US cable provider Comcast is to acquire the full ownership of TV and film company NBCUniversal for $16.7bn (£10.7bn).

The UK will avoid falling into a so-called triple-dip recession by growing during the first quarter, according to the CBI business lobby group.

The US approves the sale of Canadian oil firm Nexen to China's state-owned CNOOC, clearing the way for the deal to be completed.

President Obama urges Congress to back his plans for government action to revive the sluggish US economy in his annual State of the Union speech.

French carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen reports a net loss of 5bn euros ($6.7bn; £4.3bn) for 2012, blaming shrinking European sales.

Dutch banking and insurance group ING announces a further 2,400 job cuts as it prepares to split its banking and insurance operations.

The FTSE 100 opens lower, but shares in Reckitt Benckiser rise after it reports better-than-expected full-year results.

The UK economy has "cause for optimism", the governor of the Bank of England says, but warns that inflation will remain above target for two years.