What's behind the credit crunch?
Analysts give their views on why there has been such a violent correction in the stock and credit markets.

Q & A: World stock market falls
What is behind the recent falls in world stock markets, and how will it affect you?

Economic woes send oil $3 lower
The price of oil falls more than three dollars a barrel on Monday, extending last week's decline.

Big US slump ends volatile week
US stock markets fall heavily after a volatile week, prompted by uncertainty over the economy.

Share rally derailed by US falls
The rebound in global shares after recent losses ends after the Dow Jones index falls 1% on renewed housing worries.

Q & A: What's weighing on the markets?


Fed could lose mortgage authority
A senior US lawmaker calls on the Federal Reserve to protect US house buyers against unfair home loans.

More 80s memories
It was the decade of Thatcher, yuppies and chunky mobile phones. But for some of you the decade meant many different things.

Are global market bubbles set to blow?
A sudden shift in US bonds raises concerns of a slump in markets that some analysts say are at bubble levels.

The promise and perils of globalisation
A key official in China calls for a rebalancing of growth after three decades of globalisation.

The AA: rescue or wrong turn?
Are private equity investors saving or savaging the roadside rescue organisation?

Releasing equity from your home
Equity release schemes are increasingly popular, but beware of the pitfalls, writes Gordon Lishman of Age Concern.

Q & A: Moving your mortgage
Moving your mortgage is not as difficult as it seems and could save you money but watch out for hefty redemption penalties and other fees.

Head to head: Using your house as a wallet
Is it sensible to borrow against the increased value of your home?

Mortgage equity withdrawal robust
The amount of money people are borrowing against the value of their homes is rising, figures show.

Head to head: Property or pension?
Should people forget about saving in a personal pension fund and just put their faith in bricks and mortar instead?

Sierra Leone's cool entrepreneurs
Ice Ice Baby has built a business on ice, supplying fishermen with bags of the cool stuff to enable them to stay longer at sea.

Shares volatile in world markets
Wall Street shares rebound after a stock sell-off in Europe prompted by US mortgage concerns.

Banks and consumers at loggerheads
BBC News examines why consumer anger with banks is reaching fever pitch.

RBS sees profits rise to £9.2bn
The Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) reports a pre-tax profit of £9.2bn for 2006 - 16% up on the previous year.