Pressure grows on chief executive despite stellar showing by food business

Hundreds of jobs could go at Waterstones after the retailer launched a consultation with 560 managers as it seeks to slash costs and "secure the future" of the UK's last nationwide book chain.

Morrisons has finally started to show signs of recovery, after a sustained period of weak trading.

Burberry today struck an upbeat note on its prospects in China, as an emerging army of luxury shoppers in the Asian country helped to drive a sharp uplift in annual profits.

An influential think-tank has become the latest organisation to call on the Government to alleviate the punishing impact of business rates in an effort to curb the spiralling number of store closures on the  high street.

The owner of Yo! Sushi is battling rival private equity firms to acquire Byron, the upmarket burger chain, for £100m.

A 127-year-old British maker of snacks and baking products has hired advisers to explore strategic options that could see it sold for more than £100m.

L Capital, the private-equity arm of the world's biggest luxury goods company, LVMH, is among suitors plotting to make a major investment in Joules, the fashion retailer favoured by the county set.

Marks & Spencer last night unveiled its autumn and winter ranges, which are seen as crucial for turning around its falling clothing sales, to a fanfare in London. The collections are the first from the new fashion team led by John Dixon, the head of general merchandise, and Belinda Earl, its style director and former chief executive of Jaeger.

Boden, Middle England's favourite online clothing retailer, has revealed that its international sales have surged past those in the UK for the first time.