US Outlook: The "data-driven evaluation" to which Hewlett-Packard has belatedly subjected the proposed spin-off of its personal computer business, probably did not need to go further than measuring the share-price decline on the day it was announced. It was 20 per cent.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has apologised for claiming he felt "raped" playing in the lower-profile Players Tour Championship (PTC) series.

Trade

The comeback queen?

I get so many emails to my inbox these days I have decided on a one-size-fits-all reply, as follows:

If you ask me...

It was the product which wasn't meant to be. Designed to rival Apple's phenomenally successful iPad, Hewlett Packard's TouchPad was launched exactly two months ago, and met with the sort of reception of which retail nightmares are made.

Illustrating basic laws of economics doesn't have to be dull; all you need to spice things up is a bit of corporate blundering. Hewlett Packard had made extravagant predictions of the demand for its tablet computer, but the TouchPad was greeted with barely perceptible shrugs of indifference.

Breaking news from the Association of British Insurers, boasting of the industry's "crucial" rising tax contribution to the economy. Apparently the industry has ponied up £10.4bn as the country recovers from the recession – enough, says the ABI, to cover the entire £10.2bn budget of the Home Office. It's an interesting example to single out, given what is likely to be a fraught debate over how much of the bill for the riots should be covered by insurers and how much should fall on government compensation schemes.

Micro Focus International has called off takeover talks after bids for the business fell short of expectations, the IT firm said as it announced its plans yesterday to resume a share buyback programme.

When news hit Cambridge that Autonomy had surrendered to a £7.1bn takeover by US giant Hewlett-Packard, there were both cheers and tears in the "Silicon Fen".

Bargain hunters zeroed in on Misys last night, with the financial software group's shares rallying after analysts flagged up the thin valuation.

Shares in Autonomy soared by more than 70 per cent yesterday after the surprise news that it had accepted a £7bn takeover offer from Hewlett-Packard. Analysts believe that, despite the "very generous offer", a bidding war could break out.

The proposed takeover of the UK's largest software company yesterday had experts bemoaning the demise of the "last of the great independents".