News

UK equity income fund managers have made a strong move into integrated energy company Centrica after shifting out of BP on the suspension of its dividend.

F&C Asset Management has rejected accusations of bullying in a high court battle over a hedge fund joint venture hit hard during the credit crisis.

Mortgage giant Freddie Mac has asked for $1.8bn in assistance from the US Government after it suffered its fourth consecutive quarterly loss on continued bad home loans.

Neil Woodford will receive a dividend boost from top-20 holding International Power after GDF Suez agreed a special payout in excess of £1.3bn to sweeten its proposed tie-up.

Minority shareholders in F&C Commercial Property trust (FCPT) have rejected a proposed takeover by Ignis-managed UK Commercial Property trust (UKCPT) to create a £1.6bn vehicle.

The FTSE 100 opened strongly at the start of the week, boosted by Friday's late rally on Wall Street and positive corporate news.

Lloyds chief executive Eric Daniels says the banking giant "did the country a great service" in taking over stricken lender HBOS last year.

Six UK bank bosses are to form a taskforce designed to help get lending to businesses back on track.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway saw its second-quarter profit fall 40% as derivative bets on stock indexes declined during the global equity downturn.

The Bank of England is likely to cut the UK's economic growth forecast by 1% for both and this year and 2011.