UK Business News

UK wind-farm winners to be named

Seabed owner, the Crown Estate, which is administering the auction, is preparing to announce the consortiums on January 6

Kraft hires acquisition expert from Heineken

The American food group has appointed Jean-François van Boxmeer to provide extra punch in its quest for Cadbury

• Kraft tears apart Cadbury's hostile bid defence

• Cadbury bolsters defence against Kraft bid

Independent in sale talks with Standard

Alexander Lebedev, Evening Standard owner, is in exclusive talks to buy the Independent and its Sunday edition

• DMGT upbeat despite 23% profit fall

• Battle to save Lebedev oil firm

Tory chief's wife to benefit in Smythson sale

Samantha Cameron, creative director and wife of David Cameron, the Conservative leader, is to get a Christmas windfall

World Business News

French toast triumph over Google

In historic ruling, Paris court rules that extracts from books offered by the search engine amount to breach of copyright

Morgan Stanley’s chief forgoes bonus again

John Mack is the second bank chief executive not to receive a bonus, but the first to forgo it voluntarily

• John Mack to quit as Morgan Stanley chief

• Obama Administration appoints 'pay czar'

Irish out of recession, but not the woods

Republic posts first quarter of growth since start of 2008, but economists warn of fragile recovery and further weakness

• Dublin shows how to cut public debt

• Lenihan grasps tail of bloodied Celtic Tiger

Citigroup's shares hit by US capital-raising

An attempt to raise $20bn has been branded a humiliation for the bank and US Government as it failed to attract investors

Analysis

Bamboozling spins out of control

Our banks have grown too big and their so-called financial innovation too complex. If some want to quit Britain, let them

• To buy or not to buy, that is the question

• Battle for the nation’s savings

Companies must be bold to curb merger bills

Banks have been allowed to get away with fees that look astronomical in relation to the work done

Tempus: Utilities failed to show drive in 2009

Dull but predictable sector now stands out as the biggest loser from this year’s switch into racier stock alternatives

Law  

Lawyers grow rich on NHS negligence

The rise of no-win, no-fee actions has been blamed for more payouts ending up in the pockets of claimants’ representatives

BBC settles Trafigura case with £25,000 damages

The oil-trading company accepted the settlement over claims it caused deaths, miscarriages and sickness in Ivory Coast

• Trafigura report on dumped waste revealed

• Oil firm drops gagging order after outrage

Lovells' partners vote for US merger

The tie-up with Hogan & Hartson will create the world's ninth-biggest law firm with turnover of £1.1bn

Money  

Cheques to disappear within eight years

The move is a blow for millions of older people and small businesses

• Will the humble cheque bounce back?

• What high street banking will look like in 2020

Housing market slows after five months of growth

At £198,450, average house prices were 2.2 per cent lower in October than in October 2008, according to the DCLG index

• House price rally began to slow in October

• Not everyone is enjoying a house price bounce

Inflation surge eats into savers' returns

Only a handful of savings accounts promise a real return on deposits when the effect of inflation is taken into account

business travel  

Eurostar services 'to operate normally' this weekend despite strike

Journeys on Friday and Saturday should not be disrupted despite union action over expenses

Hilton hikes Hhonors points for free nights

Hotel group goes against the recent trend of more generous guest loyalty programmes

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