance from its international arm.

RETAILERS HMV and Next reported a drop in sales as fears mount the bad weather impacted greatly on December trading.

Music and books retailer HMV Group today revealed a raft of cost-cutting measures – including store closures and redundancies – as it battles with tumbling sales.

The FTSE 100 Index marched further towards the 6000 mark as stocks shook off disappointing economic news in the UK and US.

BRITISH export growth helped the economy extend its recovery in the third quarter as growth in consumer, government and investment spending slowed by more than half.

The US Federal Reserve is expected to unveil plans today to inject billions of dollars into the country’s economy to jump-start its sluggish recovery.

The UK's gold-plated triple A credit rating is not at immediate risk as the British government steps up its drive to rebuild the shattered public finances, a leading agency said today.

GERMANY wants to ban governments in the eurozone from running deficit budgets, forcing them to spend no more than they take in taxes.

Bookmaker Paddy Power said a “cracking” year for punters had left it with a 15% slide in profits after a run of exceptionally customer-friendly sporting results.

Bank of England Governor Mervyn King will send a letter of explanation to the Chancellor today when figures show a spike in inflation above 3%.

The publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday said today it made an encouraging start to the year after advertising revenues rose in its national newspaper division.

The London market tumbled 1% today as miners continued to be weighed down by fears over potential curbs to Chinese growth.

Fears that the US Federal Reserve will soon consider raising interest rates put world markets under fresh strain today.

The London market struggled to make headway this afternoon after oil prices retreated and retailers Next and Marks & Spencer suffered further losses.

DOMINO’S PIZZA, which has 45 outlets in Ireland saw an increase in sales over the last few months due to the cold weather which encouraged people to stay at home and order-in.

There was further stock market pain for retailers today after Marks & Spencer sent a chill through the sector with warnings over the trading outlook.

The UK should brace itself for a "long, hard path" to recovery despite the prospect of an upturn next year, the Bank of England said today.

The publisher of the Scotsman and Yorkshire Post newspapers, as well as the Limerick Leader and Kilkenny People, today said advertising trends had improved on the back of a resurgent property market in the UK.

Shock US jobs data sent the London market diving into the red today as gloom gathered over trading floors.

BOOKMAKER Ladbrokes said profits were down by a third after punters enjoyed a successful Cheltenham Festival.