UK Business News

Forth Ports says trading recovering

The owner of Tilbury and Grangemouth reiterates that Peel Group's bid is too low as annual profits dip by 8.5%

Wolseley targets 19 businesses in review

New broom to tidy up the world's biggest chain of plumbers' merchants, with Build Center likely to be sold

• Wolseley cuts its losses but needs better foundations

• Wolseley boss steps down after rough ride

Brown pledges universal super-fast broadband

Prime Minister says that funding will be detailed in the Budget but that the move will save billions in public costs

EMI gambles on £400m pact to beat the bank

Music group on collision course with Citigroup as it plans to lease US catalogue to rivals to avoid breaching covenants

World Business News

Google set to announce China exit

The US search engine giant may go ahead with a decision to pull out of the country after a dispute over censorship

Obama in battle to reform Wall Street

Republicans are out to scupper Senator Christopher Dodd's financial overhaul, the biggest since the Great Depression

• Horse-trading over health scars Obama

• US moves forward on financial reform

Areva out to make nuclear waste disappear

Anne Lauvergeon, head of the French energy group, is aiming for a new type of reactor that could destroy atomic waste

• Tories plan carbon tax to boost clean energy

• Anne Lauvergeon: champion of nuclear option

Freight flights from East to West increase

FedEx, the biggest air freight carrier, reports figures suggesting that the clouds of recession have begun to clear

ANALYSIS

What happened to Tories and the free market?

David Cameron’s energy plans show his firm preference for a planned economy

Take a 13% pay cut. You know it makes sense

Unlike the whingeing public service unions here, Middle Ireland knows that a secure job is a privilege

Can Darling be his own man so near an election?

The greatest certainty of all is that further measures will be needed after the general election, whichever party wins

Law  

Supreme Court to rule on prenuptial agreements

Judges to hear banker-turned-academic challenge his £1 million divorce settlement with the German heiress Katrin Radmacher

Gagging law to protect Charles

The government is trying to change the law to protect the Prince of Wales from scrutiny when he intervenes in public affairs

Adoption agency may now discriminate legally

The High Court has reversed a ruling that the Catholic Care agency could not be made to consider gay couples as adopters

Money  

Facebook posts could push up your insurance premiums

Insurers warn homeowners against advertising holiday plans on networking sites, as criminals are using them to identify targets

Last-minute rush to beat tax rises

Investors are rushing to shelter their income amid fears that taxpayers will come under fire whichever party wins the election

The growing cost of hidden insurance charges

Insurers are using high interest rates and policy exclusions to boost profits

• Payment protection insurance bill could top £4bn

• Cost of car insurance going up, says Admiral

business travel  

Bmi launches Heathrow-Berlin service

New route will tie the airline's network into that of its parent company Lufthansa

Emirates opens Birmingham lounge

Midlands hub gets first dedicated long-haul space for executives

Profile: Philanthropist Matt Stockdale

Former Homepride boss talks about giving away money, hotel horror stories and eating poached frogs