UNITED KINGDOM

Abu Dhabi-owned energy company TAQA Bratani Ltd plans to boost North Sea oil and gas production by buying up mature oilfields and greatly increasing their efficiency, the head of the company's UK arm said on Thursday.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will push South Africa to use its influence with neighbor Zimbabwe, while also seeking closer ties with Pretoria after strained relations with the Bush administration.

A former Credit Suisse broker testified on Thursday that he and his former business partner lied to corporate clients and sent them incorrect information in emails to cover up investments in risky debt.

Jobs look up, Greenberg's fine, Blackstone's loss

British postal workers are to be balloted in September for a national strike and thousands of Royal Mail staff are to take part in industrial action against job cuts over the next three days, a union said on Thursday.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Thursday she would press South Africa to use more of its influence to counter the negative effects of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe.

The European Central Bank kept interest rates on hold at a record low on Thursday and said the euro zone economy would remain weak over the rest of the year, although the rate of contraction is slowing down.

Barclays Plc shareholders are expected to comfortably approve the British bank's sale of asset manager Barclays Global Investors to BlackRock when they vote on the $13.5 billion deal on Thursday.

The Bank of England took a far bigger step than expected to boost Britain's recession-hit economy on Thursday, stunning markets by expanding its quantitative easing plan to 175 billion pounds from 125 billion.

British bank Barclays on Thursday said an overwhelming majority of its shareholders had approved the sale of investment management unit BGI to US fund manager Blackrock.

Jobs situation looks better, Britain 'prints' more cash, 'Clunkers' Day of Truth

Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk reported forecast-beating second-quarter profit and raised its guidance but disappointed investors by not giving more solid news on the U.S. approval process for its new diabetes drug.

The Bank of England will decide whether to expand its quantitative easing program later on Thursday, and economists are split down the middle over the central bank's choice.

The European Central Bank and Bank of England both kept interest rates unchanged on Thursday but the latter said it would pump more money into the UK economy by buying bonds, driving sterling lower.

The Bank of England took a far bigger step than expected to boost Britain's recession-hit economy on Thursday, expanding its quantitative easing program to 175 billion pounds from 125 billion.

The Bank of England extended its quantitative easing programme on Thursday, raising the size of its bond purchase scheme to an unexpectedly large 175 billion pounds from 125 billion, and held interest rates at 0.5 percent.

British cable operator Virgin Media lost twice as many customers as expected in the second quarter but pushed their average spend to a record high, keeping revenues flat and in line with market expectations.

British cable operator Virgin Media pushed its customers to spend record amounts on its combined broadband, TV and phone offers in the second quarter and said on Thursday growth prospects remained strong.

The European Central Bank and Bank of England appeared set on Thursday to keep interest rates unchanged, prompting equity investors to extend their five-month rally but keeping currency and bond markets edgy.

Britain's recession-hit consumers would rather cut back on eating out and holidays than give up their broadband, mobile phone and pay-TV services, according to a new report from media regulator Ofcom.

The Australian Dollar opens little changed on Wednesday at 0.8440. In offshore trade the unit traded between a low of 0.8384 in early Europe and a high of 0.8450. In local economic data, retail sales fell 1.4 per cent for the month of June, but surged overall throughout the June quarter.