Markets

Roger Bootle and a team of economists at Capital Economics have won a prestigious economics award for their plan on how a country could exit the eurozone in an orderly way.

The Republic of Ireland has returned to the capital markets for the first since it received an international bailout in 2010.

The Bank of England will continue with its quantitative easing programme until it owns all of the gilt market not controlled by life companies, according to Schroders' Gareth Isaac.

Leading economists have predicted the UK's main inflation rate will fall as low as 0.5% next year.

The European Central Bank is expected to cut rates this afternoon in a bid to help revive the ailing eurozone - a move which stands to benefit hedge fund manager Hugh Hendry.

Ratings agency Moody's has changed the outlook on Barclays' financial strength rating from stable to negative, saying the uncertainty over the bank's future direction is negative for bondholders.

Indices across Europe are expected to open flat ahead of the anticipated moves from the ECB to cut interest rates and a further injection of QE from the Bank of England.

Members of Parliament have called on Bob Diamond to give up his payout from Barclays following the LIBOR scandal that has engulfed his former bank.

Bob Diamond has told MPs he feared Barclays would be nationalised during the credit crisis because of its high borrowing rate.

David Cameron has said the LIBOR manipulation scandal is the result of "spivvy and probably illegal" activity but has declined calls for a judge-led inquiry into the affair.