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S&N pays $22m to settle Greek bribery case

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Smith & Nephew, the FTSE 100 maker of artificial hips and knees, funnelled £6m through shell companies in the UK to pay bribes to Greek doctors over more than a decade, it was revealed last night.

Civil servants will learn to save £40bn

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Senior civil servants are being sent back to school to brush up their management skills as part of a Government overhaul intended to shave £40bn off the cost of forthcoming "major projects".

Wholesale gas prices rocket as Europe is hit by big freeze

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Plunging temperatures and a supply squeeze sent UK wholesale gas prices soaring to their highest level in nearly six years yesterday, as Europe shivered in the grip of the big freeze.

James Moore: Big business just doesn't understand it has a problem over bosses' pay

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Is Britain anti-business? That is a view that is being loudly expressed in corporate circles as the debate over executive pay rages. The City and the wider business community feels unloved and this was apparently expressed to David Cameron at a meeting of his business advisory group yesterday.

Greek delay puts aid on hold

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Greek deadlines are flying past like missiles over a barricade. Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy insist that time is running out. And yet nothing seems to come out of Athens except stasis and delay. So what exactly is the subject of the negotiations? And why the hold-up?

EFG-Hermes CEO stopped at airport over riot

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

The chief executive of the London-listed Arab investment bank EFG-Hermes has been prevented from leaving Egypt amid allegations that he could have helped to incite the football riot which killed 74 people last week.

Vodafone moves nearer Indian IPO

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

The mobile phone giant Vodafone has taken a major step towards a possible £10bn stock market float for its Vodafone India subsidiary, VIL, as former co-owner Essar completed its exit from the business yesterday.

Britons rule in the album charts

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Adele is at the forefront of a new British revival in the album charts with home-grown artists recording their best sales since the mid-1990s when Oasis and the Spice Girls ruled.

Web craze's toy story

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Bin Weevils, the online game and children's website, is launching a range of toys and merchandising, after signing a multi-year licensing deal with the toy manufacturer Character Group.

IMF warns on threat to China's growth

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

China's soaring growth rate could be cut in half this year if Europe's debt crisis worsens significantly, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned yesterday.

BT in protest at price cuts

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

BT has said it disagrees with price cuts ordered by the telecoms regulator yesterday. Ofcom said BT should cut the price it charges rivals to use a broadband line by about 4.5 per cent to increase competition.

January hangover signals yet another tough year for high street

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Retailers suffered a fall in underlying sales last month and the second-worst January of trading since the mid-1990s, hitting them with a "sobering" start to what is expected to be another "tough year".

Investment View: In the long run, stock-pickers are not all that good

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

During the bull market of the 1990s it seemed any fool could make money. There were, as ever, ups and downs, but the stock market moved in one general direction, which was upwards.

Sportlight on: Lloyd Blankfein, Chief executive, Goldman Sachs

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Another day doing God's work?

Market Report: William Hill on a loser as bookies take online rap

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Don't put your money on the bookies, was the advice being given out to punters yesterday. William Hill was left near the back of the pack after it and its rivals were attacked for giving worse odds to gamblers in their shops than those who choose to make their wagers online.

More bonuses hit the buffers: rail bosses bow to pressure and turn down top-ups

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

The Government will come under fresh pressure today to end Britain's "bonus culture" despite a climbdown by Network Rail bosses over plans for them to land huge salary top-ups.

Network Rail bosses waive bonuses

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:24 GMT

The chief executive and other directors of Network Rail became the latest top bosses to waive lucrative bonuses today when they decided to give the money to safety improvements instead.

Network Rail bosses give up bonuses

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 14:31:24 GMT

The chief executive and other directors of Network Rail have decided not to take any bonuses and to allocate the money to safety improvements instead.

Ofcom challenges BT over line fees

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:13:12 GMT

The prices consumers pay for broadband and landline telephone services are expected to fall after Ofcom announced plans to reduce the amount BT can charge rivals to rent lines.

New car sales up slightly last month

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:20:01 GMT

New car sales edged up a fraction last month, official figures showed today.

Tesco delays launch of current accounts

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 08:37:06 GMT

Banking customers hoping to open a current account with Tesco will have to wait until next year after its launch was delayed, it was reported today.

The Week Ahead: 'Solid' results set to add extra shine to Randgold

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Today

CBI boss condemns politicians' 'anti-business rhetoric'

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

The leader of Britain's top employers' body has called on politicians to stop bashing business for fear it is damaging the already-fragile economy. John Cridland, director-general of the Confederation of British Industry, said he thought attacks on top bosses had increased as fears over economic growth had risen.

Small Talk: It's not just the start-ups that are in need of a helping hand

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

In an economy where the Government talks loud and long about how it wants small companies to power the recovery, what precisely does it mean by small? All too often, for small companies, read start-up businesses, new ventures founded by entrepreneurs from scratch.

Diamond to meet Merlin lending target

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:01 GMT

Barclays is set to reveal that it has exceeded the lending targets agreed with the Government when it unveils its annual results on Friday.