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Ocado loses £39.7million as fuel costs soar

Supermarket delivery firm Ocado today revealed annual losses of £39.7 million after facing higher fuel costs and increased competition on prices. Read

Co-op warns: We're taking on the big boys

The Co-operative Group today said it was ready to trade blows with its bigger grocery rivals after its burgeoning food business boosted first-half profits. Read

Royal TV maker RDF continues to suffer

Programme maker RDF Media said today it had suffered a worse than expected hangover from last year’s controversy over its re-edited trailer for a documentary on the Queen. Read

Topps Tiles sees sales slump - but shores up debt

The UK’s biggest tile and wood floor retailer Topps Tiles today unveiled sharp sales falls but said it had shored up its finances to weather the tough conditions. Read

Bay Trading shares slump following sales warning

Shares in Bay Trading womenswear firm Alexon slumped more than 20% today as the retailer painted a grim picture of high street trading. Read

Estate agents down to five-a-month

Estate agents sold an average of just five properties each during August as potential buyers sat on their hands, figures showed today. Read

Wolseley announces sharp fall in profits

Building supplies giant Wolseley today announced a sharp fall in profits but said it remained confident it will meet its banking covenants this year. Read

Yell Group suspends dividen payments

Yellow Pages owner Yell Group today suspended dividend payments to shareholders in a bid to reduce debt. Read

HBSO tries to reassure as shares fall 40%

Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) today sought to reassure investors over its funding, but failed to prevent its shares slumping for the second day in a row. Read

Warning of imminent 5% inflation rate

Bank of England Governor Mervyn King today offered hope that inflation could soon reach its peak - but hinted it may be too early for interest rates cuts. Read

Bank of England pumps £20bn into money markets

The Bank of England pumped an extra £20 billion into short-term money markets today - four times the sum seen yesterday after Lehman’s collapse. Read

Aldi and Lidl see market share rise

Discount supermarkets have achieved further market share gains as customers respond to “low-price messages”, industry research showed today. Read

Adecco calls off takeover of rival

Global recruitment firm Adecco today called off its £1.3 billion takeover pursuit of British rival Michael Page International. Read

Berkeley housing sales halve

Housebuilder and property developer Berkeley today said sales had slumped by half since May as housing market woes continued unabated. Read

Lehman's UK staff face not being paid

UK staff of collapsed investment bank Lehman Brothers face the prospect of not being paid this week, administrators warned today. Read

Woolwich cuts interest rates

Barclays’ mortgage arm Woolwich today became the latest firm to cut interest rates on its home loans. Read

Insurance group AIG gets £20bn lifeline

Manchester United’s embattled sponsor American International Group (AIG) was today granted a 20 billion US dollar (£11.2bn) lifeline to shore-up its finances. Read

Lehman collapse wipes £9bn off pension schemes

Pension schemes saw £9 billion wiped off their value today as stock markets dived following the collapse of US investment bank Lehman Brothers. Read

Dragon Duncan Bannatyne backs Gordon Brown

Business tycoon and Labour donor Duncan Bannatyne tonight threw his weight behind Gordon Brown and dismissed “treacherous” rebellious Labour MPs who are undermining his authority. Read

Cafe Rouge owner reports slowing sales growth

Bella Italia and Cafe Rouge parent Tragus today reported slowing sales growth, but posted a 56% leap in earnings as takeovers and openings boosted the group. Read