Hedge fund takes a 4% stake, fuelling speculation the crisis-hit bank may have a viable future. By Graeme Wearden.

  PM says unions should accept Royal Mail's terms as timetable changes prompt fresh walkouts.

  King keen to stay in top job if takeover goes ahead. Julia Finch, City editor.

  Spanish companies could be forced to pay back billions of euros in tax breaks used to help them take over leading British groups such as BAA, O2 and Scottish Power. By David Gow in Brussels.

  Warning that proposals 'could cause serious damage'to British entrepreneurs. By David Teather.

  Closing market report: Shares in oil group Royal Dutch Shell were under pressure today on talk it may have been guiding down analysts'forecasts for the third quarter. By Nick Fletcher.

  Carphone Warehouse experienced a sharper than expected decline in customers signing up for its TalkTalk broadband service over the summer. By Richard Wray.

  Bank of England governor Mervyn King hints that the monetary policy committee is still waiting to assess the impact of the credit crunch. By Angela Balakrishnan.

  Buoyant growth of recent years has come to an abrupt halt. By Graeme Wearden.

  On Europe: The alleged insider trading scandal at EADS, the parent of European plane-maker Airbus, has made its chief executive almost as hyper-active as French president Nicolas Sarkozy, writes David Gow in Brussels.

  Alpha mothers, pre-teen girls, senior citizens ... these are just three groups the video games company is targeting this coming Christmas. By John Sterlicchi.

  Wildcat strikes broke out in postal offices across the country this morning, after staff objected to Royal Mail changes to workers'timetables.

  Insurers have warned that unless the government puts more money into flood defences, they may refuse to offer cover to homeowners in high-risk areas.

  Americans'waning loyalty towards mass-market beers has prompted two of the world's biggest brewers to merge their US arms in an effort to save $500m (£246m).