Business News

New data shows new construction orders contracted in the second quarter, while the services sector slowed sharply in August.

Travel expert Simon Calder has more advice for people doing battle with airlines and agents.

August was tough, but there were glimmers of hope

Fear sparks stockpiling of food in Russia as prices soar

Rival Canadian gold mining companies, Goldcorp and El Dorado, lock horns in a $3bn fight to buy up Andean Resources.

Chinese investors approach Canadian pension fund over a possible rival bid for the fertiliser giant Potash Corporation.

Toshiba’s UK business manager says its Foilo 100 tablet PC complements trends in media usage.

An explosion rips through an offshore oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico, west of the site of the blast in April that caused a huge oil spill.

The government of Mozambique says price rises which have led to deadly riots are "irreversible", as Maputo residents are urged to continue their protests.

The Commonwealth Games were meant to showcase Delhi, but the Indian capital is struggling to be ready on time amid accusations of poor planning, reports the BBC's Geeta Pandey.

The Royal Mail launches the world's first "intelligent" stamp, the first to work with image recognition technology.

The European Union agrees to reform financial supervision, with new agencies to oversee banks, insurers and financial markets.

A British discount store is buying in Polo mints from Indonesia even though the same mints are being manufactured just a mile up the road in York.

Russia will consider lifting its grain export ban only after the next year's harvest has been reaped, Vladimir Putin says.

Bringing like-minded entrepreneurs together

Thousands of Tube workers will strike next week as talks between London Underground bosses and two unions break down.

Burger King is being sold to private equity firm 3G Capital in a deal valued at $3.26bn (£2.1bn), it has been announced.

The German central bank calls on the country's president to dismiss one of its board members over comments he made about immigration and Jews.

Dell withdraws its bid for 3Par after rival Hewlett-Packard raises its offer for the data storage company to $2.1bn.

Four Greenpeace activists are arrested after giving up their occupation of a Scottish company's drilling rig off Greenland.