UK Business News

New fall in business investment fuels worry

A further decline in firms' spending on their infrastructure has heightened concern about Britain's economic recovery

Mortgage approvals soar by 98% in October

A surge in the number of new home loans gives further hope of a turnaround for Britain's battered property market

Prudential scraps UK Lifetime Mortgage business

Up to 100 jobs are at risk as the insurer plans to drop an equity release product aimed at elderly homeowners

• Eastern promise lifts spirits at Prudential

• Ways to rest easier in retirement

Informa shares tumble on Springer approach

Concerns about a big rights issue undermine Informa's hopes for a deal with Springer Science and Business Media

World Business News

Emergency loan averts Japan Airlines failure

A state-backed bank has thrown a lifeline to Asia's biggest carrier, even though many Japanese see it as a lost cause

Two executed over Chinese milk scandal

Anger as former head of state-run dairy company gets life sentence for role in laced-milk scam that killed six babies

• Trials begin over China's tainted milk scandal

• China milk scandal spreads as sick toll rises

Reliance Industries bids for LyondellBasell

Indian group controlled by Mukesh Ambani has offered as much as £12 billion to buy Dutch-American chemicals maker

• LyondellBasell's US arm in bankruptcy protection

• Number of Indian billionaires doubles in a year

GM warned against state 'subsidy race'

Brussels tells General Motors that it will not tolerate EU states competing to offer generous aid in return for safeguarding jobs

Analysis

A gush of party leaders woo the CBI

All three main political party leaders turned up at the conference to court British business and all were appropriately gushy

• A fund of ideas with a frugal approach

• A rough ride ahead for National Express

Wm Morrison seeks successor to Marc Bolland

Speculation grows about candidates for supermarket job, with Waitrose boss Mark Price said to be among the contenders

Tempus: Mitie's orderly house bodes well

The FTSE 250 outsourcing specialist has lowered revenue forecasts, but investors believe that it can take slowdown in its stride

Law  

Arrests are being made 'to expand DNA files'

Report says police are routinely arresting people simply to record their DNA profiles on the national database

Lack of M&A business cuts Linklaters' revenue

Income at Britain’s second-biggest law firm has fallen by nearly 10 per cent to £591m in the six months to October 31

• Downturn yields rich pickings for Linklaters

• Linklaters trounces rivals as UK's biggest firm

Straw pledges action to end libel tourism

Justice secretary says the large legal fees involved in defamation cases in English courts are jeopardising freedom of speech

Money  

Five tricks banks use to cut savings

Savers are seeing returns eroded by rising inflation while banks are using sneaky methods to reduce rates still further

• Santander Zero free current account ‘sting’

• Savers denied the best rates

Wealthy dump pensions for high-risk schemes

Venture capital trusts set to become saving plan of choice when the government restricts tax relief on pensions from next year

• Can experts really boost my income?

• Ways to rest easier in retirement

Dental care: what you are entitled to

Do you know what you are eligible for on the NHS and how much you should pay?

business travel  

Gulf Air could cost Rolls-Royce $1.5bn

The Bahrain-based airline is to renegotiate contracts with suppliers in attempt to save $2.65 billion over five years

Heathrow's terminal 2 closes after 54 years

The old Europa Building will be demolished to make way for a 30 million passenger a year mega-terminal

Bmi revamps Diamond Club frequent flyer scheme

Airline adds family membership and unveils new rules for complimentary upgrades