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H Samuel owner posts profits slump

H Samuel and Ernest Jones owner Signet posted a further slide in sales today as the jeweller saw no let-up in tough trading conditions in the US and UK. Read

Cains enters administration

LIVERPOOL brewer Cains has gone into administration. Read

Bank holds rates at 5%

THE Bank of England has kept interest rates at 5% today as its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) remain torn between inflationary pressures and the risk of a recession. Read

Northern Rock announces £585m losses

NORTHERN Rock today announced losses of £585.4 million for the first half of this year as the number of customers falling behind with mortgage payments jumped sharply. Read

United Utilities puts extra £2m a year in hardship fund

WATER firm United Utilities is to pump an additional £2 million a year into its fund for struggling customers. Read

HSBC predicts toughest challenge for decades

Banking giant HSBC said today that the most difficult financial markets “for several decades” had knocked more than a quarter off profits in the first half of 2008. Read

Fifth of Rock customers face negative equity

AROUND a fifth of Northern Rock’s mortgage customers face the prospect of negative equity next year as house prices slump, it was reported today. Read

Cautious Sage on track

SOFTWARE group Sage today said it was on course to meet market hopes this year despite “uncertain and challenging” conditions. Read

FTSE preview: Banks and insurers in the spotlight

Banks and insurers will come under the spotlight again this week as the half-year results season continues apace. Read

Sudarghara and Ajmail Dusanj pictured with Cains' creamy stout

Bank refuses to back Cains

THE future of Cains is today in grave doubt after the Liverpool brewer’s bankers, Bank of Scotland, chose not to back the plans to secure its future. Read

FSA ends probe into Halifax rumours

The City’s watchdog formally ended its inquiry today into the false market rumours which hit shares in Halifax Bank of Scotland in March. Read

Liverpool bucks John Lewis's downward trend

Department store chain John Lewis today reported a fall in weekly sales, but said half-year figures were still better than a year earlier. Read

FTSE ends the week on the back foot (with video)

The FTSE 100 Index was forced onto the back foot today after stocks were dealt a late blow by poor economic news from the US. Read

Alliance and Leicest profits fall 99%

Alliance & Leicester today said the credit crunch turmoil had almost completely wiped out profits in the first six months of the year. Read

Shell defends its £8bn profits

The oil industry’s profits bonanza continued today after surging prices helped Royal Dutch Shell to a surplus of almost £8 billion for six months trading. Read

HBOS reveals lower profits

Halifax Bank of Scotland today revealed sharply lower profits and said it was concerned about rising bad debts as customers struggle with repayments. Read

National Express boosted by soaring fuel prices

Bus and trains group National Express today said it was encouraged by trading as soaring petrol prices force travellers out of their cars. Read

FTSE battles through a storm of results (with video)

A rush of blue-chip company announcements failed to derail the FTSE 100 Index today, despite a severe reaction to figures from telecoms group BT. Read