');document.write('!Citywire Money: Latest News
');document.write('Shell profits nearly double
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(Update) Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell said its profits had soared 94% in the second quarter thanks to oil price rises, production increases and cost-cutting.

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');document.write('Leading fund manager slashes North America exposure in half
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Jupiter Financial Opportunities manager Philip Gibbs has halved his Financial Opportunities fund\'s exposure to North America from 26% to 13% within the last month.

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');document.write('Morning Line: The governor is not a threat to growth, just realistic
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Bank of England Mervyn King always seems to be talking down the economy but that doesn\'t mean we can dismiss what he has to say.

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');document.write('Santander hiring 600 staff as it goes on customer service assault
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Spanish bank hiring 600 UK staff as it tries to improve its much-maligned customer service.

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');document.write('House prices: Nationwide reports first drop since February
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Nationwide has reported a 0.5% drop in the price of an average UK property, adding to evidence that prices are heading lower.

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');document.write('Stocks fell amid downbeat assessment of US economy
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Lower-than-expected orders for durable goods also weigh on markets.

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');document.write('Government plans to scrap fixed retirement age from October 2011
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The government will launch a consultation process today to look at plans to scrap the default fixed retirement age for the UK\'s workforce.

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');document.write('Thursday Papers: tips and comment
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Greek debt rescheduling is the elephant in the room stress tests conveniently ignored

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');document.write('Thursday Papers: ICBC plans to raise $6.6bn in rights issue - other news
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Three former executives of units of GE Capital charged with fraud

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');document.write('Thursday Papers: Private equity firms in $850m HGI deal - bid news and gossip
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Buy-out arm of Goldman Sachs and CDR join hands to acquire HGI from Jordan Company

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');document.write('Can Britain\'s newest high street bank survive?
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Lorna Bourke questions whether Metro Bank\'s focus on service and convenience will win over the jaded UK customer.

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');document.write('Will a \'stronger, better\' BP be a top dividend payer again?
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BP is doing all the right things to pay down debt and reassure investors, but will it ever be the dividend payer it was? If not, should you own its shares anyway?

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');document.write('Signs of stalling US recovery drag shares lower
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Falling orders for durable goods in the US add to fears that the recovery in the world\'s biggest economy is slowing.

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');document.write('Move over Brics, \'Civets\' have arrived
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Up to now, media attention and investment performance in emerging markets has been focused mainly on the big four of Brazil, Russia, India and China. But is it time to take the \'Civets\' seriously?

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');document.write('House prices rise slightly in June
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Land Registry reports 0.1% rise in June following May?s slight fall. Figures come in contrast to other indices which are showing falling prices.

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');document.write('Why everyone is excited about Lloyds shares again
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New global banking rules look set to be watered down, adding to the reasons to buy Lloyds, say analysts.

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');document.write('Morning Line: In support of a \'negative income tax\'
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Reform of the tax and benefits system is decades overdue and could produce the greatest boost the economy has had in years, creating real incentives to work, while saving billions.

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');document.write('British Gas profits almost double in six months
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British Gas saw profits rise 98% in the first half of 2010, after the UK suffered one of the coldest winters on record.

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');document.write('Banks lead European markets to 5-week closing high
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US stocks fell after consumer confidence retreated to a five-month low

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');document.write('Five UK growth mid-caps to outperform tough markets
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With the UK\'s economic outlook uncertain, companies that can outstrip their peers in terms of revenues and profit growth are more important than ever.

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