Papers

Prudential, Legal & General and Swiss Re are among a pack of insurance giants circling Equitable Life, Britain's oldest mutual insurer, The Telegraph reports.

Equitable Life is to call on the Government to pay damages as quickly as possible to policyholders who lost out following the near collapse of the UK's oldest mutual insurer, The Telegraph reports.

A damning report into the near-collapse of Equitable Life will highlight failings by government regulators and pave the way for billions of pounds in compensation to be paid out of the public purse, The Telegraph exclusive reveals.

Bradford & Bingley shares crashed 16% to 42p yesterday, dropping further below the 55p-a-share price of its £400m rights issue, as the City speculated that the buy-to-let lender is worthless, The Telegraph reports.

The banking industry has attacked the Government's plan to pay out part of a depositor's savings within a week of a bank going bust, The Telegraph reports.

European Union politicians are mulling using an obscure treaty article to curb financial speculation, in an attempt to force down oil and food prices and counter the influence of hedge funds, The Telegraph reports.

F&C Asset Management has emerged as one of the most short-sold companies listed on the stock market, with more than 10% of its shares in the hands of investors betting its price will fall further, The Telegraph reports.

Moves to learn the lessons of the humiliating run on Northern Rock last autumn were announced by the "tripartite authorities" yesterday, The Independent reports.

The protection limit for savers is set to be raised to £50,000 under proposals due to be announced by the Government today, The Telegraph reports.

Home owners are taking a record length of time to sell their houses, according to the latest gloomy house price survey, The Telegraph reports.