Business

Image copyright PA Barclays has agreed to sell its French retail banking division as it continues its efforts to streamline its business. Private equity firm AnaCap partners will take over 74 retail branches, a life insurance business, as well as wealth, investment management and brokerage operations. The deal – for …

Image copyright AFP Italy’s Monte dei Paschi bank has said it will try to raise €5bn (£4bn; $5.3bn) from investors by year end as it races to avoid a state rescue. In a statement, the world’s oldest bank said it would stick to the recovery plan it outlined on 25 …

Image copyright AP Sky’s independent directors are under mounting pressure to secure a higher bid from Rupert Murdoch for the 61% stake in the satellite broadcaster it does not own. On Friday, 21st Century Fox announced a possible bid for Sky priced at £10.75 a share, valuing the company at …

Image copyright Getty Images Shares in Lockheed Martin have fallen after President-elect Donald Trump said he would cut the cost of its F-35 Joint Strike Fighter after taking office. He tweeted: “F-35 program and cost is out of control. Billions of dollars can and will be saved on military (and …

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Most Lloyds account holders are not getting the best deal, the figures show Millions of people who have basic bank accounts may be paying higher fees than necessary, government figures indicate. Basic bank accounts are designed for people who do not already have a …

Image copyright PA Post Office workers will stage five days of strikes from Monday in a continuing dispute over jobs, pensions and branch closures, their union says. The Communication Workers Union said the walkout would start on Monday 19 December and include Christmas Eve. It will involve thousands of workers …

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mark Carney has “star quality and knows how to use it,” says Scott Reid Bank of England governor Mark Carney has said he will be staying on an extra year after his initial term comes to an end in 2018, to help oversee the …

Image caption The tree-filled Appalachian mountains of West Virginia are home to America’s coal region The vacant store fronts of low buildings line Delbarton’s main street. A town once thriving on money from the coal industry is now fighting for its existence. Delbarton is typical of many towns in West …

Image copyright EPA The prime minister seemed pleased with the outcome of her trade visit to India. Theresa May said the 33-strong delegation had sealed deals worth £1bn, laying the groundwork for more than 1,300 jobs in the UK. Mrs May even donned a sari on a visit to a …

Media captionShould there be tighter controls on the rental market? “We’ve basically never had a family home. We’ve never been anywhere where we could actually put our stamp on.” Emma Percy, 34, lives in a three-bedroom house in Folkestone, Kent, with her husband and their three children. They have moved …