The high street roared back from the wettest April on record with optimism and the strongest sales growth for more than a year in the first half of May, the CBI said yesterday.

Seven out of 10 people want George Osborne to adopt a "Plan B" on the economy to give priority to growth rather than spending cuts, according to a poll for The Independent.

The Prime Minister has held a top-level meeting with officials and ministers to discuss Britain's position in the eurozone crisis.

What does it cost me to go on Facebook? As I haven't got round to installing an online ad blocker, the price of connecting with my friends is that I have to endure the daily humiliation of companies trying to sell me weight loss and menopause pills. (Thanks, guys.) I've never searched for either as I'm not overweight and – well – let's not overshare. But, armed with my gender and birth date, the advertisers have made the impertinent supposition that I'm fat and flushing.

Economic Outlook: Why not start temporary tax cuts and shovel ready projects right now?

Britain's recession is even deeper than was thought, according to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics. Economic output in the first three months of this year contracted by 0.3 per cent, the agency said yesterday – more than than the 0.2 per cent reduction it estimated in April.

New figures pile pressure on Government while Bank of England warns of Jubilee gloom

Banks must be told to stop offering free current accounts if Britain wants to stamp out mis-selling scandals, a senior regulator said today.

Inflation fell to its lowest level in more than two years last month, official figures showed today, as high street discounting took the pressure off household budgets.

Sir Mervyn King is to come under increased scrutiny after an independent review was announced into the Bank of England's actions at the height of the financial crisis.

The British economy is even deeper in recession than first thought thanks to official figures showing that the construction industry suffered a lousy March.

Britain's slump back into recession was worse than first thought after statisticians slashed their estimate for construction output today.

Bank set to decide on printing money