UK Business News

Threshers owner to shed 1,700 jobs

Administrators for First Quench, parent company of Threshers and Wine Rack, today announced the closure of 373 stores

Lord Burns appointed as Channel 4 chairman

The former Treasury mandarin and M&S chairman is confirmed as the man to lead the state-owned broadcaster

• Profile: Lord Burns of Pitshanger

• Wigley centre stage in ITV chairman saga

British economy may not recover by year end

Think tank estimates economy shrunk by 0.6% in October, dashing hopes of an end to recession in the fourth quarter

Government takes over East Coast rail service

National Express will give up the London to Scotland line on November 13; Lord Adonis to seek a new operator next year

World Business News

Mickey to be put in touch with his 'inner rat'

Disney's mouse is to be given a makeover and will be given a more destructive personality who starts to resemble a rat

GM workers strike amid plans to axe 10,000 jobs

Staff at General Motors' German arm will walk out in defiance of carmaker's shock U-turn on selling Vauxhall and Opel

• Germany blasts 'unacceptable' GM U-turn

• General Motors sells Hummer to Chinese group

Thomson Reuters revenue dips on weak sales

Chief executive expects poor subscription sales in publishing divisions to continue until first half of next year

Toyota in profit after cost cuts and scrappage

The carmaker, which will save £180 million by leaving Formula One racing, is now looking to China for growth

Analysis

Sunny figures can’t dispel retail blues

Consumer confidence looks to be on the up, but will this translate into genuine growth? - Ian King

• Waiting for the wait-and-see at Cadbury

• Opel keeps its value

Investment: a tale of two countries

As India buys up reserves of gold, America's tycoon investor makes a bet on a different natural resource - coal - Carl Mortished

Tempus: Rightmove may turn out to be a good move

The share price of the property search website seems to be heading in the right direction: up threefold since the start of the year

Law  

'BGC poaching was industry norm'

BGC Partners was following established customs when it tried to hire several staff from rival Tullett Prebon, the High Court heard

£30m payout to toxic waste victims ‘at risk'

Compensation paid by oil traders Trafigura to African victims in danger of being stolen because of corruption in Ivory coast

Battle of the ballcocks

Plumber sues in multi-million pound tapping up claim

Money  

House prices up again, but fears grow for rise

House prices are now 7.1 per cent higher than they were six months ago and 2.9 per cent higher than in December last year

• Lessons to learn from revitalised economies

• House prices record first rise in 19 months

Taxman hits YouTube to root out offshore ‘fiddlers’

HMRC turns to social media with two-minute video to advertise campaign to ensure that savers declare offshore accounts

• Planes, trains and automobiles, and the winner is . . .

• Chancellor plans curbs on high earners

Q&A: What the bank break up means for you

Millions of RBS and Lloyds banking and insurance customers will have a new provider within four years

business travel  

SkyTeam, Alitalia open new terminal facilities

Alliance gets common check-in at Heathrow while Italian carrier gets a dedicated terminal in Rome

10 rules of business travel etiquette

Business travellers forced to fly in economy might need to be re-educated in acceptable on-board behaviour

TripIt Pro launched in the UK

Premium version of online travel planning system now available outside the US

• TripIt now on the iPhone

• Do business travellers need social networks?