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Co-op halts new business lending
Co-operative Bank has stopped offering new business loans amid concerns over its capital position and talks with UK regulators.

Germany reports sluggish growth
Germany's economy barely grew in the first quarter of the year, figures show, as private consumption helped offset shrinking exports and investment.

IMF chief Lagarde made key witness
A French court does not place IMF head Christine Lagarde under investigation over a payout made when she was finance minister, making her a key witness instead.

Manchester United cuts debt costs
Manchester United has struck a new loan deal to cut the amount of interest it pays on its huge debts.

London Market Report
London's leading shares lose further ground in Friday trading, extending Thursday's global sell-off.

Second RBS apology for app glitch
RBS has apologised for the second time in two months after customers were unable to login to their accounts through their mobile phone app.

Restarted direct debits investigated
The information commissioner is seeking answers from a firm that has reactivated its former customers' old direct debits without their permission.

Poor countries take on tax avoiders
Developing countries are trying to stop mining companies shifting billions of dollars in profits out of their countries, depriving them of much-needed tax revenue.

Euro bank chief sees UK improvements
European Central Bank president Mario Draghi, visiting London's City district, says he sees "signs of tangible improvements" in the UK economy.

News Corp to split in two on 28 June
News Corp announces it will officially split its publishing and entertainment businesses on 28 June, two years after the UK phone-hacking scandal involving the News of the World.

Amazon reveals fan fiction platform
Fan fiction authors will be able to publish and sell some titles in the US via new e-book platform Kindle Worlds.

Low rates 'fail to deter savers'
A lack of confidence among consumers has pushed up savings levels in the last year despite the low rates of interest available, banks say.

Latam 'gang of four' scrap tariffs
Four countries in Latin America - Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru - have agreed to scrap most of the tariffs on trade between their four countries.

Japanese stocks recover after falls
Shares in Japan have closed 0.89% higher, one day after Thursday's global sell-off in shares.

Tata Steel swings to a loss
Tata Steel, one of the world's biggest steelmakers, blames weakness in Europe for a net loss in the fourth quarter and says "severely depressed" conditions are likely to persist.

French court questions IMF chief
IMF chief Christine Lagarde is grilled by judges in Paris over a big payout to a tycoon when she was French finance minister.

Tuition fee 'could be cut to £6,000'
Tuition fees in England could be limited to £6,000 per year and remain cost-neutral to universities and the Treasury, research suggests.

JP Morgan fined £3m for failings
JP Morgan's international bank division has been fined £3m by the Financial Conduct Authority for failures in client advice and record-keeping.

Couple's £163,000 phone bill shock
A couple who own an electrical firm had a shock when they received a mobile phone bill for £163,000, then fought for months to have the debt cleared.

UK first quarter growth unchanged
The UK's economy grew at 0.3% in the first three months of the year, official figures confirm, but concerns remain over the strength of the recovery.

Bernanke hails benefits of stimulus
US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke tells Congress that it is too soon to end the central bank's monetary stimulus programme or raise interest rates.

Oklahoma damage bill 'could be $2bn'
The damage from the Oklahoma tornado could reach $2bn (£1.3bn), the Oklahoma Insurance Department warns, although many tenants may have no insurance cover.

The growth of start-up competitions
In recent years there has been an ever-growing number of competition schemes for would-be entrepreneurs, as the BBC's Will Smale reports.

Not your typical multimillionaire
Launching our new weekly feature called The Boss, we take a closer look at what drives Aaron Levie, the founder and chief executive of cloud storage company Box.

Firms aiming to make money while doing good
Karen Weintraub explores the growth in the number of US small firms who wish to profit from making a positive difference in the developing world.

Duff and Phelps: No Rangers conflict
The firm which acted as administrators for the former Rangers Football Club is cleared of any conflict of interest over its appointment.

Sports college plan for Don Valley
A dedicated sports and life sciences college could be built on the site of the Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield City Council announces.

Bundesliga raises Qatar 2022 concern
Bundesliga warns moving the 2022 World Cup to the Qatari winter could lead to legal challenges by European leagues.

VIDEO: Concern over smart meter hacking
Over the next few years the plan is for every household to get a smart energy meter - but technology experts say some of the meters can be hacked.

VIDEO: Can India maintain its economic growth?
India is preparing to reveal its GDP statistics for the year from April 2012 and March 2013, with official estimates suggesting growth for the period was around 5%.

VIDEO: Hopes of India vaccine breakthrough
India may be a leading producer and exporter of vaccines, yet the government's immunisation programme fails to reach an estimated 28% of babies born there.

VIDEO: Can Turkey defy the global slump?
With many Middle Eastern economies in turmoil, and doom and gloom across much of Europe, Turkey seems to be bucking the trend.

VIDEO: Leaving Egypt for life in Dubai
Amid dismay at Egypt's political direction and pessimism about the state of the economy, thousands of Egyptians are choosing to move abroad.

VIDEO: Hermes 'will remain family-run'
Fashion house Hermes says that despite hostile takeover attempts, its will remain a family-run business.

VIDEO: Hugh's review: Stock markets volatile
It has been a turbulent week on the world's stock markets, with investor confidence shaken amid fears that central banks may ease their stimulus plans.

VIDEO: Fears over EU-US energy price divide
The cost of energy used to be roughly the same on both sides of the Atlantic, but the US-led revolution in shale oil and gas has sent prices tumbling.

German football model is a league apart
How German football clubs treat their fans differently

Is Ryanair really Europe's most punctual airline?
Is Ryanair really Europe's most punctual airline?

How easy is it to hack a smart meter?
How easy is it to hack a smart meter?

The tech that's transforming gardening
The technology that's transforming gardening

TV and tech, learning to live together
TV and technology are learning to live together

Can watches show more than the time?
Why have we been waiting so long for watches to catch up with smart phones?

Calculate your inflation rate
Find out how much your cost of living is going up