The 10 biggest business stories on Tuesday November 17

The global economic cost of terrorism is now at its highest; Hospitality mega-merger set to create world's largest hotel group; EasyJet profits hit record high

Wakiley Ramen Chowdhury of Chantilly, Virginia makes a rubbing of his niece's name, Shakila Yasmin, at the edge of the North Pool at the 9/11 Memorial during a ceremony marking the 12th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York (Reuters)

1. The Office for National Statistics publishes UK inflation figures today at 9.30am. This includes the retail price index for October, the consumer price index and the producer price index.

2. In the wake of Friday's massacre in Paris, a new report says the world is paying the highest price for terrorism since the 2001 attack on New York's Twin Towers. In 2014, acts of terror cost the world $52.9 billion compared with $51.51 billion in the aftermath of September 11, according to the latest annual Global Terrorism Index by the Institute for Economics and Peace.

3. Volkswagen said its manipulations of carbon dioxide emission levels affect more petrol-powered engines at the German carmaker than it had previously disclosed.

4. Cable tycoon John Malone’s Liberty Global agreed to buy Cable & Wireless Communications Plc for $5.3 billion (£3.5 billion), extending the US billionaire’s European cable empire deeper into Latin America.

5. Mariott bought Starwood in a hotel mega-merger. US-based Marriott International said Monday that it has purchased Starwood for $12.2 billion (£7.6 billion), creating the world's largest hotel chain.

6. Easyjet grew sales 3.5 per cent to £4.67 billion for full year.

7. Following from a positive first half performance, online betting company Paddy Power has reported strong underlying growth and suggest they will have a good full year. Total net revenue for the period was up nine per cent for the period 1 July to 15 November.

8. British women get paid a fifth less than their male counterparts - and new figures show that the finance and insurance sectors are the worst at closing the gender pay gap according to a study from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES) published on Tuesday.

9. B&M European Value Retail, the fast-growing British discount store chain, reported an 18.6 per cent rise in first half core earnings, hiked its dividend and said it was confident about future prospects.

10. Urban Outfitters failed to impress when it bought a pizza chain. The US clothing company announced it had acquired a stake in the Vetri Family Group, as part of a plan to reshape its retail strategy and offset its slowing store sales. Investors were sceptical as the company share price dropped 12 per cent in after-hours trading.