Economics

The Belgian market regulator has halted trading of shares in Franco-Belgian bank Dexia as speculation mounts over the sale of its Luxembourg unit, the BBC reports.

Billionaire investor George Soros has lost his appeal to have a 2002 conviction for insider trading of Société Générale shares thrown out, the Telegraph reports.

Bank of England governor Mervyn King has described the current financial crisis as the "most serious" the UK has seen for at least 80 years.

The European Central Bank has held rates at 1.5% despite mounting pressure on policymakers to resolve the sovereign debt crisis.

US markets recovered from initial falls on the opening bell as investors digested an ECB rate freeze and some positive US employment data.

Cazenove's European fund manager Chris Rice has said he expects policymakers across Europe to stand firm and keep the eurozone intact despite growing expectations parts of it will break away.

The tragic loss of Apple's visionary co-founder Steve Jobs last night prompted a drop in the group's share price as US markets opened, followed by a swift move back into positive territory.

George Osborne is set to face tough questions today about the coalition government's economic strategy after the Bank of England expanded quantitative easing by £75bn, a move he has previously called "the last resort of desperate governments".

The Bank of England's (BoE) second round of quantitative easing (QE) will be a "Titanic disaster" for pension schemes and members, Saga says.

Mervyn King has warned Chancellor George Osborne the UK recovery is facing a growing threat from the euro crisis and deteriorating conditions in financial markets.