Apple reports record-breaking $13.06bn profits for the three months to 31 December 2011, up 118% from the same period last year.

The government savings body, National Savings & Investments, cuts the interest rate on its main savings account, the Direct Saver, to 1.5%.

Japan announces its first annual trade deficit in more than 30 years, a setback for a country known for its exports.

The World Economic Forum gets underway, with worries about the eurozone and the global economy taking centre stage.

Google changes its privacy policy, streamlining it across its multiple services including search, email, video and social networking sites.

Yahoo's profit falls in the last quarter of 2011 as it continues to struggle to maintain its market share amid growing competition.

Swiss drugmaker Roche says it plans to make an offer of $5.7bn for DNA research company Illumina.

Conoco Phillips and China National Offshore Oil Corporation agree a compensation deal for the oil spill at their field in China.