Economics / Markets

London's leading share index was boosted this morning by a two-year high on Wall Street, following robust earnings reports and positive economic data.

FSA chief executive Hector Sants has rejected any suggestions the regulator should disclose details of bankers' remuneration.

The Icelandic parliament has approved a plan to repay the UK and the Netherlands the €4bn (£3.1bn) they compensated to Icesave investors.

Sterling fell against the dollar and the euro after the Bank of England downgraded its economic growth forecast for 2011.

A series of quarter-point interest rate hikes will begin in May, according to analysts examining Bank of England governor Mervyn King's latest obligatory letter to the Chancellor.

The Dow Jones is trading in the red after lower-than-expected US retail sales figures weighed on investor sentiment.

The UK inflation rate rose to 4% in January, which is double the government's target and up from 3.7% the previous month.

Official inflation figures due out today are misleading the public, according to international experts who say the data understates the true increase in the cost of living.

China has eclipsed Japan as the world's second-biggest economy after posting GDP figures of $5.8trn for 2010, higher than Japan's $5.47trn.

The City sees a one-in-five chance the Bank of England will raise interest rates today to combat rising inflation.