Barclays keeps quiet on rights issue

Barclays continues to keep investors guessing as to whether it will make a capital call despite yesterday writing down £1.7bn from the value of assets linked to the credit crunch.

Credit Agricole seeks new capital

French bank Credit Agricole said yesterday it plans to sell €5bn (£3.94bn) worth of assets and change the head of its investment bank.

Touch Bionics reaches out to US market

The Scottish pioneer which makes bionic hands used by soldiers wounded in the war in Iraq has bought the American business which produces the skin which covers its inventions.

ProStrakan revenues rise 38%

Prostrakan, the Borders-based specialist drugs firm, announced yesterday that trading in the first four months of the year had been at the high end of management’s estimates.

ITV chairman charms unhappy investors with positive forecast

Investors entering the Queen Elizabeth II conference centre under the shadow of the Houses of Parliament yesterday could have gone to one of two meetings.

Menzies reports good start to the year

John Menzies said yesterday that it had made a satisfactory start to the year and was continuing to trade in line with its expectations, despite some challenging economic conditions.

Interbank lending rates rise as money markets digest latest inflation report

Interbank lending rates for three-month sterling posted their biggest one-day gain since mid-March yesterday.

NFU Scotland calls for review of fuel tax

NFU Scotland has called for an urgent review of fuel tax in the light of increasing prices, and its resulting impact on production costs.

Awards for Cairn directors top £5m

Sir Bill Gammell, chief executive of Cairn Energy, became entitled to shares in firm worth £1m-plus in a round of awards to directors worth £5.7m in total.

Melrose Resources’ executives cash-in despite firm’s losses

The boardroom paybill surged 48% at Melrose Resources last year, although the oil and gas firm slipped into the red last year following reverses off Bulgaria.

Speedy 1’s sales accelerate by 3.3% in 2007

Speedy 1, owner of the Kwik-Fit motor parts empire, boosted sales by 3.3% last year to £779m and gross profit by 1.6% to £11m, according to its latest accounts.

	Inflation to surge toward 4% and growth to fall to 1%, Bank fears
	Benchmark UK inflation is now forecast to climb to nearly 4% later this year by the Bank of England, and Governor Mervyn King yesterday admitted "an odd quarter or two" of economic contraction was "quite possible".

Royal Bank rides out shareholder discontent

The Royal Bank of Scotland yesterday weathered a final blast of disapproval from small shareholders over its blockbuster £12bn rights issue.

Bradford & Bingley to raise £300m

Bradford & Bingley announced plans to tap shareholders for £300m through a rights issue in an apparent u-turn which raised questions about the credibility of management and sent shares in the firm plunging.

FirstGroup admits error after asking for £240m

Moir Lockhead, chief executive of FirstGroup, admitted yesterday as he asked shareholders for £240m that the Aberdeen-based transport company should have sought new funds when it took over Laidlaw in the US last autumn.

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