Economics / Markets

The eurozone economy will only grow around 1% this year, according to the head of the single currency block.

UK inflation has hit 3.5%, prompting Mervyn King to write a letter of explanation to the Chancellor.

Bosses are being forced to make business loans on their credit cards because bankers are still refusing to lend them money.

Barclays has reported a 92% increase in full-year profits.

Barclays jumped 8% in early trade after posting bumper annual profits, helping the FTSE to a 1.2% gain.

The FTSE was up 40.81 points (0.84%) to 5,185.53, buoyed by news of a tie-up between British Airways and American Airlines.

Millions of Americans will now own a little piece of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway after the company listed on the S&P500 after trading closed on Wall Street last week.

Japan's economy grew by a better than expected 1.1% in the final quarter of last year, although it contracted by over 5% during the whole of 2009.

The Dow Jones fell 135 points in early trading after China said it would ask banks to up reserve levels, restricting their lending capabilities.

The FTSE is up 0.71% to 5,198.05 in early trading as it tries to shake off a wobbly performance yesterday as uncertainty about the Greek bail-out plan weighed on European markets.