The UK is on the cusp of a transformation in its energy sector. Energy secretary Amber Rudd says the country's remaining coal-fired power stations will be shut by 2025 with their use restricted from 2023 onwards.Putting forward the plans (19 Nov) Rudd says gas-fired plants - which are seen as less polluting than coal - will take their place. The viability of this plan is being questioned and...

London's FTSE 100 breaks through its all-time record of 6,930 for all but a few minutes on Monday, before a disappointing full-year update from HSBC (HSBA) drags the blue chip benchmark into the red. The market hit 6941.61 prior to the HSBC announcement, passing its 31 December 1999 peak, but now trades roughly flat at 6,909. Global megabank HSBC, the index's largest constituent, earned $18.7...

UK stocks nudge lower with a mixed bag of oil, retail and financial stocks outweighing gains among several miners. Wall St lost ground last night, as do Asian markets this morning. The benchmark FTSE 100 is down 68.83 points, or 1.07%, at 6,348 in early deals as oil prices continue to slip lower, WTI slipping below $50 a barrel and Brent crude just a fraction above.Oilies predictably trace...

Mother and baby specialist Mothercare (MTC) nurtures a 2.6% gain to 425p as interim figures meet expectations and there's an encouraging strategic update on its loss-making UK business. The £365 million cap reports a return to half-year profit, swinging from £1.8 million losses to £2 million of underlying taxable profits for the six months to 12 October, although UK like-for-like sales...