London breathed a sigh of relief yesterday as the European Commission confirmed the view of EU regulators that the controversial merger of Deutsche Börse and NYSE Euronext, the owner of the New York Stock Exchange, should be blocked.

Four radical Islamists have admitted plotting a major pre-Christmas terror attack on the London Stock Exchange.

We live in a more dishonest country than we did a decade ago. The British public are more likely to lie on application forms, buy stolen goods, have an extramarital affair or drive under the influence of alcohol. Such are the conclusions of a survey from the Centre for the Study of Integrity at the University of Essex.

Almost 100 females were made directors of top UK businesses last year. It's not equality – but it's definitely progress. Lucy Tobin reports

Outlook: The London Metal Exchange is the City's belle of the ball, with just about anyone with any interest in exchanges falling over each other to offer gold-plated dowries.

London Stock Exchange

Vince Cable has revealed he sympathises with the feelings of those protesting outside St Paul's Cathedral.

The chairman of Plus Markets, the junior London stock exchange that is home to Arsenal Football Club, is to leave the group following pressure from one of the exchange's major shareholders for a boardroom shake-up after mounting losses at the company. The Middle Eastern investment group Amara Dhari, which holds some 17 per cent of Plus Markets, had called for the resignation of Giles Vardey, and Plus Markets said Mr Vardey had now decided to quit. Malcolm Basing will become its interim chairman for the time being.

Avation, the London-listed and Singapore-based aircraft-leasing group, is expected to unveil a pre-tax profit of around £5.6m tomorrow, up more than £2m on 2010.

Hundreds of demonstrators – and their pop-up tents – have forced the closure of St Paul's cathedral, but, as Mark Leftly discovers, despite its variety of concerns and objectives, this is not an average rent-a-mob crowd

St Paul's Cathedral could be forced to close its doors to members of the public as more people are joining anti-capitalist protests taking place in its churchyard.