UK Business News

Bank keeps rates on hold at 0.5% record low

As expected, the Bank of England sticks to plan of buying £200 billion of gilts and corporate bonds by next February

Royal Mail profits rise despite unofficial strikes

Operating profits of state-owned carrier grew to £184m while wildcat industrial action dogged parts of the country

• Royal Mail to sell its stake in Camelot

• Postmen: We bind the nation together

Sports Direct raises profit forecast

Britain's largest sports retailer upgrades annual forecast, paving the way for bumper share bonuses for staff

• Sports Direct writes off biggest stakeholding

• Shares in JJB Sports tumble

JJB hires new chief executive

Arrival of Keith Jones from DSG International will mean Sir David Jones, executive chairman, can go part-time

World Business News

India's Bajaj scraps Vespa-inspired scooters

The company behind the ubiquitous two-wheeler plans to stop production in March in favour of cars and motorbikes

US home loan foreclosures top 300,000 again

The latest monthly total of American homes entering mortgage crises has stayed high, despite some easing

• US homeowner bailout plan may not stop crash

• US foreclosures rise of 5% hits recovery hopes

Barclays falls foul of Indian regulator

The bank says it is co-operating fully after being suspended from dealing in derivatives for offshore investors

• Banks may slash bonuses by £1bn

• BarCap told customers ‘buy Dubai’ just before crisis

Mystery deepens on HSBC 'client data theft'

Number of people affected by security breach at bank's Swiss offices may be thousands more than originally suggested

Analysis

City bamboozled by the bonus tax

Rough justice to be the order of the day as some have their pay packets slashed and others laugh all the way to the bank - David Wighton

That career break could last too long

Sabbaticals might be in vogue but if you reckon you won't miss the company, perhaps the company won't miss you - Sathnam Sanghera

Tempus: Standard can ride out Dubai's storm

Although it is one of the most heavily exposed banks to the region, it is on course for record income and pre-tax profit - Nick Hasell

Law  

Parents to sue Maclaren over finger amputations

At least 15 British families are to sue pushchair manufacturer claiming its buggies severed children’s fingertips

Case of 'abandoned' boy angers judge

Family judge left with a 'sense of disbelief' after two local authorities distanced themselves from sick boy to save money

• Straw has second thoughts over media coverage

• 'I do not remove a child unless it is the right thing to do'

‘Unmarried couples need new legal rights'

Senior judge now in charge of law reform says change is needed to protect people’s rights when they separate

Money  

Q&A: what the PBR means for you

Who is being forced to pay? What will the PBR mean for housing market? Is there good news for my family?

• Analysis: PBR was a holding operation

• PBR - bank supertax and public sector pay cap

Fresh delay for Personal Accounts

Chancellor extends roll-out period for Government's pensions flagship

• Pre-Budget Report checklist: what to expect

• Pensions timetable: Government under fire

We lost our dream home

Borrowers are continuing to miss out on mortgage deals because of flawed data from credit reference agencies

business travel  

Profile: Leisure boss John Morphet

The man who runs the estate where Freddie Flintoff and Wayne Rooney have homes shares his views on business travel

International rail compensation brought into line with air travel

New rules mean cross-border train passengers will get more in the event of delay or cancellation

Rail nightmare for Gatwick and Luton

Industrial action and service restrictions from the £5.5bn Thameslink programme are causing headaches