Sell-off on Wall Street after $700bn US bailout

The FTSE-100 index of leading UK shares and its European counterparts yesterday rallied in anticipation that the US House of Representatives would pass a multi-billion-dollar bank bailout package.

Consumers turn backs on housing equity withdrawal

A decade-long run of housing equity withdrawal in the UK came to a shuddering halt in the second quarter of this year, official data revealed yesterday, signalling yet another serious squeeze on beleaguered consumers' spending power.

The tide could soon turn in his favour

Saturday interview: Farmer's son Martin McAdam is one of life’s enthusiasts, but he recalls with a shudder the precise moment when he realised he did not want to follow in his dad’s footsteps.

	Old Lady relaxes regulations to help banks access cash
	The Bank of England made a fresh move to try to boost the liquidity of banks and signalled that policymakers are increasingly concerned about the problems affecting the sector.

Shetland Catch back in black after restructuring plan put in place

Shetland Catch, the fish processor that is one of the biggest employers in the eponymous islands, returned to the black in the latest period, helped by strong demand and a financial restructuring which followed two years of losses.

Macfarlane seals Allpoint deal

MacFarlane Group has strengthened its key packaging distribution division in a £4.8m cash deal to buy Allpoint Packaging, a London-based business with a strong supply line from China.

Cabbie’s mother plays it safe and drops her aitches

Business diary: A partner at big four accountant Deloitte’s financial services unit provided proof that fear has spread from Wall Street to Main Street.

Menzies hit after profit warning

Shares in John Menzies crashed by more than 15% yesterday as the group warned of "much weaker than expected" winter airline schedules and said profits would suffer.

	Credit scarcity fuels recession fear and rate cut hopes
	The omens of UK recession continued to amass yesterday when it emerged banks intend to reduce lending to households and businesses still further.

Footsie stumbles in late dealing

British stocks traded on positive ground for much of the session yesterday but stumbled in the final hours of dealing as US share prices plunged after the opening bell.

City approves of M&S plans to cut back on investment

Shares in HBOS surged for a second day running after a big investor came out in favour of the proposed takeover by Lloyds TSB on the terms on offer and it emerged that Standard Life had bought a chunk of shares in the bank.

Wolfson shares plunge by 25%

Investors yesterday obliterated a quarter of the stock market worth of Wolfson Microelectronics after the Scottish maker of chips for many of the world's must-have electronic gadgets reported a sharp decline in orders on the back of increasingly weak consumer demand.

HBOS shares advance as takeover by Lloyds wins approval

Shares in HBOS surged for a second day running after a big investor came out in favour of the proposed takeover by Lloyds TSB on the terms on offer and it emerged that Standard Life had bought a chunk of shares in the bank.

Mitsubishi stake helps AAM break into Japan

Japan's enormous Mitsu-bishi Financial Group has bought a £90m stake in Aberdeen Asset Management in a deal that will see it distribute the fund manager's products in its home market.

Latest CIPS findings full of woe for commercial builders

UK commercial construction activity fell during September at the fastest pace since the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) began measuring it in 1997, amid a record pace of job-shedding in the sector as a whole.

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