Economics / Markets

The Government will slash business rates for a year and create a £4bn support fund to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Chancellor Alistair Darling has frozen the rate of inheritance tax (IHT) at £325,000 for four years.

Chancellor Alistair Darling has pledged to provide a basic bank account for all in his Budget speech.

The Chancellor has made a slight reduction in his optimistic growth forecasts for the coming years, after revising 2009's severe economic contraction up from 4.7% to 5%.

Chancellor Alistair Darling has doubled the threshold for stamp duty to £250,000 for first time buyers (FTBs) in an effort to boost recovery in the housing market.

Follow the Chancellor's key Budget announcements as they happen...

The FTSE edged higher at the start of trading today following a strong showing by US stocks yesterday. As at 8.45 GMT, London's leading index was up 0.2%, or 11 points, to 5684.

As the deadline approaches for subscriptions into Anthony Bolton's much-anticipated Fidelity China Special Situations investment trust, IFAonline and Investment Week bring you more than 20 of the legendary stock picker's favourite investment quotes.

Inflation fell back to 3% in February after a sharp spike at the beginning of the year.

The FTSE 100 opened higher Tuesday, tracking strength overnight on Wall Street, as Legal & General (L&G) beat profit forecasts and lifted its final dividend payout by a third.