Economics / Markets

FIVE THINGS

The Commission on Banking Standards has told the government its plans to reform the UK's banking sector are not strict enough.

The Euro Group's new president has warned the UK could be facing a "new sterling crisis" as concerns grow over the state of public finances.

Barclays chief executive Antony Jenkins has suggested the growing automation of the banking system could result in massive job losses over the next ten years.

The Bank of England's latest thoughts on introducing negative interest rates to encourage higher lending from banks are 'somewhat schizophrenic', a leading economist has said.

Chancellor George Osborne is set to give incoming Bank of England Governor Mark Carney more powers in a bid to revive the flagging UK economy.

Sterling has jumped against the dollar, reversing this morning's losses, after the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted to keep its quantitative easing programme unchanged at £375bn.

SOAPBOX

SECTOR REPORT

The Dow Jones Industrial Average - one of the two most quoted indices in the US - has hit a record high above 14,200 points, surpassing its 2007 peak.