Fears that the European Central Bank will fail to prescribe the medicine needed for the ailing eurozone triggered big losses on London's leading shares index today.

The world’s second largest tobacco group today said it sold fewer cigarettes as smokers cut back their consumption in the economic downturn.

TOBACCO firm PJ Carroll saw its pre-tax profits plunge from €10.1m to €4.8m last year as the number of cigarettes smoked in Ireland fell to 4.5 billion from 5.1bn.

One of the world’s biggest tobacco companies today pledged €134m towards European efforts to smash the illegal trade in cigarettes.

TOBACCO firm PJ Carroll saw its pre-tax profits increase 11% to €10.7 million last year despite falling cigarette sales.

Former Bank of Ireland governor Richard Burrows is to become chairman of global tobacco giant British American Tobacco (BAT), it was announced today.

Cigarette maker British American Tobacco (BAT) said today impressive growth from its key global brands helped boost profits.

British American Tobacco today said it had enjoyed a strong start to 2006, but currency swings meant it would be tough to sustain such a positive performance.

HONDA already have their sights set on claiming the Formula One constructors’ world championship after announcing a buyout of the BAR team yesterday.

British American Tobacco posted an 8% rise in half-year profits today just two weeks after proposing to close a historic cigarette factory because the costs were too high.

British American Tobacco today said profits had risen by 8.5% on the back of good profit growth across most of its businesses.

China has suspended all new cigarette and tobacco foreign joint ventures, it was reported today, raising doubts over a claim by British American Tobacco that it has permission to manufacture cigarettes on the Chinese mainland.

PROFITS at PJ Carroll cigarette company fell by more than €20 million last year, according to its most recent accounts. Carrolls, which has been in business for 180 years, said profits plunged because of restructuring of the company.

British American Tobacco chairman Jan du Plessis has hit out at bans on smoking in public places, such as those introduced in Ireland and New York as BAT released news of modest half-year profits today.

British American Tobacco is to become the first foreign company to manufacture cigarettes in China, it announced today.

Shares in British American Tobacco leapt forward today after regulators removed a major hurdle to a merger involving the company’s US operation.

British American Tobacco showed the impact of the strong pound on its British business today after profits for the first three months of the year slipped 3% to £454m (€381m).

British American Tobacco and RJ Reynolds Tobacco have agreed to merge their US tobacco businesses, uniting the nation’s second and third largest tobacco companies in an effort to blunt the attacks of sagging sales and cheaper brands.

Cigarette giant British American Tobacco stuck to its full-year targets today despite seeing currency fluctuations hold back profits.

A robust performance is expected from British American Tobacco, when it reveals interim results next week.