ECONOMY

Though the retail sales numbers in March tally with the biggest rise in over a year, they are not in conjunction with the Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released on Wednesday.

Nintendo is defiant that it will return to profit this year after reporting a mammoth and first ever annual operating loss of 37.3 billion yen â€" that’s $459 million.

Pensions Policy Institute (PPI) research shows nearly half of today's over-50s will have to save more and work longer if they want an adequate income in retirement.

Investment banks need to heed the warnings and adopt a more cautious view on India and other emerging markets

Experts point to data, history in sceptical reading of ONS data on economic growth

Markets spooked by poor demand and low returns in ultra-long bund sale

Huge construction sector slump plunges UK into "double-dip" territory as the UK economy contracts for the second consecutive quarter.

Swiss engineering group says North America now key growth driver

Engineering giant names new power unit boss to address delays

Europe's fiscal compact is slowing coming apart at the seams

The Office for National Statistics says public borrowing hit £18.2bn in March, but government on target in deficit reduction.

The improvement in Euroarea’s economic activity in early 2012 proved to be temporary, as the re-emergence of sovereign debt crisis again strongly weighed on the region’s manufacturing activity in April.

Dutch Auction surprises, Spain struggles and Italian costs spike

Shares fall as Swiss drugmaker maintains cautious outlook for 2012

SmartGrid GB includes British Telecom, General Electric, IBM and Scottish Power, Siemens and Toshiba.

Prime Minister Mark Rutte offers cabinet resignation to Queen Beatrix

Thinktank forecasts cost of living will rise at least 2.7 percent this year on back of high oil and commodity prices.

April data suggests Eurozone could be headed to recession as new leaders loom in France and Holland

Retailer keeps stable outlook but edges closer to Junk status

Net down 11.6 percent as Irish mortgage market charge hits bottom line

Spanish yields rise, shares wobble as investor tone changes

Sterling surges past five-month high as sales, volumes smash analysts' expectations, driven by fuel sales amid tanker drivers strike fears

Emerging market sales more than triple pace of developed countries

Market trumps auctions ahead of big political weekend for European leaders

Exxon Mobil tops the Forbes' list of Global 2000 companies.

France, Italy and Spain see bond yields rise despite solid morning auctions

World's third-biggest advertising firm posts firm Q1 sales, sees no near-term takeover targets

World's biggest paints maker warns of weak economy, higher input costs

Though considerable progress has been made to tackle eurozone crisis, it remains single largest threat to world economy.