French industrial output fell four times more sharply than expected in March, increasing concerns over the state of France's economy. Output declined by a month-on-month 0.8% in March, while analysts had predicted a fall of no more than 0.2%...more

The number of homeowners facing repossession orders after failing to keep up with mortgage payments is up, says the Ministry of Justice.

It says the number of orders made by the courts in England and Wales at an early stage of the repossession process rose 17% in the first quarter of 2008. There were 27,530 orders made, up from 23,438 in the same period of 2007...more

The European Central Bank has kept interest rates for the 15-nation euro bloc steady at 4% amid increasing signs that economic growth is winding down. The ECB signalled that it was not in a rush to cut rates, as it forecast inflation would stay "high for a protracted period of time".

Food and fuel prices have pushed inflation up to a record 3.6% in March, though this eased slightly in April. Earlier, the UK's Bank of England left its main interest rate at 5%...more

Demand for London offices has fallen "significantly" in the first three months of 2008, according to property firm Savills. The retail property market is also "subdued" across the UK as the credit crunch continues to bite, it says.

Savills, which also sells top-end homes, said its Prime Central London index had fallen by 1.5% - after a 2% fall in the final quarter of 2007...more

Sales of previously-owned US homes fell 20% in March as the downturn in the housing market continued, the nation's main estate agency trade body has said.

The number of sales contracts signed during the month was 20% lower than March 2007, according to the National Association of Realtors. It added that the number of contracts signed was down 1% from February...more

The price of crude oil could soar to $200 a barrel in as little as six months, as supply continues to struggle to meet demand, a report has warned. With benchmark US light crude passing the $122 mark for the first time on Tuesday, the warning comes from Goldman Sachs energy strategist Argun Murti.

Surging demand was increasingly likely to create a "super-spike" past $200 in six months to two years' time, he said. Oil prices have now risen 25% in the last four months and by 400% from 2001...more

US workers were more productive than many analysts had forecast during the first three months of the year, figures from the Labor Department have shown.

Productivity, or the total output per hour of work, rose at an annual rate of 2.2% in the quarter, the report said. Analysts had expected an increase of closer to 1.5%, and said the gains came as firms cut back on worker hours...more

The price of a barrel of oil has risen above $120 for the first time, driven by concerns about the situations in Nigeria and northern Iraq. US light sweet crude rose to a record of $120.21 a barrel during morning trading in New York.

Another factor pushing up the oil price recently has been the weakness of the US dollar, as investors opt to invest money into commodities...more

Russia will start restricting foreign investment in key sectors of the economy such as energy and aviation. Russian President Vladimir Putin signed the law just days before his successor, President-elect Dmitry Medvedev, is set to be sworn in.

Investors have complained that the law limits access to more than half of Russia's economy...more