The FTSE 100 Index dived by more than 2% today as world markets extended heavy losses seen before the weekend.

Pharmaceuticals giant GlaxoSmithKline today said soaring sales of its asthma drug Advair and diabetes medication Avandia drove profits up 16%.

Shares in drugs giant AstraZeneca today fell 4% after an American court ruled patents covering a key heart drug were invalid.

The British Airports Authority has said a 3% rise in Heathrow Express passengers helped lift underlying operating profits at the division to £16m (€23m).

ITV shares made further heavy gains yesterday after reports said former BBC director general Greg Dyke may launch a £6 billion takeover bid.

ITV shares made further heavy gains today after reports said former BBC director general Greg Dyke may launch a £6bn (€8.6bn) takeover bid.

The FTSE 100 Index closed the week at a fresh two-year high today after a spectacular rally boosted top-flight shares.

Former British Steel group Corus is to finally break its loss-making mould with much-improved half-year results later this week, analysts said today.

SPECULATION is mounting that Eircom will return to the market this year, five years after its initial flotation.

BRITAIN’S top supermarket chain Tesco kicks off a results-laden week for retailers, while investors will chew over the next move for the FTSE, tuning into the Federal Reserve’s one-day meeting for guidance.

The worst could be over for the battered London stock market and investors could be looking forward to a sustained bounce back, it was claimed today.

Britain’s biggest companies suffered a tortuous return from the bank holiday weekend today as the FTSE 100 Index was brought to its knees.

Beleaguered telecoms group Marconi made a massive £5.1bn loss in the last half year - equating to £28m a day - which was today seen as one of the worst corporate figures in history.

Interest rates in Britain look set to be kept on hold for the third consecutive month today, despite calls from industry for an urgent cut.

The City trader who sparked last night's dramatic slump on the Footsie index of 100 leading stocks did so by keying in an incorrect figure.

Manufacturers are set for a boost with the Bank of England expected to cut interest rates for the first time in a year.

A leading City analyst says it is too early to talk about an interest rate cut in the UK after the US Federal Reserve's surprise move to cut rates on the other side of the Atlantic.