New look

Bank of England urged to hold interest rates

After a week of bleak economic news, pressure on the monetary policy committee, which meets this week, is intensifying

Citigroup scales down its global empire

Business Audit: At least 18,000 jobs are set to go as Vikram Pandit gets to grips with the bank’s huge exposure

Merrill Lynch seeks $6bn from Bloomberg

Talks with Michael Bloomberg, who founded the company in 1981, are still at an early stage

A&L aims to save £80m on dividend

Chief Executive David Bennett had begun considering a dividend cut shortly after full-year results were revealed in February

RBS seeks care merger for Priory

The bank is holding discussions about a merger that would lead to a radical shake-up of Britain’s healthcare sector

Close but no cigar for B&B grandee

Hopes that Rod Kent's banking experience would aid B&B's rights issue were dashed when TPG pulled its plans for the bank

Shares tumble as global bear market takes grip

Leading shares around the world fell further into the grip of a global bear market as investors took flight from equities

Analysts pessimistic about the future

Bradford & Bingley investors who expected Clive Cowdery to ride immediately to the bank's aid might like to think again

Linklaters reveals record profits

One of the City's leading law firms announced a record turnover of £1.2bn, but still failed to overtake Clifford Chance

What's the name of the game?

Equities research at ABN Amro, the Dutch bank taken over by Royal Bank of Scotland, is to be rebranded RBS

Business big shot: David Bennett

The appointment of David Bennett as chief executive of Alliance & Leicester was seen by many as a conservative strategy

TPG ready to help other troubled banks

TPG was defiant after shelving plans for a £179 million stake in Bradford & Bingley after the bank's ratings downgrade

City chief: ‘TPG, you’ve got 15 minutes’

The chief executive of TPG is given an ultimatum by the City’s chief regulator to back Bradford & Bingley or pull out

Are banks beyond UK regulation safe?

It seems unthinkable that there could be any ambiguity over guarantees for savers. But the facts are not clear for non-British banks

TPG’s opportunism should be no surprise

The American private equity group showed not a jot of loyalty to B&B as it used a Moody’s downgrade as a convenient escape hatch