Economics / Markets

Early gains among financials offset disappointing Marks and Spencer results to see the FTSE marginally down 0.22% to 5,510.22 in early trading.

Warren Buffett has weighed into Kraft's hostile takeover bid for Cadbury, warning the US giant to not use too much of its stock to finance the proposed £10.4bn deal.

The FTSE was buoyed by big gains by financial stocks this afternoon after a positive note from Deutsche Bank.

US stocks reached 15-month highs on Monday, with both the Dow Jones and S&P 500 up at least 1.5% on the first trading day of 2010.

US stocks opened higher on the first trading day of the year as investors considered weekend comments from Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke.

Nine out of 10 defined benefit pension schemes are now closed to new entrants as employers continue to move away from the high-cost schemes, a report says.

The FTSE 100 has climbed to a fresh 15-month high of 5,451.79 this morning, with the 0.72% rise continuing the strong gains posted over the festive period.

Storm clouds are gathering over the euro, with the currency expected to fall from the highs seen in 2009, according to Caxton FX.

RBS could be forced to sell some of its estimated £15m art collection amid pressure to cash in non-core assets.

BRITAIN'S economy will finally make it out of recession in the last quarter of 2009, but will perform much less strongly in each of the next three years than the Government is currently forecasting, the CBI will say today.