The scale of the challenge facing policymakers to return Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland to private ownership became clearer today as the banking industry was told to raise another �13.4 billion.

Fresh signs that the U.S. Federal Reserve is considering pulling back on efforts to support the U.S. economy rattled global markets Thursday in a wave that hit every major asset class.

UK retail sales recorded a larger-than-expected rise last month, helped by a strong increase in food sales. Sales rose 2.1% in May from the month before, and were up 1.9% from a year earlier, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

By James Davey. LONDON | Thu Jun 20, 2013 6:33am EDT. LONDON (Reuters) - British sales of tablet computers are booming, Europe's second-biggest electricals retailer Dixons said, underpinning profit growth and offsetting weak markets in ...

By Alistair Smout. LONDON | Thu Jun 20, 2013 12:05pm BST. LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's top shares slid to five-month lows on Thursday, led by miners after the U.S.

BRUSSELS--The European Union began legal proceedings against France and the U.K. on Thursday over the fees charged by the private company that run the rail tunnel under the English Channel.

Children will go blind or die if the world does not embrace genetically modified crops Owen Paterson claimed today. The Environment Secretary issued the controversial ultimatum as he claimed Britain could lead the way in producing GM food.

Markit's Flash Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI), a combination of the services and manufacturing sectors and seen as a guide to growth, rose to 48.9 in June from May's 47.7.

The Council for Mortgage Lenders (CML), which produced the data, said the numbers showed stronger house purchase activity than it was expecting and with the highest lending for any month since October 2008.

Paul Walsh is poised to switch his attentions from the drinks cabinet to catering, after the former chief executive of Diageo on Thursday took up a new role as chairman of Compass Group.