BBC Business News Headlines

Government plans to cut the UK's budget deficit are not ambitious enough, a European Commission report will warn this week.

The US Federal Reserve repeats its pledge to keep interest rates at "exceptionally low levels" to aid the recovery.

Petrol prices in the UK could hit a record average high of £1.20 a litre in the next few weeks, according to the AA.

The vice-president of Kraft Foods says he is "terribly sorry" for the firm's pledge to keep open Cadbury's Keynsham plant.

More than half a million UK pensioners living overseas will continue to have their pensions frozen after a court decision.

Energy firm Npower signs a three-year deal worth £21m to become the new sponsor of the Football League.

Greece receives some positive news from the financial markets as ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) backs its economic recovery plans.

Trade unions at British Airways agree a plan to help cut the massive deficit in its two final-salary pension schemes.

Japanese car manufacturer Honda has announced it is recalling 410,000 cars in the US because of complaints about their brakes.

The UK is still the world's largest export market for Champagne despite a fall in sales, industry figures say.

Lip gloss and hair straighteners replace lipstick and hair dryers in the typical basket of goods used to calculate inflation.

Cadbury workers' pain at Kraft's 'betrayal'

The shrinking gap between Tory and Labour deficit plans

Are UK workers being forced to work part-time?

What would a European Monetary Fund look like?

A start-up that lets anyone make their own newspaper

Portuguese exporters hit by strong euro

HM Revenue and Customs drops its legal challenge over the validity of Portsmouth football club's move into administration.

Royal Dutch Shell says it will shed a further 1,000 jobs by the end of next year as part of its cost cutting programme.

First-time buyers faced UK house prices that were 8.9% higher in January than a year earlier, government figures show.

European finance ministers delay plans to vote on a new regulation of hedge funds and venture capitalists.

Members of the forthcoming new state pension scheme - the National Employment Savings Trust - will be charged 0.3% of their funds each year.

The consortium behind the planned Nord Stream gas pipeline from Russia to Europe has secured a 3.9bn euro funding deal from 26 banks.

Construction of new US homes fell in February, with blizzards in some parts of the country being partly blamed.

Banks may make it easier for customers to opt out of using unauthorised overdrafts and paying fees.

New car sales in Europe rose by 3.2% in February from a year earlier, but fell 30% in Germany as its scrappage scheme ended.

The abolition of cheques will push elderly people back into hoarding cash at home, campaigners tell MPs.

The worst winter in decades has cost the UK's small and medium-sized companies about £7.3bn, a study says.

US regulators have unveiled the nation's first plan to give every American super-fast broadband by 2020.

The estate of Michael Jackson agrees a deal worth $200m (£160m) with the record label Sony, US reports say.

Savers in the Equitable Life insurance company denounce the limited compensation process set up by the government.

Credit card holders will be offered more protection from spiralling debts, but changes are watered down from original plans.

A second master list containing the names of 1,000 people targeted by fraudsters selling worthless shares is seized.

European finance ministers say they have agreed how they would help Greece in its financial crisis, but reveal few details.

Democrat senators have unveiled proposed new laws that will give the US Federal Reserve more regulatory powers over US banks.

US factory output has gone up for the eighth month in a row, despite winter storms that affected industry in the north east.

Mining firm Rio Tinto says China's demand for iron ore, copper and coal will increase dramatically during the next 15 years.

British Airways has announced contingency plans to fly 60% of its customers during the first planned strike by cabin crew.

Private equity firm Apax partners sells Tommy Hilfiger to the owner of Calvin Klein, Philips-Van Heusen, in a deal worth 2.2bn euros.

Prosecutors in California are suing Toyota, claiming the carmaker sold hundreds of thousands of vehicles it knew had defects.

The UK announces a 300m-euro (£270m) loan guarantee for Vauxhall and Opel, the European arm of General Motors.

The Red Knights group eyeing a possible bid for Manchester United says investment bank Nomura will advise it.

A Welsh MP echoes concerns of a former UK sports minister on the benefits of the London Olympics to the rest of the country.