Markets

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls has condemned George Osborne's economic plans for failing to meet the government's own targets, following the Autumn Statement.

Sterling fell against the dollar as Chancellor George Osborne announced the UK's fiscal austerity programme would be carried through to 2018.

GOSLING'S GROUSE

AUTUMN STATEMENT

Chancellor George Osborne has announced an extension of the UK fiscal austerity programme until 2017-2018 as the government failed to meet some of its debt targets.

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has downgraded its outlook for the UK economy.

UK stocks crept higher ahead of today's Autumn Statement, with the FTSE 100 nearing 5,900 points as miners lifted the market.

The former chief executive of HBOS sold off two-thirds of his personal stake in the bank's shares before the lender collapsed.

Tesco is considering selling off its loss-making US business Fresh & Easy, announcing it will conduct a strategic review of the retail franchise.

The manager of the world's largest bond fund has highlighted four structural headwinds that pose a risk to growth in developed economies such as the US.