PRESS DIGEST - British business - Sept 11

The Times

EASTERN BLOC FEELS THE CHILL AS LENDER RETREAT

The new head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development has called for co-ordinated intervention in Eastern Europe, where he said the euro crisis was having a "frightening" impact on growth.

The Telegraph

PETROL PRICE UP AS REFINERS TAKE PROFITS

The cost of petrol has risen by 9 pence a litre in two months as refiners' profit margins reached a five-year high.

CABLE SIGNALS NEW POLICY OF INTERVENTION

British business secretary Vince Cable will on Tuesday declare the end of Britain's "laissez faire" industrial policies and unveil a plan of government "intervention and partnership" designed to deliver growth.

CABLE SIGNALS NEW POLICY OF INTERVENTION

FirstGroup has moved to quash Sir Richard Branson's efforts to cast himself as the defender of Britain's railways, warning that the entrepreneur's image as the "voice of sobriety" doesn't "square with the facts".

The Guardian

BRANSON STEAMS UP OVER RAIL FIRM'S NUMBER CRUNCHING

FirstGroup CEO Tim O'Toole stokes up confident defence of his winning franchise bid for the west coast line.

The Independent

FUND MANAGER THAT STARTED SHAREHOLDER SPRING

Legal & General has emerged as the leader of the "shareholder spring" which saw an unprecedented number of companies held to account for poor practice on issues such as bosses pay.