Economy

Hewlett-Packard closing in on deal for Electronic Data

The Telegraph (Free subscription) | 10 hours ago

Hewlett-Packard is in advanced discussions to buy technology outsourcing specialist Electronic Data Systems for $12bn-$13bn (£6.1bn-£6.6bn) in a deal that would bolster its position as a service provider as well as a computer manufacturer.

Renault-Nissan and Bajaj take on Tata's Nano

Times Online (Free subscription) | 11 hours ago

Renault-Nissan and Bajaj Auto, an Indian motorcycle manufacturer, are joining forces to make an “ultra-low-cost” car that will compete with Tata’s £1,250 Nano.

• Bajaj project for small car - Hindu
• Why Can't We Have An Ultra Low Cost Cars In The West? - Practical Risk Management
• See the 17 articles on the same subject

Gas price hike warning

Manchester Evening News (Free subscription) | 1 hour ago

BRITISH Gas owner Centrica warned today of potential further bill hikes for customers after revealing that continued high wholesale gas prices would hit results this year.

• Centrica warns profits to fall - Financial Time
• British Gas to raise prices as profits slump - Times Online
• See the 12 articles on the same subject

Sickness Absence Costs Manufacturing Firms Up To £610m A Year Say New Report

Sky News (Free subscription) | 1 hour ago

Sickness absence costs manufacturing firms up to £610m a year, a new report has revealed.

High Street Sales Hit A Three-Year Low In Latest BRC Survey

Sky News (Free subscription) | 1 hour ago

The High Street suffered its worst performance for three years in April as retail sales fell for the second month in a row.

UK House Sales Fall For Ninth Month In Row Says RICS Survey

Sky News (Free subscription) | 1 hour ago

Further proof of the slowdown in the UK housing market has come in a new survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

UK inflation has leapt to 3%, the latest official figures show.

Sky News (Free subscription) | 1 hour ago

The rate of inflation in Britain leapt from 2.5% to 3% in April - the biggest increase in six years, official figures show.

Profits take off at British Airways

Manchester Evening News (Free subscription) | 1 hour ago

RESULTS from supermarket giant Sainsbury's and British Airways are the highlights of a busy week for corporate news, which also sees figures from travel giants TUI Travel and Thomas Cook.

• The week ahead - City looks for BA to escape T5 slipstream - Scotsman.com

Millionaire households to rise

Manchester Evening News (Free subscription) | 1 hour ago

THE number of millionaire households in the UK is predicted to rise by 60 per cent to more than 2.4 million within the next 10 years, according to a study today.

• UK millionaires set to rise to nearly 2.5m households - Scotsman.com

HSBC's 'resilient performance'

Manchester Evening News (Free subscription) | 1 hour ago

HSBC has said a `resilient' performance has helped lift first-quarter profits despite an extra £3bn in credit crunch losses.

• HSBC reveals extra £3bn credit crunch losses - The Herald

Costs force Wiseman warning

Financial Time (Free subscription) | 8 hours ago

"Unparalleled pressure on costs" and lower returns from cream sales are expected to hit current year profits at Robert Wiseman Dairies, the milk processor warned as it...

• Wiseman bottom line hit by cost pressures - The Herald
• Wiseman warns of £8.5m hit to profits - Scotsman.com
• See the 4 articles on the same subject

Alliance & Leicester to pull £4bn from UK mortgage market

The Telegraph (Free subscription) | 4 minutes ago

Alliance & Leicester is on course to reduce its mortgage book by 10pc this year, pulling as much as £4bn out of the market in a move that will add to the shortage of deals for home buyers.

No slowdown for China's shoppers

BBC News (Free subscription) | 14 minutes ago

Chinese shoppers continue to spend in April, with retail sales rising at a record annual level of 22%.

Heathrow T5 boss leaves BAA job

BBC News (Free subscription) | 35 minutes ago

The Heathrow airport boss who oversaw the opening of Terminal 5 is to leave his role, BAA says.

T5 tsar exits as BAA's Heathrow chief

Times Online (Free subscription) | 53 minutes ago

BAA's managing director of London's Heathrow airport, who was responsible for assuring "cost, time, quality and safety" at Terminal 5, has announced his departure from the airport operator.