A technology glitch centred around six branches in Scotland is hampering Royal Bank of Scotland’s (RBS) plan to offload its Williams & Glyn retail banking unit and resume dividend payments to shareholders.

Inflation in the UK fell to 1.6% in July as fashion stores launched summer discounts and fierce competition between supermarkets helped keep a lid on food prices for the longest stretch in a decade.

BP’s suspension of dividend payouts for the first time in more than 60 years will cost British investors almost £5bn (€6bn) on top of the recent plunge in its shares.