French carmaker Renault said fraud investigators had inspected three of its sites to look into vehicle emissions technology, news that wiped billions off its market value in an echo of the scandal engulfing German rival Volkswagen.

It will take more than $40 crude to make the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) change its mind, analysts said before the group’s December 4 meeting in Vienna.

As a rollercoaster week on the financial markets comes to an end, we appear to be right back where we started, writes Kyran Fitzgerald.

China’s turbulent stock markets slipped again yesterday, as a double-barrelled blast of central bank stimulus failed to convince investors of Beijing’s ability to jolt its economy out of its slowdown.

A leading analyst yesterday said he would be surprised if One51 were to be bought out around its current share price of €1.85 and believes that the plastics, waste management, and NTR stake-owning group led by chief executive Alan Walsh remains intent on bringing the firm to market in an initial public offering sometime in the future.

A bumper opening quarter saw Ryanair profits surge 25% to €245m as the airline’s new softer image helped attract customers in ever-increasing numbers.

British publishing group, Pearson is in talks to sell its 50% stake in The Economist to the other shareholders of the weekly newspaper, with one, Italy’s Agnelli family, confirming it wants to increase its stake.

Shares in Ryanair were boosted yesterday after one of its smaller rivals — British low-cost airline easyJet — forecast profit growth of 14%, and on expectations that the Irish airline’s new “cuddly” customer-service focus is paying off.

Permanent TSB has initially priced its new share offering at a range of €3.90 to €4.50 per share which should value the company at around €2bn.