Securing Liz Hurley as the face of Monsoon has failed to help the fashion retailer stage a turnaround in fortunes, after full-year figures today revealed a second year of falling profits.

A major shareholder in supermarket giant Sainsbury's has approached the board regarding plans to split up the company, according to reports.

The UK's top three supermarket chains all increased their share of the market in a buoyant three months for the sector, new figures showed today.

Supermarket giant Tesco faced stiff competition in the UK as its closest rivals increased their market share over the festive and New Year period, figures revealed today.

Logistics and transport group Wincanton today reported an "excellent result" at its UK and Ireland division following recent contract wins.

Woolworths is to begin supplying Sainsbury’s with entertainment products after a £20m (€29.6m) acquisition offset the loss of a wholesale contract with Tesco.

A strong performance from energy companies on the back of a rise in the price of crude oil ensured the London market regained lost ground today.

The new owners of Somerfield cut their losses on the Kwik Save chain by selling the brand and the majority of its stores today.

The new owners of Somerfield were today reported to have hoisted the for-sale sign above its loss-making Kwik Save chain.

The firm behind London’s congestion charge scheme led the FTSE 100 Index to another four-year high today.

The FTSE 100 Index failed to get going this morning as it was weighed down by losses on Wall Street overnight.

One of the backers of a £1.1bn (€1.6bn) takeover of Somerfield today pledged to “throw a lot more money” at the chain as it looks to take on bigger rivals.

Investors were checking into the hotels sector today after Hilton Group confirmed talks were underway over a multi-billion pound deal.

A bid worth £1.1bn (€1.6m) for supermarket chain Somerfield was backed by the company’s board today.

Marks & Spencer dominated trading in London today after posting a surprise pick-up in sales and announcing the departure of the creator of its Per Una range.

The prospect of a £1bn (€1.5bn) bid for British supermarket Somerfield was kept alive today by the last remaining bidder in the long-running takeover saga.

Cable & Wireless topped off a torrid week on the London market with news that trading in the UK had deteriorated.

Telecoms giant Cable & Wireless added to the London market’s recent woes today after reporting a sharp slowdown in sales at its UK retail business.

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.

UK supermarket chain Asda was today offered hope that its strategy of aggressive price-cutting was eating into the dominance of market leader Tesco.

Potential takeover parties circling British supermarket chain Somerfield were today ordered to bid within a month or walk away.

Progress by heavyweight oil stocks helped put the FTSE 100 Index on course for a positive end to the week today.

A strong run for the FTSE 100 Index came to an end today, despite the latest round of takeover speculation involving top-flight companies.

The London market paused for breath today at the end of a spectacular week of progress for the FTSE 100 Index.

UK supermarket chain Somerfield was told today it must sell 12 stores to prevent a "substantial lessening" of competition in the local area.

Two groups vying for control of UK supermarket chain Somerfield have overcome a key hurdle as they prepare bids worth £1bn (€1.46bn) plus, it was reported today.

British supermarket chain Asda received further evidence today that it is holding off rival Sainsbury's in the battle for second spot in the grocery market.

UK supermarket chain Asda received further evidence today that it is holding off rival Sainsbury’s in the battle for second spot in the British grocery market.

Rentokil Initial led the FTSE 100 Index to a positive finish today after news of a possible takeover offer sent its shares surging.

Takeover target Somerfield was today urged by shareholders to walk away from a bid rather than accept a cut-price offer.

British supermarket group Morrisons today announced the sale of a further batch of stores acquired in its £3bn (€4.4bn) takeover of rival Safeway.

Supermarket group Asda received a boost today when figures suggested a recent downturn in its sales performance had stabilised.

The new owner of 115 former Safeway stores was today told that it may have substantially reduced competition in 14 retail areas of the UK.

Takeover talk swirling around internet bank Egg helped the FTSE 100 Index hit a fresh three-year high today.

The FTSE 100 Index finished today back above the 5200 level as investors adopted a defiant mood after yesterday’s London bombings.

The London market resumed its upward path today to nearly recoup all of the ground lost in the wake of yesterday’s terror attacks.

A key player in a consortium bidding for supermarket group Somerfield was today reported to be close to withdrawing from the fray.

The FTSE 100 Index set another three year high today as the performance of heavyweight shares helped add to the feel-good factor in London.

The FTSE 100 Index soared by as much as 40 points today as buoyant oil stocks continued to push the London market higher.

British supermarket group Somerfield unveiled a 63% rise in profits today as it said discussions with potential takeover parties had reached an “advanced stage”.

Takeover talk and oil stocks helped the London market to notch up healthy gains today.

A surprise entrant in the long-running takeover saga at British supermarket chain Somerfield revealed today it was no longer interested in bidding.

The bid battle for British supermarket group Somerfield took a new twist today when the country’s biggest regional co-operative group entered the fray.