Carlsberg, the world’s fourth-largest brewer, today scrapped its medium-term profit margin targets, blaming unpredictable raw material and energy costs and increased investment in its supply chain.

Meanwhile, the Office of Fair Trading uncovers problems in lettings market

News of a major British high street retailer announcing thousands of job cuts or going into administration comes round with depressing regularity. Earlier this week, the fashion chain Republic took the latter course, following Blockbusters, HMV and Jessops into a place of no return.

Sensitive personal information risks being left vulnerable to hoarding and misuse by banks, retailers and insurance companies due to three British MEPs accused of directly inserting major firms’ suggestions into EU laws, according to privacy campaigners warning of the most intense lobbying effort ever seen in the European Parliament.

Meals made from lamb should also be tested for horse meat content amid concern that the adulteration scandal has spread beyond beef to other meats, it emerged.

Revelations come amid concerns that luxury meals could be next to be hit by scandal

Reputation managers are protecting firms who are unfairly reviewed, so if you feel badly treated give companies a chance to put things right

Regulators are to unveil measures this week to help combat the menace of pension unlocking.

A new broadband battleground could be the result of the takeover of Virgin Media by the American giant Liberty Media. Analysts have already predicted that Liberty's boss, the mogul John Malone, will use the deal to take on his rival Rupert Murdoch.

Thomas Cook showed tentative signs of recovery today after several months in the doldrums.

Claims management firms last year pocketed £7.4m of the compensation awarded to victims of the PPI mis-selling scandal who turned to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) because the firm they dealt with has gone bust.

Visa, the world’s largest electronic payment network, is being sued by the Australian competition watchdog over alleged abuses of its power.

A new energy switching website which promises to keep users on the cheapest deal by constantly monitoring their tariff could finally shift the market in favour of consumers, its founder claims.

US employers added 157,000 jobs in January, and hiring was stronger at the end of last year than previously thought, providing reassurance that the job market held steady even as economic growth sputtered.