Pensions savings have hit a record low as hard-up workers prioritise other payments above saving for their retirement.

Lloyds Banking Group is understood to have received an initial multi-billion-pound bid approach for Scottish Widows, its life assurance, pensions and savings business.

Barclays is set to spend much of the next 10 days ahead of its annual meeting reassuring investors that its chief executive Bob Diamond's £17m pay package, including £5.75m towards his New York tax bill, will not be repeated.

A shareholder revolt over the pay of chief executive Bob Diamond is set to hit banking giant Barclays at its annual meeting later this month.

James Murdoch's King Canute act has finally come to an end. The word was yesterday being put out that the now former chairman of BSkyB was not pushed out. The decision to step down was his alone.

Outlook James Murdoch's King Canute act has finally come to an end. The word was yesterday being put out that the now former chairman of BSkyB was not pushed out. The decision to step down was his alone.

No capes!" shouts Edna Mode, in the Pixar classic The Incredibles. "Do you remember Thunderhead? Tall, storm powers? Nice man, good with kids. All was well, another day saved, when his cape snagged on a missile fin! Metaman, express elevator! Dynaguy, snagged on take-off! Splashdown, sucked into a vortex! No capes!"

It comes to something when normally law-abiding citizens start forging payslips to get a larger mortgage, risking a criminal conviction while they're at it. Apparently it's a "fraud for need, not fraud for greed" thing according to a spokesperson from the UK fraud prevention service CIFAS, but I'm not sure about the "need" bit at all. Despite a good two years of belt-tightening and wringing our hands, we're still not learning our lesson are we? And it's not like that lesson isn't a straightforward one – don't buy something until you can afford it, including property.

Lloyds banking Group's new chief executive swung the axe yesterday, announcing 15,0000 job cuts on top of the 28,000 already made at the state-backed bank in the past two years.

Two of Britain's biggest banks came under fire from unions today after announcing plans to cut thousands more jobs in the industry.

Lloyds Banking Group is expected to signal thousands more job cuts tomorrow as part of a drive to save an extra £1 billion a year in costs.

Bond Street shops are still hot property for real-estate investors. Scottish Widows Investment Partnership, Aberdeen Asset Management, a China-based investor and Amancio Ortega, the co-founder and former chairman of retail giant Inditex, have all expressed interest in bidding for 106 New Bond Street, currently let to luxury watch retailer Kronometry.