Economics / Markets

The FTSE started the day positively buoyed by a strong start for bank stocks and increased hopes of a global recovery.

George Osborne will today set out plans for the biggest shake-up of economic regulation since 1997.

The consumer price index (CPI) of inflation eased in May to 3.4%, down from 3.7% in April, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Santander has reportedly entered its final offer for Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS') network of 318 UK branches.

The Chancellor is likely to announce additional public spending cuts or tax rises of £34bn a year in his emergency Budget next week, economists warn.

Billionaire investor George Soros, the man who broke the Bank of England, says the financial crisis has "just entered Act II" as Europe's fiscal woes worsen.

BP shares continued to fall both sides of the Atlantic on Monday after the oil giant said the cost of the Gulf of Mexico spill had risen to £1bn and US President Barack Obama compared the environmental disaster to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The newly-formed Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has downgraded the UK's economic growth projections for next year.

People should be able to access pensions before retirement, says the Centre for Policy Studies, as part of a raft of proposals to reform the UK savings system.

The FTSE 100 was up 0.74%, or 38.31 points, at 5201.99 in early trading, with mining stocks the biggest winners.