Official kit supplier to England football team agrees terms with world's largest sportswear brand. By Graeme Wearden.

  The crisis in financial markets is unlikely to prompt a property crash or even bring the upward trend in house prices to an end, a member of the Bank of England's monetary policy committee said today. By Larry Elliott.

  European court ruling frees Porsche to mount a full-scale bid. By David Gow in Brussels.

  The City had been braced for the poor results after new chief executive Tony Hayward described BP's operating performance as 'dreadful'last month. By Mark Milner.

  Britain's second largest insurer records a 10% rise in nine-month sales figures with growth in India and Taiwan offsetting a lacklustre performance in the UK. By Phillip Inman.

  New industry forecasts predict sales volumes will be higher than last year, while prices will be driven down. By Fahad Mayet.

  He started out selling potatoes door to door with an investment of just £2,000. Two decades on, the founder of organic food delivery company Abel &Cole is set for a multimillion pound windfall. By Katie Allen.

  First meeting of PM's advisers will discuss globalisation, climate change and skills.

  Closing market report: The market was hit by a wave of bid speculation, with both Smith &Nephew and Cairn Energy at the receiving end of the rumours, helping lift the FTSE 100 up 54.7 points at 6514. By Marianne Barriaux.

  British factory orders fell unexpectedly this month as exports weakened at their fastest rate this year. By Angela Balakrishnan.

  Union executive agrees pay rise and reforms. By Mark Milner.

  The disgraced press baron Conrad Black is seeking solace in God as he awaits sentencing for embezzling millions of dollars from his Hollinger media empire.

  Impact will be more severe than predicted, with consumers cautious about increasing personal debts, bank studies suggest.

  Wall Street brokerage Bear Stearns is looking east to improve its battered fortunes through a $2bn alliance with a Chinese investment bank to explore financial opportunities in Asia.