News

The FTSE was steady at 5620.88 points this morning, despite rating cuts from brokers and a downbeat assessment on the UK economy by a major think-tank.

Barclays' pre-tax profit for Q1 soared by 47% on the same period last year to £1.82bn, helped by a reduction in bad debts.

The verdict? It is over for Gordon Brown...

Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg have lurched into different directions over the timetable and rate of a levy on Britain's banks.

David Cameron appeared to have come out top in the last and most crucial of the TV leaders' debates in which he accused Labour of failing to significantly improve the country's economy.

The FTSE rose 0.6% to 5619.92 by 3.45pm today, buoyed by a flurry of positive announcements across sectors.

The US Federal Reserve expects to hold its main interest rate at a near zero level for an "extended period".

The FSA is today meeting senior officials from Goldman Sachs over the bank's involvement in structuring complex debt intruments during the financial crisis, Investment Week understands.

Allianz Global Investors is to launch a Brazil fund, the UK's first actively-managed onshore Oeic focused on the country.

JO Hambro Investment Management's Charles Bathurst has stepped down as head of funds distribution.