House prices rose 0.3% in June according to Nationwide Building Society, the third month of what it termed ‘subdued growth’.
On a quarterly basis, growth slowed to 1% in the three months to June from 1.6% in the previous three months. This meant that annual house price inflation currently stands at 5% in the […]

The UK enjoyed the highest level of inward investment anywhere in the world, according to figures released by the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
Direct foreign investment totalled £91bn in 2005 and was driven up by a boom in takeovers of British companies. British firms bought by overseas operations in recent years include […]

Barclays is to cut up to 1,200 jobs in a two-year reorganisation that will see the name of Woolwich disappear from the High Street.
Three call centres in Kent, Essex and Dudley in the West Midlands are to be shut and Woolwich branches will be re-branded as Barclays. Branches within 300 metres of each other […]

Daily Mirror publisher Trinity Mirror ™ has reported a sharp fall in advertising revenues in the half year to the start of July and said it expected sales to be down 10.6% on a like-for-like basis.
 
The national titles did the worst, where income was down 12.1%, while regional titles saw a 9.7% fall. Recruitment […]

WH Smith, the struggling retailer and news distribution chain, is to split the two strands of its operation in August in order to give the business ‘more focus’.
Chief executive Kate Swann said: “With a strong team in place to run Smith News, the distribution arm, and the existing management in place to run retail […]

With World Cup fever hitting the nation, Brits are set to get off their couches and spend nearly £5bn emulating the star players. Andrew Partridge reports
Brits will spend £4.65bn this year on sports and fitness with the average person spending £206, according to new research.
The research from Barclays Insurance shows that sports participation traditionally […]

A secretive UK hedge fund has been found to be the biggest donor to charity in the UK. The Children’s Investment Fund gives 1% of its assets to charity, to help impoverished children in developing countries, and is currently endowed with £63m, with a further £33m in a US charity.
The fund was founded by Chris […]

Not nearly enough people are saving for their retirement, according to a report published by insurance company Scottish Widows.
 
The report found that in the last year the percentage of people saving adequately for their old age fell from 55% to 46%. At the same time, the percentage of people making absolutely no effort to […]