The former owners of MFI and a former executive of Kingfisher are among those to have expressed an interest in Comet, the UK electrical retailer that was recently put up for sale, it was reported today.

Banking stocks rallied higher today amid reports over UK government plans to offload its bank stakes.

Woolworths will continue its slow demise today with more than 150 branches closing, as the crisis gripping the British high street spreads.

THE head of one of the country’s top supermarket chains has said he will be “gobsmacked” if there is not significant job losses in the retail sector in the new year.

The London market made strong gains today as miners soared ahead and housebuilders were buoyed by encouraging property price figures.

British housebuilders were on the front foot today after building society Nationwide said the rate at which house prices were falling had eased “significantly”.

In the week British Chancellor Alistair Darling made a bold bid to get shoppers spending again, retailing casualties are sprawled across the corporate landscape.

More than 1,000 people will face the threat of job losses today after British furniture chain MFI confirmed it had called in administrators.

UK furniture chain MFI has filed a notice of intention to appoint administrators, its previous owner confirmed today.

British furniture company MFI is in danger of going into administration, it was reported today.

The future of furniture giant MFI has been safeguarded by a management buy-out, the firm's chief executive said tonight.

More British retailers today succumbed to the dire trading conditions being seen on the high street amid gloomy news of company administrations and poor sales figures.

Banking stocks ended the final full trading session of the year on the back foot today as fears over the sector’s fortunes sent shares down.

Catalogue firm Argos has retained its place as the UK’s biggest furniture retailer in 2007, according to research today.

Galiform, the former owner of British furniture retailer MFI, today announced plans for about 560 job losses as part of a restructuring of its supply arm.

Drinks and confectionery group Cadbury Schweppes helped steer an advance for the London market today after reports surfaced indicating private equity groups could be interested in its US beverages business.

The storm over the power of private equity funds is set to reignite with the news of a possible takeover of high street chain Boots.

British kitchen manufacturer Galiform reported strong sales growth at Howden Joinery today and said it was on course to deliver profits in line with market expectations.

Struggling furniture chain MFI was today given shareholder backing for the sale of its 200 stores for just £1.

Worries over growth prospects in the United States caused shares in London to go into reverse today.

Furniture business MFI confirmed today it was considering an offer for its troubled retail arm.

Republicans in the dissident Real IRA today admitted firebombing British-owned stores near the border.

Dissident republicans have been blamed for a series of arson attacks which destroyed major retail premises near the border today.

Outsourcing group Capita surged to the top of the blue-chip risers board today after delighting UK investors with better-than-expected profits.

TROUBLED MFI agreed a new £150 million banking facility to fund its turnaround.

Weaker oil stocks and a blow to confidence in the online gaming sector kept the FTSE 100 Index close to its opening mark today.

The London market went into reverse despite a positive contribution from top flight property companies today.

Upgrades for top flight stocks and bid excitement over ports and ferries firm P&O helped the FTSE 100 Index rise further above the 5700 mark today.

A bid battle for ports and ferries firm P&O and broker upgrades for a string of top-flight stocks enabled the London market to bed in above the 5700 threshold today.

Furniture retailer MFI scaled back its operations today as it continued to suffer at the hands of a cautious consumer.

The London market ended the week camped in positive territory after investors shook off fresh gloom in the DIY sector today.

The London market resumed its upward path today despite a blow for firms in the DIY sector.

Catering giant Compass led the FTSE 100 Index deeper into the red today after it suspended a top executive.

Retailer Boots led the FTSE 100 Index above the 5500 barrier today as investors cheered its proposed merger with Alliance UniChem.

The FTSE 100 Index was back above the 5500 threshold today due to the buzz created by a £7bn (€10.3bn) merger of Boots and Alliance UniChem.

British furniture retailer MFI today unveiled a 26% fall in half-year profits but insisted it was winning the battle to revive sales at its core chain.

Around 400 jobs were under threat today after an alliance enabling furniture retailer MFI to sell kitchens from Currys stores was scrapped.

A major DIY store in Northern Ireland was badly damaged by an overnight fire which police said today was possibly started deliberately.

The London market survived a late frenzy of profit-taking to end the trading week above the 4700 mark today.

A sharp fall in the cost of oil helped lift the FTSE 100 Index to yet another 28-month high today.

The FTSE 100 Index built on momentum sparked by the US presidential election results to close at its highest level in 28 months today.

Swedish retailer Ikea racked up record sales of more than €1bn over the past year as customers snapped up its flat-pack furniture, it emerged today.

Retailer Next managed to buck the negative trend in London today as stronger-than-expected results pleased investors.

Retailers bucked the negative trend in the London market today after high street giant Next pleased investors.