Economics / Markets

David Cameron has criticised banks and building societies for being too cautious with their mortgage lending and preventing the housing market from progressing.

The euro has fallen against the dollar amid renewed debt fears in the region as the yield on Portugal's treasury bill sale climbed to nearly double that of its last issuance.

Surging oil prices pose a threat to the economic recovery and nations must look to reduce their reliance on the black gold, says the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Gartmore shares dragged on the FTSE 250 yesterday amid fears takeover talks have slowed.

The price of gold has plummeted to a six-month low as the global rally in equities triggered by upbeat economic data threatens the precious metal's safe-haven appeal.

London opened marginally weaker on Wednesday, continuing the softer trend seen towards the end of Tuesday's session, with retailers in focus in the early going.

China and the US will lead the biggest-ever economic boom as global output triples again by 2050, a HSBC report predicts.

Politicians have been lining up to tell us how financially "difficult" 2011 will be, but nothing puts UK debt into perspective like the relentless building blocks of Tetris.

The UK's GDP growth will be slow in the first half of 2011 but will start to pick up in the latter part of the year, according to economics research firm IHS Global Insight.

London's leading share index rose almost 150 points, or 2.48%, to reach 6,045 by late morning, buoyed by the commodities sector.