Dubai shares continue to tumble
Dubai's stock market slides for the second consecutive day on continuing fears about leading companies' ability to repay debts.

US bail-out fund could boost jobs
President Obama says money not spent under the US bank bail-out package could be used to cut the US deficit and boost jobs.

Economic recovery in US 'fragile'
Although the US economy is improving, it is too early to say that the recovery will last, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke says.

Greece warned about credit rating
Concerns about Greece's economy continue to grow as the country is warned it may have its credit rating cut.

Google launches real-time search
Google search results will now display information from news organisations, blogs and Twitter as soon as it is published.

Chavez aide quits in bank scandal
A minister in President Hugo Chavez's government resigns after his brother is arrested over banking irregularities.

Iceland's economy shrinks further
Iceland's recession deepened in the third quarter as figures show output plunged at the fastest pace on record.

German factory orders slip back
Orders to German factories fell unexpectedly in October from the previous month, official figures show.

Feud between the chef and the owner closes Oslo's top restaurant
Oslo's only Michelin-listed restaurant will close before Christmas after the head chef and all the staff resigned.

Silverstone deal saves British GP
Silverstone agrees a 17-year deal to host the British Grand Prix from 2010, ensuring the race remains on the Formula 1 calendar.

England vaunts 2018 World Cup bid
England officials say they believe they could deliver the most "commercially successful" 2018 World Cup.

World Cup 2010: The man in charge
Dr Danny Jordaan is confident that South Africa will be ready for the world cup, but admits he's "feeling the tension".

Venezuela scandal
Bank corruption sees resignation of key Chavez aide

Poor lose out
Tankers bring water to those who can pay the price

Goodbye Dubai?
Economic pause as workers leave the emirate

Global players
Soaring car sales in China raise the stakes abroad

Tough choices
How to best sort out the UK's public finances

Cost of beauty
Romanians struggle to get by working in High Street chain

House prices 'up for fifth month'
House prices have risen for the fifth month in a row, says the Halifax, increasing by 1.4% in November.

No growth in UK industrial output
Industrial production in the UK shows no growth in October, disappointing analyst forecasts for an increase.

Banks criticise windfall tax plan
Banking chiefs criticise reports the Treasury is planning to levy a windfall tax on the bonuses paid to some UK-based bankers.

Tesco sees 'solid' sales growth
The UK's biggest retailer, Tesco, says it saw "solid" sales growth in the third quarter, with UK like-for-like sales up 2.8%.

Video game retailer's shares fall
Shares in computer games retailer, Game Group, fall sharply after it reports a big decline in sales.

Dubai economy 'will bounce back'
In a BBC interview, president of the airline Emirates predicts Dubai will bounce back more quickly than the UK.

Zimbabwe predicts economic upturn
Zimbabwe's first budget since its unity government began sharing power 10 months ago predicts a healthy economic future.

Eskom to get loan for power plant
South African energy firm Eskom gets a 1.86bn euro loan ($2.77bn) to finance the building of a new power plant.

US jobless rate eases to 10%
The US unemployment rate fell back in November to 10%, from 10.2% in October, the US Labor Department says.

GM plans new small car for India
General Motors plans to form a new venture with its Chinese partner, SAIC, to focus on the small car market in India.

Japan mulls further JAL support
The Japanese government will guarantee 700bn yen in loans and other funds in order to keep Japan Airlines going, reports say.

Anger over N Korea currency move
North Koreans angered by currency reform have been setting fire to piles of outdated money, a report says.

Talks between UK and France off
A scheduled meeting between the UK and France, which may have addressed the EU banking regulation dispute, is off.

1,700 jobs to go at Corus plant
Steelmaker Corus says it will curtail production at its Teesside Cast Products factory, putting 1,700 people out of work.

Four Dubai banks have ratings cut
Ratings agency Standard & Poor's cuts the credit ratings of four Dubai-based banks because of their exposure to Dubai World.

UAE tries to reassure investors
The president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, moves to try to reassure investor sentiment.

Tata makes water filter for poor
The Indian industrial conglomerate Tata launches a new low-cost water purifier, aimed at the rural poor.

World's cheapest car to go green
India's Tata Group says it is planning to produce hybrid versions of its Nano, billed as the world's cheapest car.

Call for rise in water meter use
An independent review calls for a huge rise in the use of water meters to encourage people to use their supply more wisely.

Gas supply firms warned on bills
The UK energy regulator is warning gas supply firms that customers must benefit from any fall in wholesale prices.

Extra £5 notes for cash machines
The Bank of England is to urge banks to increase the availability of £5 notes in their cash machines.

Irish bank error hits UK clients
The Belfast office of Anglo Irish Bank is at the centre of an investigation after it inadvertently released information on 500 UK customers.