Australian mining giant BHP says mud spilled by the devastating collapse of a dam at a Brazilian mine is not toxic.

Shares in Asia's biggest budget airline, AirAsia, fell as much as 7% on Friday after the firm posted a loss in the three months to September.

The decision to allow shale gas drilling - or fracking - in Lancashire will be made directly by the government, it has emerged.

China's Shanghai Composite share index closes down by more than 5% after several major brokerage firms announce they are under investigation.

The annual rate of increase in UK house prices slowed slightly in November, according to the latest survey from the Nationwide.

The UK economy grew by 0.5% in the third quarter of the year, official figures have confirmed, unchanged from the initial estimate.

HSBC closes its private banking arm in India, where the increasing number of wealthy individuals has led to intense competition for their business.

Mining shares drag the FTSE 100 lower, with Anglo American leading the falls after it said it would close its Drayton coal mine in Australia.