UK Business News

M&B benefits from 'value food' demand

Pub operator puts hedging woes behind it as like for-like sales growth and productivity gains offset rising costs

United Utilities investors set for £1.5bn payout

The water group, which raised prices by 7.8% this year, confirms plan for a £1.5bn return and a 4% rise in the dividend

• Water groups seek more power over non-payers

• United Utilities to sell-off Thus stake

Ex Cazenove trader faces insider dealing charge

Malcolm Calvert is accused of exploiting inside information about planned takeovers in which Cazenove was involved

EasyJet says high fares will hit passenger choice

The airline's chief executive Andy Harrison gave warning that the high price of oil would reduce choice for travellers

World Business News

Slowdown forces Ford to cut the gas guzzlers

America's second-largest car group wrote down $7.4bn from its value pushing second-quarter losses to nearly $9bn

US markets falter as home sales fall

The Dow Jones drops 280 points after worse-than-expected readings on home sales painted a gloomy picture of the economy

• Bush backs deal for Fannie and Freddie

• 'Wall Street got drunk' says Bush

Credit Suisse's return to black causes cheer

Credit Suisse's investment banking division swung back into profit as the Swiss bank comfortably outperformed rival UBS

• Credit Suisse reports big quarterly losses

• Credit Suisse to cut 75 jobs in latest cutbacks

Microsoft online chief exits after Yahoo! failure

Senior management shake-up at Microsoft reveals the extent of the group's disarray following failed bid for Yahoo!

Analysis

Something rotten in the state of Russia

With its tail between its legs, Britain's biggest company BP is being all but chased out of Russia, and it does not look good

• We have shopped. Now we have dropped

• Brave is best in troubled times

Defusing the download minefield

Three strikes and we'll give your broadband a squeeze may not sound like punishment, but it is actually a sensible idea

Tempus: BG Group ... Capita Group ... BSS Group

BG has powerful future despite setbacks ... Capita’s pipeline of prospective work swells ... Stock market sentiment is against BSS

Money 

Phishing fraud on the rise

Bank customers using the internet are increasingly at risk from an array of sophisticated scams

• Facebook bonanza for ID thieves

• Who will cover the cost of your stolen identity?

Tax tips for getting through the crunch

With record inflation and huge increases in the cost of servicing mortgage debt, consumers are feeling the pinch

• Credit crunch: the Times jury

• Credit crunch hits homes in the sun

The remortgage diaries

Follow the progress of three families desperately searching for new home loans amidst the credit crunch

Law 

Mosley delighted at victory in 'Nazi' sex case

Formula One boss wins his privacy case against News of the World over accusations of sadistic orgies

• Background: Mosley orgies and missing emails

• Mosley: what happened at the orgies

'Fake Facebook profile' victim awarded £22,000

Bullies who use social networking sites to target victims are warned after man wIns libel case against former school friend

business travel 

When business trips get dangerous

Despite new legislation on corporate responsibility, many firms show a worrying disregard for their business travellers

Review: Wyndham Grand Chelsea Harbour

This all-suite five-star property is right by the Thames between Heathrow and the City

Profile: Dominic Lowe of Green & Black's

How does the boss of a company which wears its green credentials on its sleeve justify travelling around the world on business?