The National Football League have admitted Manchester United’s plans to build a casino next to Old Trafford is a “potential issue” for new owner Malcolm Glazer.

A LEADING analyst yesterday tried to allay fears that Manchester United, under Malcolm Glazer, are heading for a financial meltdown similar to Leeds.

US sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer today said he had acquired enough shares to take Manchester United private.

B&Q owner Kingfisher highlighted the struggle facing UK retailers today as it warned first quarter profits were likely to be 15% lower than in 2004.

London’s FTSE 100 Index sank to a new three-month low today as fears of a technology slowdown continued to weigh on investors.

Rebel French shareholders ousted Eurotunnel’s management with typical Gallic fervour in Paris a year ago today.

It was the boom that promised to make millions rich – yet five years to the day from the peak of the dotcom fervour, investors are still counting the cost.

Marks & Spencer shares were trading lower today after two days of speculation over bid interest involving a South African businessman came to an end.

Marks & Spencer today dramatically slashed its forecasts for annual profits after it was forced to make deep price cuts to clear excess Christmas stock.

Online travel business lastminute.com saw its share price nosedive today after annual results fell far short of hopes and losses nearly doubled.

Stock markets rallied across Europe and Asia, oil prices surged and the US dollar was modestly higher today as George Bush crept closer to re-election in the US.

The Manchester United takeover saga took another twist tonight when it emerged sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer had raised his stake in the club to 25.3% at a cost of around £44m (€63m).

OIL prices soared to new highs on both sides of the Atlantic yesterday as traders fretted over increasingly short supplies.

Oil prices stood just a fraction off their recent record high today as disruption in Iraq and the effect of the hurricane season took their toll.

British Airways shares made healthy gains today as the first session since the company averted a costly Bank Holiday strike brought cheer for investors.

Google’s much-anticipated stock market debut took a further twist todaywhen it cut the price range of its share sale.

British banking group Abbey National is in takeover talks with Spanish bank Banco Santander Central Hispano, it emerged today.

Shares in troubled banking group Abbey National soared 16% today after it confirmed it had received a takeover approach.

SOME of the biggest names in Britain’s FTSE 100 index line up to report earnings this week — drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline and oil major BP among them — which could dispel investors’ recent lethargy.

Investors received further Christmas cheer today after the FTSE 100 Index stretched its run of gains to a seventh consecutive session.

MANCHESTER United Plc is bigger than David Beckham.

The London market closed a fraction above its opening level today as gains from oil and insurance shares were offset by slides from Lloyds TSB and Invensys.

After a tumultuous year on the stock market UK analysts are predicting better news for investors in 2003.

EUROPEAN shares have been on the rack for three successive years and are on course to lose almost a third of their value in the last year alone, indicating the bear market has accelerated.

Investors had another traumatic session on the London stock market today, as shares were hit by a wave of selling.

The beleaguered London market had another tough session today as investors reacted to a slide on Wall Street last night.

The European Central Bank has held interest rates at 3.25%.

Economists expect the Footsie to bounce back next year.

The FTSE 100 Index is forecast to have a better time following this year’s gloomy performance - and end 2002 around the 5,800 mark, City experts said today.

In the City, experts said that, after its initial fall, the market would now pause for breath and see how the military action unfolded.

An experienced investor, a four-year-old girl and a financial astrologer have started a week-long experiment to compare different ways of predicting the stock market.