Iconic Films

Merrill Lynch goes in search of weakest runners

Wall Street investment bank demands its army of equity analysts identify far more companies whose shares they believe will fall

Business big shot Steven Crawshaw

Bradford & Bingley's rights issue U-turn isn't the first time that Steven Crawshaw has said one thing and done another

Land Securities writes down assets by £1.28bn

Britain's largest commercial property company reports the biggest ever decline in its asset values over a one year period

Housing gloom darkens as US repossessions rise

One in every 519 householders now face losing their home with no end to the property slide in sight

Malaysia turns to bartering in search of rice

Asian commodity and currency markets face chaos after the Malaysian Government sought to circumvent steep price rises

Lord's launches assault on sports goods market

Marylebone Cricket Club want to release the great untapped potential of Lord’s and become one of world sport’s biggest brands

Renault-Nissan and Bajaj take on Tata's Nano

European auto manufacturer strikes a deal with Indian motorcycle maker to create an inexpensive car for Indian market

Renault-Nissan join India's low-cost car race

Car giants join forces with motorbike mahnufacturer to create micro-car to give Tata's Nano a run for its money

Business big shot: Bill Colvin

Mr Colvin, whose care homes employ 41,000 people, is concerned about the Government's new rules on skilled migrant workers

Southern Cross sales soar on fee-per-bed rise

Britain’s largest care home operator increased its dividend by 50% after interim turnover rose by nearly a third

Chloride rejects £657m Emerson Electric bid

The power supply protection company's shares shoot up 26 per cent after it deflects a takeover approach from a US rival

Millions face second British Gas price rise

The energy group warns of a further increase this year after owner Centrica said operating profits would fall sharply

Enterprise Inns boss calls new low for pubs

Smoking ban, spending downturn and rising costs have combined to produce 'worst conditions ever experienced'

TUI feels the sun as holidays become essential

The group behind First Choice and Thomson says UK sales are up 8% this summer with no let up in bookings

Johnston turn to Malaysian billionaire

Johnston Press has turned to Ananda Krishnan to help raise £212 million and ease its woes

Mediapolis

Everybody at Sony BMG expects Sir Howard Stringer to buy out Bertlesmann when the shareholder agreement allows a sale in mid-2009

Crisis forces Malaysia to barter palm oil for rice

Asia markets face chaos as Malaysia's plan to return to traditional trading methods sparks fears over copy-cat deals

Oil companies struggle with spiralling costs

Industry costs are compounding the upward pressure on global oil prices, according to a leading industry research group

Postcomm raises new mail privatisation fears

The postal regulator will reignite fears over a privatisation of Royal Mail by calling for banks to take a stake in the ailing group

Rentokil investors criticise its fall from grace

Rentokil Initial shareholders focused criticism on City Link, the delivery business that the group has struggled to turn around

Tesco pays £958m for Korean stores

Britain's biggest retailer will triple its presence in Seoul as analysts say that the group's UK growth could be curbed

...but Sainsbury's chief looks on the bright side

Chief executive Justin King has insisted that food inflation in Britain's supermarkets was running well below predicted levels

Logica revenue rise boosts shares

Revenues for the first quarter rose to £856 million from £768 million a year earlier

Carl Icahn wades into Microsoft-Yahoo! fray

Billionaire investor Carl Icahn may launch a boardroom coup at Yahoo! in a bid to restart talks with Microsoft

Virgin Mobile USA in merger talks with rival

Troubled telecoms company in talks with South Korean's largest operator, SK Telecom, about a 'strategic partnership'

O2 prompts speculation over 3G iPhone

O2 Europe hints that the next generation iPhone is about to launch in the UK as it reports a strong first quarter

FirstGroup in £236m share placing for Greyhound

The transport business has raised the money to help finance its £1.8bn acquisition of Laidlaw, the owner of Greyhound

Virgin Mobile USA confirms talks with SK Telecom

Sir Richard Branson's mobile group hopes to regain ground in the US market through a deal with the Korean group

EDF's offer for British Energy faces opposition

The board of British Energy will consider a takeover approach from EDF but are hoping that more bids could materialise

Chloride rejects £657m Emerson Electric bid

The power supply protection company's shares shoot up 26 per cent after it deflects a takeover approach from a US rival