Lord Malloch-Brown, a former Labour minister, was left humiliated last night after he and the PR company he works for agreed to make an out-of-court settlement to the controversial Israeli mining billionaire Beny Steinmetz over sensational allegations of a smear campaign.

Five of the $2trillion (£1.3trn) hedge fund industry's biggest names each took home more than $1bn last year, according to Forbes magazine's latest Rich List for the industry.

Report says United are first sports team to break that barrier

World markets were badly hit yesterday as the fallout from poor US economic data, warnings over the future of the Euro and fears of a global recession spooked investors.

Just when the European Union might have welcomed a fortnight's breathing space, between the Yes vote in Ireland and the Greek election on 17 June, up pops George Soros, billionaire philanthropist and all-purpose financial guru, to throw his venerable spanner in the works. At a conference in Italy, Mr Soros warned that there was but a three-month window to save the euro.

The imminent return to the stock market of APR Energy, the temporary power company bought earlier this year by entrepreneur Hugh Osmond, will be announced today.

Jamie Ritblat is set to secure the control of Plantation Place, the City office building that his father built, in a £500m deal.

The former girlfriend of billionaire financier George Soros has accused him of reneging on a promise to buy her an apartment in New York City and has filed a $50m (£31m) lawsuit.

George Soros, the legendary investor best known for breaking the Bank of England, signalled the end of an era yesterday, announcing that he would no longer invest money for other people and concentrate instead on managing his multi-billion dollar personal fortune.

George Soros, the man who made more than $1bn by betting against sterling on Black Wednesday in 1992, predicted yesterday that weaker nations would have to leave the euro.

The gay and bisexual community of America pre-dates Columbus – and continues to shape the nation. Why isn't it acknowledged? Johann Hari argues that it's time for the activists to come in from the margins

What do they do?

Minerva, the property developer that counts the Walbrook building in the City of London as one of its developments, has received a £194m cash offer from a consortium including Jamie Ritblat's Delancey investment firm.