House prices rose 0.4pc in March, according to official Government figures. The Office of National Statistics (ONS) said that house prices had risen 2.7pc in the twelve months to March 2013, rising from �229,000 to �235,000 on average.

... Off. � UK inflation falls further than expected to 2.4pc � G4S chief executive Nick Buckles steps down � Marks & Spencer profits fall after clothing struggles � Burberry pre-tax profits up 14pc to �427.8m � Vodafone pre-tax profit fell 65.9pc � Political attacks on ...

Marks and Sparks' embattled clothing business is failing to meet the demands of changing fashions on the high street, and on Tuesday posted its lowest earnings for four years.

Vodafone is to plough a �2.1bn dividend from US telecoms group Verizon back into its business rather than offer shareholders a windfall, after the UK-based mobile operator reported its biggest annual fall in service revenues in five years.

Royal Mail has reported a 60% increase in pre-tax annual profits to �324m, as the government prepares to sell off the 497-year-old postal service in the most ambitious privatisation since British Gas in 1986.