| The latest stories from the Business section of the BBC News web site. |
| Glencore-Xstrata in $90bn merger |
| Anglo-Swiss mining group Xstrata unveils a $90bn merger with commodity trader Glencore, a move opposed by some major shareholders. |
|
| RBS boss: 'Prove critics wrong' |
| RBS boss Stephen Hester breaks his silence on the controversy surrounding his bonus, saying the attention had been "discomforting, to say the least". |
|
| Euro 'could survive Greece exit' |
| EU Commissioner Neelie Kroes piles pressure on Greece to agree tough reforms, saying a euro exit would be "no man overboard". |
|
| Empty shop numbers 'set to rise' |
| The number of empty shops on the UK's high streets is set to increase this year, a survey says, as economic conditions get tougher. |
|
| Clydesdale Bank owner could sell |
| The Australian owner of the Clydesdale Bank and Yorkshire Bank is looking for options to sell or radically reform the businesses. |
|
| Stores offer warranty concessions |
| Dixons, Comet and Argos have pledged to improve the way extended warranties for electrical goods are sold, the Office for Fair Trading says. |
|
| Profits surge at GlaxoSmithKline |
| UK drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline announces profits of £1.9bn for the three months to the end of December, up from a £193m loss a year previously. |
|
| Lloyds Group to shed 1,000 jobs |
| Lloyds Banking Group announces it is to shed nearly 1,000 jobs and close three of its administration sites. |
|
| Tax deal brings out 2,000 evaders |
| Some 2,000 people from the UK with money invested in Liechtenstein have come forward after the tax haven was put under the spotlight. |
|
| India growth 'to fall below 7%' |
| India's economic growth is likely to dip below 7% for the 2011-12 financial year, new government statistics show. |
|
| BP ups dividend as profits rise |
| BP announces sharply higher profits and increases its dividend to shareholders for the first time since the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. |
|
| Toyota increases profits forecast |
| Carmaker Toyota raises its profits forecast, saying its recovery is on track after the Japanese tsunami, Thai floods and the strong yen. |
|
| UBS profits down on weak business |
| Profits at Swiss bank UBS slump by three-quarters and the outlook remains tough as the eurozone crisis saps business. |
|
| Loss at steel maker ArcelorMittal |
| Steel maker ArcelorMittal reports a loss for the final three months of last year, but forecasts better times ahead. |
|
| UK bookings boost for Tui Travel |
| Europe's biggest travel group Tui Travel says its UK bookings have performed better than the overall market in recent months. |
|
| Hearts face action over tax bill |
| Heart of Midlothian Football Club is given eight days by tax officials to pay an outstanding bill or face liquidation. |
|
| 'Gobsmacking' tax and NHS costs |
| Estimates showing £10.9bn in unpaid tax was written off and medical negligence could cost £15.7bn are examined by the Commons spending watchdog. |
|
| Dutch car plant in '1-euro' offer |
| A Mitsubishi Motors boss offers to sell its Dutch factory for one euro, a day after the Japanese car-maker said it was halting production there. |
|
| Budget political broadcasts axed |
| Budget Day political broadcasts have been axed, under new BBC rules. |
|
| EMA replacement 'failing young' |
| A report suggests poor young students are dropping out of college because the government's bursary scheme is "inadequate". |
|
| Pension costs 'may rise faster' |
| The mortality rate in England and Wales improved in 2011, which could have a knock-on effect on pensions, actuaries say. |
|
| Borrowers 'shunning credit cards' |
| Demand for credit cards is "feeling the strain" as UK borrowers turn to other forms of finance, a report suggests. |
|
| Euro crisis 'could damage China' |
| A eurozone recession could almost halve Chinese growth this year, according to a report by the International Monetary Fund. |
|
| Bank lending 'to shrink' in 2012 |
| UK bank lending is set to shrink this year for the first time since 2009, according to the Ernst & Young Item Club. |
|
| Businesses 'cautious' on future |
| UK firms plan to cut back on capital investment and hiring as the UK economic outlook remains gloomy, a report suggests. |
|
| Citi to launch China credit cards |
| The Chinese unit of Citigroup wins approval to launch credit cards in China, the first non-Asian bank to do so. |
|
| Gas price rises as freeze bites |
| The price of gas increases sharply around Europe as below-freezing temperatures lead to a surge in demand. |
|
| Network Rail boss forgoes bonus |
| Network Rail bosses, including chief executive Sir David Higgins, say they will not accept bonuses this year amid growing political pressure. |
|
| Redknapp tax trial jury sent home |
| The jury in the Harry Redknapp tax evasion trial is sent home for the day with deliberations to continue on Wednesday. |
|
| 2012 venue naming rights for sale |
| The Olympic Park Legacy Company has launched a process to recruit sponsors of venues beyond London 2012. |
|
| Gers Whyte may have lied to court |
| BBC Scotland uncovers evidence which suggests Rangers owner Craig Whyte may have lied in court. |
|
| VIDEO: Empty shops rate hits 14% |
| One in every seven shops on the UK's High Streets stood empty at the end of 2011. |
|
| AUDIO: 'We should stop using the word bonus' |
| Labour leader Ed Miliband, who has called for a tax on bankers' bonuses, is to lead a House of Commons vote on the issue. Peter Hahn, of the Cass Business School, and John Cridland, of the CBI, discuss whether executive pay is falling. |
|
| VIDEO: Merger will create mining giant |
| News of a merger between mining firm Xstrata and commodities trader Glencore has been met with a mixed reception by investors. |
|
| VIDEO: Thousands in Greece go on strike |
| Public transport and ports have ground to a halt in Greece as two of the country's largest public-sector unions strike in protest at continuing austerity. |
|
| VIDEO: My Bottom Line: Wol Kolade |
| Isis Equity Partners managing director, Wol Kolade, says banks need to offer small and medium-sized companies more credit to help fund advance customer orders, so they can grow and play a role in wider economic recovery. |
|
| AUDIO: Extended warranty deals 'not good value' |
| The Office of Fair Trading has concluded that extended warranties on items such as washing machines are not a good deal. |
|
| AUDIO: Europe must do 'real' business |
| Malaysia's former Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad says Europe needs to produce 'real' goods and services, not rely on the financial sector |
|
| VIDEO: Connecting the future of business travel |
| As almost any road warrior will tell you, wi-fi connectivity is becoming more and more important and necessary. |
|
| What the Dickens is the author worth? |
| Valuing the author's brand, 200 years after his birth |
|
| 'Europe is poor so should cut the cloth accordingly' |
| Time to learn from Asia and cut the cloth accordingly? |
|
| Road warriors struggle to get connected |
| Road warriors struggle to get connected |
|
| Arab Spring hits India mango trade |
| Indias mango industry hit by Arab Spring |
|
| Bristol launches its own currency |
| Keeping it within the local economy |
|
| Making money in war time |
| Making money in war time |
|
| Tales of woe from the roaming professionals |
| When working in a new country can prove unlucky |
|
