Chinese gold demand hits record

Chinese demand for gold hit a record in the first quarter of 2012 and it remains the world’s biggest market for gold, the World Gold Council

Rebuilding spurs Japan economy

Japan’s economy grows by 1.0% between January and March compared with the previous three months, official figures

French Connection in profit alert

Shares in French Connection fall as the fashion retailer issues a profits warning following a continued fall in

Spain’s cost of borrowing jumps

The cost of borrowing on the international money markets rise sharply for Spain as investors fear further financial turmoil in

China Mobile in talks with Apple

China Mobile, the main mobile service provider in China and the largest in the world by users, could soon offer its customers Apple’s

France questions EU fiscal pact

France’s new finance minister reiterates that the country’s new socialist government will not ratify the European Union’s fiscal

Buffett in newspaper investment

Berkshire Hathaway, the holding company of legendary investor Warren Buffett, invests in 63 local newspapers in the south-eastern

Jobs boost as UK gets Astra deal

Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port car plant will build a new Astra car in a deal that means huge investment and the creation and support of thousands of

Pinterest to get $100m investment

Social networking service Pinterest is to receive $100m in funding, prompting analysts to value the two-year-old firm at up to

UK in £50m pork deal with China

The UK agrees a £50m trade deal to sell British pork to China, the world’s biggest market for pig

US puts tariffs on Chinese panels

The US says it will impose import tariffs of about 30% on Chinese solar companies, saying China is flooding it with subsidised

Diamond Jubilee song is unveiled

The song Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber have created for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations – featuring Prince Harry on tambourine – is to get its first airing on Radio 2

Zimmerman found with bloody nose

A Florida neighbourhood watch volunteer who shot an unarmed black teenager had a bloody nose and a cut on his head, according to police

Facebook’s first female engineer

The social networking giant’s first female

Trauma care ‘needs major rethink’

Scotland is falling behind other parts of the world in its provision of care for victims of major trauma, according to a new

Canada anger at UN food report

Canadian officials have severely criticised of the UN right-to-food envoy, as he delivers a report saying the country needs to improve food

Facebook shares valued at $100bn

Facebook prices its shares at $38 each ahead of one of the most eagerly anticipated share flotations in recent stock market

Plaque to dead children stolen

Thieves steal a metal plaque erected in memory of two young boys killed by IRA bombs in the Cheshire town of

Analysis: Turkey’s long wait to join EU club

Can the bond between the EU and Turkey be

Quiz of the week’s news

How did Obama provoke this response from

The fish more poisonous than cyanide

Eating the fish that contains a poison stronger than

The entrepreneurs aiming to rebuild Greece

The young entrepreneurs aiming to rebuild

Asian trading heads for online

The social networks breaking Asia’s stock market

Private rents ‘increasing again’

Private rents in England and Wales went up by 0.5% in April, according to letting agency group LSL Property

HMRC defends child benefit plan

Asking taxpayers and child benefit recipients to reveal information to their partners is legal, HM Revenue & Customs says, despite claims it breaks confidentiality

Niger malnutrition crisis growing

Months of warnings have failed to stop a major malnutrition crisis in Niger, affecting more than six million people, Save the Children

Taxpayer lost £2bn on Rock rescue

The taxpayer could lose about £2bn once the assets of collapsed bank Northern Rock are wound down, the National Audit Office

Search for missing fishing boat

A major search has been under way to find a fishing boat missing with a crew of three off the Dorset

Markets drop on eurozone worries

Concern over the eurozone debt crisis has continued to weigh on financial markets, with the euro dropping more than a cent against the US

US relaxes some Burma sanctions

The US says it has relaxed some sanctions on investments in Burma and named an ambassador to the country following political