Steve Jobs, co-founder and former chief executive of US technology giant Apple, has died at the age of 56.

While the headline acts draw the polite crowds at the Institute of Financial Planning's conference, the truth comes out in the Celtic Manor bar and at the Jewel Balti curry house on Chepstow road, Newport.

Lifesearch has developed an outsourced protection service for advisers which it will bring to market if there is support for the offering, CEO Tom Baigrie has revealed.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has restarted its review of Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) funding, with a view to formally consult in the first half of 2012.

Financial services will cut a further 8,000 jobs over the next three months, as the sector struggles under increasingly negative future prospects, according to a survey out today.

Chancellor George Osborne will extend the council tax freeze for another year in a bid to help ease the financial burden on households, it will be announced today.

Andrew Tyrie, the chairman of the Commons Treasury select committee, has criticised the government's long-term economic policies as "inconsistent and incoherent" and said other key parts of strategy were contradictory, and at best irrelevant.

David Child has taken over the role of Lifesearch managing director from Tom Baigrie, who moves to become chief executive of the company.

A draft copy of the European MiFiD financial services reforms has singled out independent firms for the ban on commission, but stops short of confirming the rules will also apply to other advisers.

Germany's parliament has voted by a large majority in favour of supporting a more powerful fund to bail out troubled eurozone economies.