The European Parliament has voted against a ban on commission payments in Europe in a move placing it at odds with the FSA's stance under the incoming Retail Distribution Review (RDR).

The US government has postponed the start date of incoming tax regime FATCA to give businesses more time to comply with the rules.

The UK is out of recession and had its strongest quarter in two years over the three months to September, according to NIESR.

BLACK MONDAY

Offshore tax havens Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man are working towards an agreement with the US government on FATCA, the incoming regime to prevent tax evasion.

SCARY NUMBERS

The British Bankers' Association (BBA) could be stripped of its role in setting the LIBOR interbank lending rate following the fixing scandal which saw Bob Diamond step down as the CEO of Barclays.

Crispin Odey has received planning permission for a £100,000 luxury chicken coop which will sit in the grounds of his country pile in rural Gloucestershire.

Bank of England governor Mervyn King has called the end of the recession in the UK and pointed to signs of growth returning to the economy.

Standard Life Investments (SLI) has promoted Mikhail Zverev to the role of head of global equities.