Microsoft confirms that officials from the Chinese regulatory body responsible for enforcing business laws have visited some of its offices.

London's Gherkin skyscraper is put up for sale, with interest expected from Chinese, other Asian, and US buyers.

Car and plane parts maker GKN and clothing retailer Next are the biggest risers in early London trading.

The number of people taking out mortgages is back on the rise, according to figures from the Bank of England.

Airbus cancels its contract with Japan's Skymark Airlines for the purchase of six A380 aircraft.

British Gas owner Centrica announces the appointment of Iain Conn, currently BP's head of refining and marketing, as its new chief executive.

Social networking service Twitter reports a second-quarter loss of $145m but better than expected user growth, sending shares surging over 35%.

An oath for bankers should be introduced to raise accountability and standards in banking, says a think tank.