Business Comment

Sean O'Grady: The good news and the bad news after Britain's very old-fashioned slump

It doesn't take much imagination to see how higher rates would now be crucifying mortgage holders if we were suffering from a Greek-style crisis

Inside Business Comment

Sean O'Grady: Population rise gives India the edge over one-child China

Sunday, 12 December 2010

Economic View

Margareta Pagano: The fat banker and his HK$1m bet

Sunday, 12 December 2010

Publish and be damned: The Government should make public the FSA's report into the Royal Bank of Scotland collapse

David Prosser: Don't believe the retail industry when it says the high street is booming

Saturday, 11 December 2010

Outlook: So is it going to be a Merry Christmas for Britain's retailers? The high street will be busy today, enabling retailers to say customers are flooding in. You'll see a flurry of claims about record sales, rising footfall and shortages of must-have goods. This is psychological warfare. Get the message out that everyone else is splurging, retailers reason, and reluctant shoppers will feel the need to join them.

David Prosser: The time has come for investment trusts

Saturday, 11 December 2010

Outlook: For 25 years these vehicles have languished, neglected by retail and institutional investors alike in favour of the booming, open-ended fund sector. Now, a series of changes to the law is about to give them the chance to emerge from their sleepy little backwater.

David Prosser: Down to the Treasury to close tax loopholes

Saturday, 11 December 2010

Outlook: There is much to admire about the campaign group UKuncut, which has grown into a formidable protest movement within a few months of its launch. Its direct action has had a real impact, closing branches of Top Shop and Vodafone. It has also been completely peaceful. There will no doubt be further protests today, as the group's appeal to "citizen volunteers" gains support, and next Saturday it plans a nationwide day of action.

David Prosser: BP on track to restore dividend in 2011 but holds breath on negligence call

Friday, 10 December 2010

Outlook BP has had a good week so far. That might be an odd thing to say given the revelation on Wednesday that a rig worker might have been able to prevent the Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico had he not been on a cigarette break.