Economics / Markets

A powerful earthquake today struck north-east Japan on the one-month anniversary of the magnitude 9 quake which left nearly 28,000 people dead or missing.

Nationals round-up: Parents may need to save more for their children than they expected, while investors are being urged to look to Russia.

Disposable incomes among British households are at their lowest peacetime levels since 1921, amid soaring inflation and low pay rises.

Iceland has rejected a deal with the UK and the Netherlands to repay debts relating to the collapse of Icesave.

The Independent Commission on Banking has recommended UK banks' retail operations should be "ring-fenced" from their investment banking arms.

Portugal is set to receive an €80bn bailout package by the middle of May - as long as the beleaguered nation pushes through tough austerity measures.

Oil prices have jumped to a two-and-a-half-year high on fresh fears about supply and a weaker dollar.

IFAonline rounds up what the newspapers are saying…

The FTSE 100 opened higher this morning after a sharp fall yesterday on news Japan had been hit by a second earthquake.

Jean Claude Trichet, the president of the European Central Bank, has defended yesterday's 25 basis point hike in interest rates as good for the eurozone, as EU leaders prepare for talks on the bailout of Portugal.