US aluminium giant Alcoa says that its net profits fell from a year ago as the company kicked off US earnings season.

President Barack Obama renews his call for Congress to pass the "Buffett rule", a tax on wealthy Americans.

Energy companies will be required to tell customers what their best deal is, in a move which ministers say could save households up to £100 a year.

Japanese stocks fall for the seventh straight session as fresh fears over health of the global economy spark a global sell-off.

The rising number of retail firms falling into administration in England and Wales this year is having an effect on jobs.

Interest in the UK housing market edged higher in March, according to the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

Asia's rapid economic growth may hurt stability as the gap between the rich and poor widens, the Asia Development Bank warns.

Sands China, run by tycoon Sheldon Adelson, opens its new $4bn (£2.5bn) casino in Macau after a delay of almost one year.