... Off. � European markets up in early trading on Friday � Japanese market swings widely in volatile trade � Europe needs Britain, says ECB president Mario Draghi � FTSE 100 suffers heaviest drop for a year � HSBC's $1.9bn money laundering settlement ...

Bank of England Markets Director Paul Fisher said policy makers must continue to provide support to the British economy so that companies and consumers have room to reduce debts and rebuild confidence.

Friday 08:00 BST. Japanese stocks closed higher, but only after another extremely volatile session leaked uncertainty into global equity markets that some investors consider vulnerable after many months of strong gains.

A Guernsey airline is considering using bigger planes after becoming the only operator to fly to Gatwick. The Treasury and Resources Department is the sole shareholder in Aurigny and said it is considering leasing or buying aircraft outright.

Mothercare is crawling towards a recovery as chief executive Simon Calver insisted the UK company was on target to break even within two years.

A day after the International Monetary Fund urged the government to do more to spur growth, Britain's official statisticians have reminded economists of just how far the UK economy remains from full health.

Two key lieutenants of Tesco boss Phil Clarke received almost �3million in 'damages' following their departure from Britain's biggest retailer at the height of its troubles.

JPMorgan's UK wealth management business has been fined nearly �3.1m for failing to keep complete and up-to-date client files, a shortcoming that put customers at risk of receiving unsuitable investment advice.

Cash and carry group Booker has benefited from the horsemeat scandal as more caterers have turned away from processed meats and started making meals from scratch, according to the company.

When it comes to beer stocks, investors should splurge for a taste of the exotic. Consider SABMiller, which reported Thursday a healthy 12% rise in adjusted earnings during the year through March.