UK

ON UK GROWTH

Walker Crips managers Jan Luthman and Steve Bailey have increased their exposure to companies operating in emerging markets in anticipation of further falls in sterling.

Royal Bank of Scotland has posted a worse than expected loss of £2bn for 2011, its fourth consecutive year of losses since its government bailout in 2008.

Wealth manager St James's Place (SJP) has reported a 30% rise in profits for 2011.

HSBC is preparing to sell new shares to pay senior staff bonuses of more than £50,000, under a new pay structure, according to reports.

The government received more income than it spent in January, posting the highest surplus for four years following a drive to cut public spending.

Octopus Investments has said it is working with the administrators of Glasgow Rangers after one of its investments was caught up in the debacle.

UK equities could return 11% per annum for the next 10 years, fund group Neptune has said, as value stocks come to the fore.

Invesco Perpetual's Neil Woodford has revealed he sold out of his Tesco holding after the firm's profit warning last month, just as veteran investor Warren Buffett was snapping up the stock.

The Royal Bank of Scotland, the UK's largest government-owned lender, has dismissed at least four employees in connection with a probe of potential interest-rate manipulation, sources told Bloomberg News.