Lord Bell is poised to spell out plans for his controversial buyout of the PR firm Bell Pottinger at the annual meeting of parent company Chime Communications this Wednesday, in the face of fierce opposition.

In profit...

One of Britain's leading captains of industry yesterday warned that David Cameron has still not come up with a credible growth plan and risks being "blown off course" by news events.

Business leaders cast doubt on yesterday's gloomy GDP figures, arguing that the slump they suggested was not only at odds with their experience but also threatened Britain's fragile economic confidence.

Corporate leaders fear GDP data will panic consumers while CBI suggests manufacturing remains robust

The tragic death of Marie Colvin has stirred a thousand pens into action, and rightly so. David Cameron and Ed Miliband praised her in the Commons. After months during which newspapers and journalists have been portrayed in unflattering terms, here was a brave and resourceful reporter who had devoted her life to writing about the horrors of war. Despite the awfulness of what had happened, many journalists felt a little better about their trade.

In this era of isolationism, the British Government clearly isn't missing any opportunity to stick two fingers up to the French.

The world's largest advertising group, WPP, has warned the latest stock-market crisis could hit client spending in 2012, as emerging-market and digital services helped it to post a surge in first-half profits.

Bid speculation returned around Aegis last night, as vague rumours suggesting its much bigger rival WPP may be interested in a renewed takeover attempt prompted a sharp rally late in the session.

When you make your next purchase online, Sir Martin Sorrell will probably get to learn of it. The Briton who heads the world's biggest advertising group, WPP, yesterday launched a new company, Xaxis, which will preside over the "world's largest database" of 500 million personal profiles, based on such things as the individual's choice in websites and purchases made online. Xaxis will track "almost 100 per cent of the UK population".

Sir Martin Sorrell, advertising giant WPP's chief executive, is joining the board of Stanhope Capital, one of Britain's biggest wealth-management groups – with $7.5bn of funds.

Is Tesco's pursuit of every last high street pound going just a little too far? Only asking, after seeing a customer, who had abandoned in frustration an attempt to buy a bottle of water at a self-service till, being pursuing down Wimbledon's high street by a staff member calling on nearby policemen for help to stop her. He escorted her back to the till and ordered her to complete the transaction, before an apologetic manager intervened.

Sir Martin Sorrell, chief executive of advertising giant WPP said he was "cautiously optimistic" over the group's prospects for the year.

Sir Martin Sorrell has dusted off his youth credentials with an investment in Vice Media, the group that publishes Vice, the self-confessed "coolest magazine in the world".