Tim Cook, Apple chief executive, mounted an emphatic and unapologetic defence of the US technology group's tax practices, as US senators quizzed him over congressional charges that the company avoided billions of dollars in taxes on international profits.

The incoming governor of the Bank of England has warned Europe it must make "sustained and significant reforms" if it is to avoid a Japanese-style lost decade caused by austerity measures.

Shareholders in G4S have expressed fears over the future direction of the company, as chief executive Nick Buckles stepped down with a �16m package - despite presiding over last year's failure to deliver an Olympics contract, and an abortive takeover of ...

LONDON�Burberry Group PLC showed further signs of recovery following a midyear profit warning, as it reported a rise in full-year revenue on Tuesday.

Major shareholders had urged Vodafone to distribute most of the special dividend from its 45pc stake in the growing American operator.

The proportion of UK beaches classed as "excellent" for the quality of their bathing water has fallen to its lowest level since 2000, new figures show.

LONDON - Scotland can afford to go it alone as an independent country, its first minister Alex Salmond insisted on Tuesday as his administration claimed the British government was holding back economic development north of the border.

Lack of competition in the UK cement industry has cost consumers millions of pounds, according to the Competition Commission. It said the big firms had focused on maintaining market share rather than competing with each other.

The �1.2bn contract, first revealed by The Daily Telegraph and still subject to final negotiations, will see Capita take over the management of existing O2 call centres with 3,700 customer service jobs transferred.

The Bank of Ireland (BoI) has reversed controversial increases of mortgage rates for some of the 13,500 affected borrowers following pressure from consumers and lawyers.