RBS

A last-minute rush to accelerate the payment of bonuses ahead of April's introduction of the 50p tax rate for high earners is under way, amid mounting anger by top executives over the squeeze on their take-home pay.

The Tories have stepped up their onslaught on Labour over social care, claiming that the Government was secretly planning to charge a £50,000 inheritance tax levy on people with estates of £500,000.

Traders are making record bets against the euro, underlining the mounting alarm over the region's debt crisis.

Disappointing US jobless data coupled with meltdown fears in Greece and Portugal as well as poor figures from Shell, hammered share prices in London today.

Investec Structured Products has added Royal Bank of Scotland as an alternative asset provider for its new collection of plans.

Virgin Money chairman Brian Pitman has confirmed rumours the bank is interested in buying Lloyds and Royal Bank of Scotland branches.

RBS bankers will receive their bonuses entirely in shares - but can convert a large portion into cash within 12 weeks.

Britain will turn in stronger growth than any other major economy next year, Goldman Sachs has declared, predicting a significantly stronger-than-expected recovery in the coming years.

The FTSE 100 opened slightly lower this morning after falls on Wall Street and in Asia, dipping 4.76 points (0.09%) to 5,493 in early trading.

Aberdeen has acquired £13.5bn of long-only multi-manager and fund of hedge fund assets from RBS Asset Management for £84.7m.