Economics / Markets

Britain's top companies had a torrid 2012 as nearly a third of their profits were wiped out while revenue growth was sluggish at best, a new report has revealed, and profits would need to bounce back by 40% to justify the recent market surge.

London's leading share index has started the week firmly lower, with global sentiment knocked by worse than expected Chinese manufacturing data which had already sparked yet another slump for Japan's stock market.

Barclays has been dragged into the scandal surrounding Liberty Reserve, a US cash-transfer business accused of running the biggest money-laundering operation in American history.

Outgoing Bank of England governor Sir Mervyn King has said people have "every right to be angry" with banks over the financial crisis.

The FTSE 100 index fell once again today as nervous investors continued to take profits, but it remains on track to lock-in its twelfth consecutive month of gains.

Geoff Hitchin, manager of the Marlborough Global Bond fund, looks at how investors can protect their portfolios against any further weakening of the pound.

The British Chambers of Commerce(BCC) has upgraded its long-term growth forecast for the UK, but warned the economy still faces domestic and overseas challenges.

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The incoming governor of the Bank of England (BoE) may introduce more quantitative easing and attempt to devalue the pound, the world's biggest bond fund manager predicted yesterday.

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