FINANCE & BANKING

Retail trade increased by 0.7 percent in the Eurozone and by 0.4 in the European Union, according to data released Thursday by Eurostat, the statistics office of the European Union.

The LEGO Group recently announced its half year results for 2013 posting a 13% revenue increase that has been fuelled by strong growth in Asia and new product innovation.

The top 5 UK banks are fuelling climate change by financing fossil fuel extraction, according to a new report released today by the World Development Movement.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took a step on Tuesday (October 1) that none of his predecessors had managed in more than 15 years - make a dent in the government's runaway debt.

Share prices in France, UK and United States came under strong pressure on Monday (September 30), hit by fears the uncertain outcome of Italy's political situation could propel the euro zone back into a crisis many were hoping it was recovering from.

Greece's unemployment rate hit a new record of 27.9 percent in June - up from 27.6 in May - data by the country's statistics service (ELSTAT) showed on Thursday (September 12).

The BRICS group of emerging economies will contribute $100 billion to a fund to steady currency markets destabilised by an expected pullback of U.S. monetary stimulus, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday (September 5).

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh sought to soothe worries about the Indian economy on Friday (August 30), telling parliament that the crashing value of the rupee was part of a needed adjustment.

Opposition politicians criticised the Indian government on Wednesday (August 28) as the rupee slumped to a record low of more than 68 to the dollar.

It was announced on Monday (August 12) that Japan's economy grew an annualised 2.6 percent in April-June, a third straight quarter of expansion but slower than expected.

Greece's jobless rate hit a new record high of 27.6 percent in May, official national data showed on Thursday (August 8) as the country staggers under austerity linked to its international bailout.

The Bank of England said on Wednesday (August 7) that it would keep interest rates at 0.5 percent unless inflation threatened to get out of control or there was a danger to financial stability.

A round up of the Asian markets.

Sales of Apple's iPhone blazed past Wall Street estimates in the third quarter, with U.S. shipments up 51 percent, lifting its stock 5 percent even as profit fell.

This marks a new low for the city that cradled the U.S. automotive industry

Young people and the low-skilled in many European countries will continue to struggle for jobs as unemployment is set to remain high in 2014, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said on Tuesday (July 16).

The euro zone embraced tiny Latvia as its newest member on Tuesday (July 09), eager to show that the bloc is not disintegrating while doubts remain about southern Europe's ability to overcome more than three years of crisis.

Greece secured a lifeline from the euro zone and the IMF on Monday (July 8) but was told it must keep its promises on cutting public sector jobs and selling state assets to get all the cash.

Customers in the world's biggest gold market are taking advantage of the current dip in prices to make purchases ahead of the wedding season.

As the new head he seeks to speed up Britain's exit from economic stagnation.

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny on Friday (June 28) condemned the conduct of Irish bankers who were caught on tape joking about a bailout deal and mocking Germany, calling the recordings a 'thunderbolt' damaging the country's reputation.

Britain is ready to start selling its shares in Lloyds Banking Group and will examine whether to break up Royal Bank of Scotland.

Labour has pledged an "iron discipline" on welfare and spending cuts if it wins the next general election in 2015.

Several thousand anti-capitalist demonstrators blocked access to the European Central Bank building in Frankfurt on Friday (May 31), in a protest against the handling of Europe's debt crisis.

Small savers who were mis-sold preference shares at state-owned bank Bankia stood to lose 75% of their investment as shares dropped to an all-time low of .54 euro, by mid-day on Tuesday (May 28)

Pope Francis has spoken out against the global financial system, saying that deregulation of financial markets has created a "cult of money" and blamed it for causing growing inequality across the world.

The data comes as Eurozone unemployment recently reached a record 19 million people.

HSBC are set to announce more job cuts as the bank is expected to unveil cost savings of at least $1bn.

Chancellor George Osborne was on Thursday (May 9) accused of ignoring the "elephant in the room" of tax dodgers by campaigners who say poor countries are suffering because western governments are not doing enough to clamp down on off-shore tax havens