CBI seeking 'targeted' tax cuts

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:01:26 GMT

The CBI calls on the government to give a £500m boost to business in the Budget through a series of "targeted and modest" tax cuts.

Peugeot boosted by alliance talks

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:03:48 GMT

Peugeot shares jump 12% after the carmaker confirms it is in talks about possible "co-operations and alliances".

Peacocks sold but 3,100 jobs lost

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:04:47 GMT

Fashion retailer Peacocks is sold out of administration to Edinburgh Woollen Mill, saving 6,000 jobs, but 3,100 staff will be made redundant.

Greek MPs consider bailout laws

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:38:48 GMT

Protests take place outside parliament in Greece, as MPs consider emergency laws after a 130bn-euro bailout deal.

Bank members voted for £75bn QE

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:49:37 GMT

Minutes show two of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee wanted more money pumped into the economy, sending sterling down on the currency markets.

Hotels chain to create 3,000 jobs

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:53:19 GMT

Intercontinental hotels, which owns the Holiday Inn and Crown Plaza hotel brands, says it will create 3,000 jobs in the UK.

Obama seeks US corporate tax cut

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:26:09 GMT

US President Barack Obama proposes a cut in corporate tax and an end to tax loopholes, as part of his election-year strategy on the economy.

Air Asia hit by high fuel costs

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:43:32 GMT

Malaysian budget airline Air Asia reports a 56% fall in fourth-quarter profit, hurt by higher fuel costs.

South Korea wins Navy tanker deal

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 18:44:55 GMT

The Royal Navy selects South Korean firm Daewoo for a £452m deal to build four new fuel tankers.

PPI payments 'hit £1.9bn in 2011'

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:32:11 GMT

Banks paid out £1.9bn in compensation in 2011 for the mis-selling of payment protection insurance, a watchdog says.

Travis Perkins profits jump 37%

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:25:30 GMT

Travis Perkins, the owner of Wickes, reports a jump in profits thanks to a strong performance in the building trade, but warned that the retail DIY market remains tough.

EU court to rule on Acta legality

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:03:23 GMT

A controversial anti-piracy agreement is to be referred to the EU's highest court due to concerns surrounding internet freedoms.

New targets for tax inspectors

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:10:13 GMT

Tax inspectors will target the motor trade, market stallholders and clothing sellers as they extend their campaign against tax dodgers.

Indian call centres 'in US fraud'

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:15:36 GMT

Indian call centres were used to swindle millions of dollars out of Americans in a debt collection fraud, say US federal officials.

Nigeria rig 'may burn for months'

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:26:46 GMT

A gas-fuelled fire, with flames as high as 5m, may burn for months in waters off the Niger Delta in south-east Nigeria, a Chevron spokesperson tells the BBC.

Eurozone service sector shrinks

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:41:43 GMT

The eurozone's service sector shrinks unexpectedly in February, a survey suggests, increasing fears of a recession.

Barratt bounces back into profit

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:23:05 GMT

Barratt Developments has returned to profit after a loss for the same period last year and it expects to recover further.

App helps blind people send texts

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:57:31 GMT

An app designed to help blind people send text messages could have many uses for fully-sighted people too, researchers say.

Vatican to lose tax-exempt status

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 10:47:05 GMT

Italy's Catholic Church faces an annual multi-million euro bill over government plans to strip it of its tax-exempt status.

Stamp price rise plans challenged

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:53:46 GMT

MPs challenge a regulator about plans to remove price caps on first-class stamps and raise the price limit on second class to as much as 55p.

New year drop in property sales

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:06:57 GMT

Home sales recorded their typical new year dip, but transactions in the first month of the year were higher than any January since 2008, figures show.

Cash offer for insulation 'help'

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 09:10:47 GMT

British Gas is offering £50 to anyone who can pass on the name of an elderly person or a family on benefits who needs to have their home insulated.

UK business confidence 'growing'

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:01:19 GMT

The number of UK businesses planning to increase their spending on marketing has risen sharply from last year, a survey suggests.

Hungary may lose EU aid over debt

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:30:55 GMT

The European Commission plans to freeze 495m euros of funding for Hungary, lamenting the country's excessive budget deficit.

W Australia seeks own wealth fund

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 07:23:46 GMT

Western Australia says it is planning to launch a sovereign wealth fund to invest earnings from its mining boom.

Dell forecasts decline in sales

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 23:04:12 GMT

Dell reports an 18% drop in fourth-quarter profit and forecasts a fall in sales in the current quarter, sending it shares down in after-hours trading.

Heathrow passengers reach record

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 08:30:03 GMT

The number of passengers using BAA's Heathrow airport reached a record last year while losses for the company narrowed, the airport operator says.

Megaupload founder granted bail

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:24:12 GMT

The founder of shut down file-sharing website Megaupload, Kim Dotcom, is granted bail by a New Zealand court.

Clarke & IMG settle legal dispute

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 11:44:57 GMT

England & Wales Cricket Board chairman Giles Clarke and media giant IMG have settled their legal dispute out of court.

Man Utd cut debt and lift revenue

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:55:31 GMT

Man Utd says revenues for the last six months of 2011 increased by £18.5m on the year before to £175m, while debt was cut.

Green light for £100m golf resort

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:30:34 GMT

Plans for a £100m golf resort on Northern Ireland's north coast are given the go-ahead.

VIDEO: PPI claim 'a lot of hard work'

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:16:37 GMT

The Financial Services Authority has revealed that compensation to borrowers who were mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance reached nearly £2bn last year.

AUDIO: The economic tide 'is coming in'

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:43:00 GMT

Economist Geoffrey Dicks speaks to the Today programme's Lesley Curwen about the positive indicators of the UK's "real economy".

VIDEO: British shoe company flourishing

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:32:06 GMT

As Budget day looms Steph McGovern asks Peter Taylor the Managing Director of Hotter Shoes, what he would like to see the Chancellor do to help UK PLC.

VIDEO: Could business help free schools?

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 10:27:32 GMT

Newsnight's political editor Allegra Stratton discusses the politics of putting children's education into the hands of profit-making companies.

VIDEO: Inside Apple's factory in China

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 21:49:01 GMT

ABC presenter Bill Weir has been granted exclusive access to a factory in China run by Foxconn, one of the biggest suppliers for software giant Apple.

VIDEO: CBI calls for 'targeted' tax cuts

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 12:11:44 GMT

The CBI is calling on the government to give a £500m boost to business in the Budget through a series of "targeted and modest" tax cuts.

AUDIO: Work experience is 'slave labour'

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:24:09 GMT

Estelle Cooch from the Right To Work protest group says the government's work experience scheme is 'slave labour'.

VIDEO: How smaller firms survive the recession

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:35:44 GMT

Many British manufacturers have been hit by the recession, but other areas such as car production appear to be growing well.

Biosensors measure sporting success

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:01:57 GMT

The new technologies changing sport performance

US turns up heat on China solar subsidies

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:02:54 GMT

China and US in spat over solar subsidies

Mobile money: Using your phone to transfer cash

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:01:52 GMT

Using your mobile phone to transfer cash

Analysis: Land grab or development opportunity?

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 02:13:01 GMT

Could leasing land to foreign firms help reduce African poverty?

Evolve and fight for sales or die

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 00:01:45 GMT

Serial entrepreneur gives his top tips for business survival

Philippines in fresh tourism push

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 16:44:37 GMT

The Philippines woo tourists with new slogan

Why are social enterprises thriving?

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:39:10 GMT

Why are social enterprises thriving in the UK?