The Co-op may sell its £18bn life insurance business in a re-organisation instigated by new CEO Neville Richardson.

MPs LABEL RDR A 'FIASCO'

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) must inject a further £50bn into Britain's fragile economy to stave off a double-dip recession, the British Chamber of Commerce warns.

City bankers are set to face much tougher rules on how much they can be paid from 2011, under rules being discussed by Europe's top regulator, the Telegraph reports.

All 11 of the Arch cru fund cells have been suspended from the Channel Islands stock exchange (CISX) after auditors said they could not find enough evidence of yearly cash flows.

The UK index of 100 leading shares was up in early trading, lifted by rises in all the major global markets.

Government bonds jumped on Wednesday on rumours the Bank of England could be moving closer to increasing its £200bn "money-printing" programme to buoy the recovery.

Independent City economist Roger Bootle has warned gilts are not a safe bet in the present environment, despite record low yields.

A European-wide Systemic Risk Board and three separate agencies will be set up to monitor securities, banks and insurance companies, but Britain has been assured the deal will not weaken its sovereignty.

A cooling global economy and an impending austerity squeeze in Britain will make the Bank of England (BoE) wait well into next year before hiking interest rates, a poll of 60 economists suggests.