
French jobless total at new record
The number of people seeking work in France has risen to a record high, official figures show.

UK productivity shows small rise
UK workers managed to increase their output per hour by 0.6% in the July-to-September period, the Office for National Statistics has said.

Takata president quits amid criticism
The boss of Japanese airbag manufacturer Takata is to step down, amid widespread criticism of how the company handled recent safety crises.

BAE wins $1.2bn US Army contract
Defence giant BAE Systems is to supply the US Army with a fleet of armoured vehicles, in a contract reportedly worth $1.2bn.

Christmas Day sees 2.9% at work
About 863,000 people were working on Christmas Day 2012 – 2.9% of the UK’s total workforce – according to the most up-to-date figures.

VIDEO: Can reporter work mistletoe magic?
The BBC’s Steph McGovern surprises shoppers while reporting on Christmas sales.

VIDEO: The vintage car investment boom
The market for vintage cars is booming as wealthy investors seek more unusual places to invest their money.

Energy customers ‘need’ debt holiday
Ten million householders who use pre-payment energy meters should be able to postpone their debt, says the charity Citizens Advice.