BUSINESS

Why Scandinavia wouldn't stand for Apprentice boasts

France's second biggest bank, Societe Generale is considering cutting 550 jobs to weather the ongoing economic crisis in Europe.

General Motors wins approval from China to build a $1.3bn (£835m) plant to manufacture luxury Cadillac cars in the country.

Does UK membership of the EU deter firms from dealing with Asia?

Germany's Commerzbank reports a 94m-euro ($123m; £79m) loss in the first quarter after being hit by charges related to job cuts at the bank.

Paul Walsh, chief executive of the Guinness and Johnnie Walker drinks giant Diageo, is to step down, the company announces.

Australia's central bank lowers its benchmark interest rate to 2.75% from 3%, in an attempt to counter slowing growth in the country's mining sector.

Japan's Nikkei index surged on Tuesday, rising above the 14,000 mark for the first time since June 2008.

Dock workers in Hong Kong end a 40-day strike affecting one of the world's busiest ports.

An online sales tax bill heads to the US House of Representatives after Senate passage, as brick-and-mortar shops call for a "level playing field".

WTA serves up 40 years of tennis business

Should developers be looking to the feature phones of emerging market countries to make their fortunes?

Dundee manager John Brown is confident of agreement as top-flight clubs consider play-offs and SPL2.

New York's attorney general says he plans to sue major lenders Bank of America and Wells Fargo for violating a $25bn (£16bn) mortgage settlement.

Fifa executive committee member Chuck Blazer is suspended for 90 days after claims his conduct was "fraudulent".

Motorola "abused its position" when it filed a patent injunction against Apple in Germany, EU officials say.

Debt-laden Greece makes progress to improve its finances, but must do more to fight the "notorious" tax evasion, the International Monetary Fund says.

Pensions minister Steve Webb defends plans to stop people receiving a state pension based solely on their husband or wife's employment record.

South Africa's Premier Soccer League force Ajax Cape Town to pull out of a friendly against Liverpool which was scheduled for May.

Retail sales in the eurozone fall for the second month in a row in March, according to the European Union's statistics office Eurostat