Former bosses at bailed-out UK banks Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and HBOS said they were "profoundly sorry" today and admitted they under-estimated the extent of the financial crisis.

Oil major BP was under pressure on the London market today after its fourth-quarter figures failed to match expectations.

The chairman of part-nationalised Royal Bank of Scotland stepped down two months early today.

British taxpayers were sitting on paper losses of around £2.5bn (€2.9bn) today as the deadline for Royal Bank of Scotland’s £15bn (€17.5bn) share offer expired.

A full review of Royal Bank of Scotland gets under way today after shareholders overwhelmingly approved a £20bn (€23bn) bail-out plan for the company.

Bosses of the UK’s second biggest bank today faced tough questions from shareholders a day after they asked for an unprecedented £12bn (€14.9bjn) cash injection.

The boss of the UK’s second biggest bank will come face to face with shareholders today just a day after asking them for an unprecedented £12bn (€14.9bn) cash injection.

The Royal Bank of Scotland today asked shareholders to pump in £12bn (€15bn) of new capital as it unveiled another £5.9bn (€7.3bn) of credit crunch write downs.

Royal Bank of Scotland’s plans to buy ABN Amro were boosted today when its shareholders overwhelmingly approved the £48bn (€70bn) takeover proposal.

The new boss of AstraZeneca today said the drugs giant must do more to bolster its product pipeline in the wake of a number of high-profile set-backs in clinical trials.

Investor confidence in the United States raced ahead today as the Standard & Poor’s 500 index and Nasdaq composite index both reached four-year highs.

A bumper batch of company results prompted the FTSE 100 Index to test new three-year highs today.

Drugs giant AstraZeneca attempted to win back investor confidence today as it posted higher profits and promised further growth in years to come.

AstraZeneca boss Sir Tom McKillop is under pressure to waive £1m (€1.4m) in bonuses following a string of setbacks for the drugs giant, it was reported today.

Pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca saw its share price fall sharply today after it emerged that a key drug in its portfolio did not boost the survival chances of some patients.

Pharmaceuticals giant AstraZeneca today overcame dismay at regulatory glitches for a key new drug by reporting a 7% hike in third-quarter sales.

Shares in AstraZeneca tumbled 6% today after a key drug it has developed in the fight against strokes was provisionally rejected by US regulators.

Oil giant BP has appointed Tom McKillop, chief executive of drugs group AstraZeneca, as a non-executive director.

Anglo-Swedish drugs giant AstraZeneca today reported an 8% rise in profits for the last quarter, helped by sales of its new ulcer treatment Nexium and asthma drug Symbicort, the group said today.