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Vodafone bid could rescue CWW from the doldrums

Long-suffering investors in Cable & Wireless Worldwide have seen a light at the end of the tunnel as Vodafone admitted it was weighing up a bid for the bombed-out corporate telecoms supplier Comments (3)

Colao could slip up on a corporate banana skin

'Zombies' on the brink

Growing numbers of "zombie" companies, corporate walking dead staggering on under unsustainable debt burdens, will be tipped over the edge this year by government cuts and a consumer spending squeeze, a report has warned Comments

Heathrow boss warns on China hit

The boss of Heathrow today warned capacity constraints were "damaging the UK economy when the country can least afford it" after the number of passengers flying between the UK and China fell for a fourth consecutive month Comments (10)

Stamp duty date sparks a rush by first-time buyers

First-time buyers spent �2.3 billion getting on the property ladder in December - a 10% rise on the previous month - in a bid to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday which ends next month Comments

Footsie hits six-month high after Greeks agree new cuts

Greece's begrudging approval of swingeing cuts in return for a �130 billion (�109 billion) financial rescue has pushed the FTSE 100 to a six-month high, Comments (1)

Peppa Pig in a trough

Nearly a fifth has been lost from the market capitalisation of Entertainment One, the media firm, after it ditched plans to sell the company Comments

Aurum gold jeweller's sale hope

Jewellery group Aurum Holdings has delivered a sparkling jump in operating profits as its owners mull a sale of the company Comments

John Micklethwait, The Economist

�I am ambivalent about how people read the weekly product. As long as they are paying for it, I�m happy�

Interview: John Cridland, CBI

'The voice of business': The captain of industry putting up a stout defence

Facing a huge loss, scandal-hit Olympus forced to look at tie-ups

Scandal-hit Japanese camera and medical equipment maker Olympus has said it expects to have lost 32 billion yen (�260 million) in the year which ends next month Comments (1)

Japan's tsunami setback

Floods in Thailand and a strong yen did heavy damage to Japan as the world's second-biggest economy floundered in the final quarter of 2011, official figures has shown Comments

Job prospects to worsen

Job prospects are set to worsen in the coming months as firms make workers redundant, but job prospects in London are better than elsewhere, a report has warned Comments

Greek vote for more cuts boosts share prices over Europe

Shares surged across Europe after Greece pushed through a fresh package of austerity measures needed to secure fresh bailout cash and save it from bankruptcy Comments (19)

CBI sees some UK recovery

Economic growth will gather pace in the second half of this year, making it unlikely the Bank of England will give the economy another cash injection, a leading business lobby has said Comments (2)

Tate & Lyle blames Europe as Thames refinery jobs go

The American owner of the historic Tate & Lyle sugar refinery on the Thames at Silvertown is planning to shed staff because of new EU restrictions on the industry Comments (4)

Chelsea tractor that is just electrifying...

Environmentalists usually revile them for their gas-guzzling status, but this is one SUV that could become the Chelsea tractor of choice for green mums on the school run Comments (3)

Dip in profits puts the skids under targets at Barclays

Barclays could miss its ambitious, medium-term profitability target, chief executive Bob Diamond has admitted, as the bank reported a 3% fall in annual profits to �5.9 billion Comments (10)

Fidessa warns City slowdown is hurting

Fidessa, supplier of trading software to broking firms and investment banks, has warned that it expects a slowdown in revenue growth this years as its customers struggle to do business Comments

Abramovich set to increase stake in Russian gold miner

Roman Abramovich, the billionaire owner of Chelsea Football Club, is preparing to strengthen his grip on Russia's vast resources industry Comments

Banks lending records to be scrutinised

Banks' lending records are to go under the spotlight after official Bank of England figures confirmed Britain's top five lenders missed targets for smaller businesses in 2011 by more than �1 billion Comments (1)

Luxury brands set for a jubilee bonanza

London's luxury brands are gearing up for street parties and exhibitions to cash in on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee this June Comments

New inflation fear as oil spike raises industry costs

A sudden spike in crude oil prices pushed up manufacturers' costs in January, giving the Bank of England a fresh inflation warning a day after it voted to pump an extra �50 billion into the struggling UK economy Comments (5)

Osborne's bank levy take is likely to miss �2.5bn target

Chancellor George Osborne could miss his target of raising �2.5 billion a year through the UK bank levy after Barclays said it is paying a lower-than-expected �325 million for 2012. Comments

Greek bailout snag sends jitters through markets

Stock markets wobbled and jittery investors are seeking safe havens, as struggling Greece was denied vital bailout funds by Europe's finance ministers Comments (12)

Weir extends buy spree with �200m Aussie bid

Weir Group, the deal-hungry FTSE 100 pump manufacturer, has revealed yet more appetite for acquisitions when it made an A$294 million (�200 million) hostile takeover bid for an Australian mining equipment maker Comments