HOWZAT!

PensionsFirst in U-turn as products fail to sell

Investment manager set up by Amelia Fawcett is to launch a research arm after failing to win any sales since its creation

Galleon's Rajaratnam seeks to unseal Khan records

Hedge fund founder asks court to open records of an earlier criminal charge against the Government’s main witness

Persimmon's orders for new homes swells by 50%

Britain's second largest housebuilder cuts its debt level as activity in the housing market continues to improve

Harry Platt, unsung hero of British SME community

Workspace Group provides a lifeline to dozens of companies trying to find their way in a difficult world

Cadbury workers demand Kraft details

Union writes to US group asking for pledge that no sites will be closed if bid goes ahead

Presents are better in a gift-wrapped Bokks

Luxury presents, which can be anything from a yacht to champagne to a tour of Titanic, are on offer from a new company

US gun sales shoot up amid crime fears

Buyers are concerned that rising unemployment will lead inexorably to higher crime rates

Nick Reilly of General Motors

As a skilled negotiator who has been with the company for 34 years, he will be taking up a position as head of GM Europe

Ouch! Dentist chief is extracted

Founder and owner of James Hull Associates forced to step down after a bust-up with investors over his expenses

SFO drops investigation into founder of Merlin

Sir Christopher Evans, the biotech entrepreneur, will not be prosecuted over allegations concerning Merlin Biosciences

Steelmakers ask EU to bar BHP and Rio venture

Eurofer, representing Europe's biggest steel producers, wants anti-trust inspectors to block iron ore partnership

GM to repay $6.7bn in government bailout funds

The American carmaker reveals a smaller-than-expected loss in its first results since emerging from bankruptcy in July

Travelodge opens in Edinburgh and Manchester

The hotels group will recruit staff from Job Centre Plus as it adds ten new sites to its British network

Presents are better in a gift-wrapped Bokks

Luxury presents, which can be anything from a yacht to champagne to a tour of Titanic, are on offer from a new company

Virgin hits pause button on sale of channels

Company is considering sale of Living, Bravo and Trouble and its £300m half-share in UKTV that it owns with BBC

The unsmiling assassin ousts new Reed chief

Within months of arriving at publishing giant Reed Elsevier, Ian Smith was told by chairman that he was wrong man for the job

Steelmakers ask EU to bar BHP and Rio venture

Eurofer, representing Europe's biggest steel producers, wants anti-trust inspectors to block iron ore partnership

Xstrata boss mines £14m seam of share options

Mick Davis converts thousands of options in space of month, benefiting from near-trebling in stock price since January

OFT to investigate corporate insolvency fees

The watchdog is to begin an inquiry into the millions charged by accountants for winding up companies in administration

OFT to investigate the high cost of going bust

Watchdog launches inquiry into UK's corporate insolvency market over fears companies are paying too much to go bankrupt

Majestic Wine sees return to sales growth

The wine warehouse retailer says growing sales to individuals has seen off declining sales to the restaurant trade

Fashionistas boost Asos sales by 46%

Online fashion retailer sees international growth overtake Britain as free returns policy dents pre-tax profits

Google backtracks on putting world’s books online

The search giant has cut in half its plans to become the world's biggest online library in a legal move to appease critics

Intel pays $1.25bn to end feud with AMD

The world’s biggest chipmaker made the settlement with its rival to squash an antitrust case due to go to trial next year

UK to teach English in Bangladesh via mobile

BBC World Service scheme funded by the British Government will offer 50 million Bangladeshis a series of English lessons

Liberty Global enters Europe with Unitymedia

US-based cable television operator controlled by John Malone is buying Germany's second-largest cable operator for $3bn

Rail companies accused of masking fare rises

Some ticket prices will increase by 15 per cent, hidden behind a drop in regulated fares, passenger groups and unions say

End of the line for rail travel

Surely the country that developed the first railways should aspire to an infrastructure that is worthy of the 21st century

Bribery allegations investigated at Welsh Water

Regulator visits one of Britain's biggest water groups amid internal inquiry into allegations of irregular practices

British Gas comes in from the cold

Price cuts have brought customers flocking home, says parent group, with 200,000 energy accounts added this year