The Co-operative Bank has closed its doors to new corporate customers as it tries to repair its balance sheet after its bonds were downgraded to �junk� status.

Fears over the UK's continuing energy security were fuelled today after a report claimed Britain came dangerously close in March to its gas supply running out and its lights being switched off.

Brenda Kelly, senior market strategist at IG, said: 'Last night's reassurances from James Bullard, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, that near-term tapering of Fed quantitative easing is anything but a certainty has helped to settle and create a ...

Fri May 24, 2013 7:05am EDT. For other related diaries, please see; DIARY - U.S. Federal Reserve DIARY - Polling Unit Diary DIARY - Key World Financial Events DIARY - Political and General news DIARY - Index of all Diaries DIARY - G7 Economic ...

U.S. factory sector appears to be slowing slightly, according to an early reading of May activity released Thursday. The flash purchasing managers' index compiled by data provider Markit fell to 51.9 in May from a final April reading of 52.1.

The British Bankers' Association (BBA) said approvals rose 0.9pc on an annual basis in April to 32,153, the highest seen since January.

FRANKFURT | Fri May 24, 2013 6:19am EDT. FRANKFURT May 24 (Reuters) - Banks will return early 8.123 billion euros ($10.48 billion) of crisis loans to the European Central Bank next week after the ECB cut its main interest rate to a fresh record low of 0.5 ...

British private equity investor 3i Group has made an offer to buy Barclays' European infrastructure fund management unit, as it seeks to boost assets under management.

The US Senate's probe of Apple's tax affairs this week injected renewed urgency into the global effort to crack down on aggressive tax avoidance, which will feature high on the agenda of the G8 summit meeting in Northern Ireland next month.

By Michael Northcott Friday, 24 May 2013. The UK's largest retailer has written a cheque for a massive �3m to just two outgoing directors, even though the management team all missed out on their bonus.