Sales hit record low as people stay at home and take shelter from the continuing wet weather

A major question mark was raised over plans by state-backed Lloyds Banking Group to sell 632 branches to Co-op bank after Lloyds said the deal was proving "highly complex" and that a further market update would be needed within the next three months. Lloyds made the admission alongside plans to create 500 new jobs to help service the business when it is spun off from Lloyds.

A strike by Portugal's largest trade union confederation forced the cancellation of most public transport services today as well as hitting schools and hospital services.

Greece won a second massive financial bailout in the early hours of today when its partners in the 17-country eurozone finally stitched together a 130 billion euro rescue, meant to avoid a potentially disastrous default and secure the euro currency's future.

The leaders of Germany, Italy and Greece are “optimistic” that a deal on a second massive bailout for Athens can be clinched next week, a spokesman for German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Friday.

The European Union stepped up the pressure today against Hungary, saying its fiscal policies were unsustainable and threatening legal action over a new constitution that some fear could push the country back into authoritarianism.

George Osborne will outline plans today for a wide-ranging overhaul of the structure of Britain's major banks, forcing them to separate their high street and investment operations.

Chancellor pledges to implement Vickers Plan in full in bid to avoid further bailouts

Greece's embattled prime minister and main opposition leader agreed tonight to form an interim government to ensure the country's new European debt deal and oversee early elections, capping a week of political turmoil that saw Greece facing a catastrophic default and threatening its euro membership. 

Alistair Darling feared the bank chiefs at the heart of the financial crisis were "so arrogant and stupid that they might bring us all down".

The RNLI is remarkable both for its volunteers and for the success of its fund-raising. Alice-Azania Jarvis reports

How do we stop the riots happening again? I agree with Iain Duncan Smith that locking young people up is no solution and exposes them to career criminals. Fining guilty kids and removing benefits is pretty pointless: how are they supposed to save up and pay for their mistakes? Since the rioting, there have been over 1,800 arrests, two-thirds of which are of kids aged between 11 and 24 – the vast majority young men who are unemployed and unemployable.

Healthcare Locums has unveiled a rescue package that the troubled medical recruitment company hopes will enable it to solve its difficulties.