Economics

HSBC, Barclays and RBS are among 15 Wall Street banks accused by a US investment firm of mis-selling a total of $2.4bn (£1.6bn) in mortgage-backed securities, reports the Telegraph.

The FTSE has opened trading in positive territory, but fears of a double-dip recession on the back of disappointing US and Chinese economic data still abound.

The FTSE 100 has slipped further into the red in late afternoon trading as disappointing US manufacturing and housing data added to growing concerns of stuttering global growth.

Besieged BP's share price soared 9% this morning as markets weighed up its value as a takeover target as the current oil spill debacle subsides.

The investment management sector is expected to suffer a "sharp contraction" in the next quarter, says the latest CBI survey.

With the BP crisis and a slowing UK economy further compounding an already delicate situation, investors are nervous.

Economic sentiment in Germany slid last week following signs the recovery is slowing, according to the Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW) in Mannheim.

Barings' Jonathan Blake has increased exposure to fish and poultry suppliers within his £151m Global Agriculture fund as a result of subdued grain and fertiliser prices.

Fidelity's Tom Stevenson discusses the ‘distressing' element of today's unemployment figures and why the Chancellor is walking a tightrope ahead of the Budget.

George Osborne will today set out plans for the biggest shakeup of economic regulation since 1997.