Barclays

Barclays pre-tax profits jumped almost a third in 2010 to £6.07bn, slightly higher than analysts were expecting.

CONTRARIAN INVESTOR

Barclays is looking to close its financial advice arm next month due to declining returns and shifting investor trends.

Last week's FSA fine against Barclays for poor complaints handling comes very soon after its warnings about absolute return funds and the discussion paper on risk profiling tools.

Bond sales have hit record levels in US markets in the first two weeks of the year, with about $67bn (£42bn) of new bonds sold, according to Thomson Reuters.

One option if you are a budding entrepreneur looking to start your own business is to buy a franchise.

Sterling will be the best-perfoming major currency next year as the UK gets its "house in order", according to forecasts from Barclays.

UK bank shares were being sold off this afternoon, sending the FTSE down 0.3% to 5,532.08 points, as investors fear Europe's debt crisis has not yet claimed its last sovereign victim.

Banks led the FTSE 100 index 0.6% higher in early trading to 5,704.96 as investors showed their relief after Ireland agreed an €85bn (£72.5bn) rescue package.

Crispin Odey has highlighted the financial sector as one of four key areas of the market he expects to outperform in the next one to two years.