The government will oppose attempts to set a new renewable energy target within the EU, in a move that could put at risk tens of billions of pounds of green investment and tens of thousands of new jobs.

Sunday Telegraph: A consortium of British and international funds is planning a second �5 billion bid for Severn Trent before the 11 June "put up or shut up" deadline.

The Bank of England has announced that it is to extend the Funding for Lending Scheme until January 2015 with more incentives to lend to small businesses.

More than 30 of the coalition's flagship schemes, including Universal Credit and high-speed rail, are at serious risk of failure, a report says.

THE brokers for the �3 billion flotation of Royal Mail are expected to be announced this week, as trade unions claim that the government may yet push for an outright sale of the business.

Angry shareholders of HSBC on Friday bombarded the group's board with barrage of accusations ranging from financing Mexican drug cartels to supporting tax havens, slashing jobs and mis-selling products.

The euro zone has been reminded lately that although investors are showing renewed confidence in its financial markets that its crisis is still simmering below the surface.

Activity in the vital services sector increased, according to the latest Markit PMI survey for April giving the clearest indication yet that the economy is improving.

The cold winter has reduced UK energy reserves to critical levels. With the cold weather continuing to increase demand for gas and a lack of investment meaning there is little storage capacity UK gas reserves are at a critical level.

TAXPAYERS could end up footing a �62 million bill for restoring coal mines in one local authority area following the collapse of Scotland's largest mining companies.