HOWZAT

BarCap told customers ‘buy Dubai’ just before crisis

Many banks and investors had assumed Dubai World would not struggle because it would be bailed out by its parent state

Japanese Government split on cash injection

A stimulus package of about Y7,000bn has been delayed over deepening political divisions within the new ruling party

Last days of Rome in Dubai

The parties and celebrations go on in the Emirate but beneath everything is the stark reality of an astonishing boom gone wrong

Construction figures suggest end to recession

Office for National Statistics says that construction output rose by 2 per cent in the third quarter, contradicting estimates

Mandelson warns Kraft over Cadbury intentions

Kraft has kicked off one of Britain's biggest hostile takeover bids amid a warning that it faces 'huge opposition'

EU ministers dig in heels over shoe tariffs

Retailers oppose the tax on shoes from Asia, which they say has cost British consumers £330 million a year

General Motors looks for expansion in India

Acting chief executives pushes through changes and focuses restructuring plan on emerging markets

Car sales accelerate as scrap scheme nears end

Buyers rush to take advantage of 'cash for bangers' car scrappage scheme and lower rate of VAT

AstraZeneca pays $1.2bn for antidepressant

The British drugs company hopes that the experimental drug being developed by Targacept could be its next blockbuster

Cyber-criminals cash in with net pharmacies

Unscrupulous online criminals are exploiting consumers desperate to have access to swine flu drugs sold through internet

Ineos mulls sale as it juggles £5.9bn debt

Britain’s biggest private company and the world’s third-largest chemical manufacturer must start debt repayments in 2011

Corus blames job cuts on lack of support

Britain’s biggest steelmaker tore into the Government as it said it was mothballing most of a site, cutting 1,700 jobs

Royal Mail to sell its stake in Camelot

Mail distributor bows to shareholder pressure and agrees to sell its 20 per cent stake, which will realise at least £60 million

Marston’s boss defends rights issue

Chief executive Ralph Findlay justified the recent £176m fundraising to answer investors unimpressed with performance

It’s not all bad news for Scotland’s defiant papers

Local newspapers are facing a ‘perfect storm’ of declining advertising revenue and the rise of the internet

Maxwell faces second bankruptcy hearing

Britain's biggest bankrupt Kevin Maxwell, son of disgraced media mogul Robert Maxwell, faces ruin once more

BHP and Rio to realise $100bn mining venture

Giants to merge iron ore mining operations in Pilbara, Western Australia, but companies will sell products separately

BHP and Rio to agree $100bn joint venture

The miners will merge iron-ore operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia but sell the product separately

Amec seeks out acquisitions with £700m cash

Engineering and support group servicing power industry said acquisitions would be a key plank of its new strategy

Crash, bang, wallop, what a picture . . .

Manchester law firm that specialises in personal injury claims, has developed a handy application for the iPhone

Game may be up for the Christmas turkey

Sales of a trio of birds - pheasant, partridge and mallard - for £35 have soared at Waitrose as shoppers prepare for Christmas

Morrisons board forces Bolland to quit early

Departing chief executive is to step down with immediate effect because board cannot discuss sensitive business decisions

Maxwell faces second bankruptcy hearing

Britain's biggest bankrupt Kevin Maxwell, son of disgraced media mogul Robert Maxwell, faces ruin once more

Failure and debt has followed his every move

Kevin Maxwell was made bankrupt with debts of £406.5 million, making him the biggest bankrupt in British history

Mast swaps will mean savings for providers

The deals offer operators discounts of tens of thousands of pounds when compared with building their own masts

Business big shot: David Rowe, chief executive of Easynet

Founder of the broadband group has called on the sector to adopt a de facto standard for customer service performance

Gatwick’s owner unveils changes to improve airport

Global Infrastructure Partners throw down the gauntlet to BAA by poaching Stewart Wingate, the boss of Stansted Airport

‘Practitioners and politicians need to work together’

Baroness Valentine, chief executive of London First, talks about what it takes to make things happen

Speed up pace of new energy technologies

Policymakers are in the best position to push the introduction of new technologies, starting the climate change summit

Britain could be nation of power stations

Home energy production devices will become increasingly viable following £9 billion rollout of 'smart meters'