Highest fuel hike in decade
Road users have had to endure the highest month-on-month increase in the price of diesel this decade, the AA said today.
It blamed market speculators and demand from China as between mid-April and mid-May, the average price of diesel rose 6.76p to 124.17p a litre.
The previous record rise – of 5.6p a litre – occurred between October and November last year. The average price of petrol has risen 4.49p a litre in the last month, with the cost now 112.55p a litre.

Tesco buy out garden centre
Billionaire entrepreneur Sir Tom Hunter today bowed to Tesco after agreeing the cut-price sale of his stake in the Dobbies garden centre chain to the grocery giant.
Sir Tom's West Coast Capital investment company has agreed to sell its 29.2% holding in Dobbies to Tesco for £36.3m, allowing the retailer to take the company private.
Tesco already owns 65.5% of the Midlothian-based chain.

Ethics boost Co-op profits
Arms firms with links to oppressive regimes and businesses that test cosmetics on animals contributed to a record amount of "unethical'' business shunned by the Co-operative Bank last year, the group revealed today.
The Co-op Bank said it had turned away £14m in income last year but still saw an 8% rise in underlying banking profits in 2007 to £82.2m.

Plumber hit by slowing market
Plumbing and heating supplies firm Wolseley today said its UK business endured a "challenging'' April after the market slowed.
The group, which trades as Plumb Center and Build Center, said the downturn became more pronounced in recent weeks, contributing to a 6% fall in UK trading profits during the nine months to April 30.

Long hours fear
Long working hours and unpaid overtime are making a return to British workplaces, according to a "worrying'' new report today.
The TUC said the 10-year decline in long hours has reversed with 175,000 more people doing 48 hours a week.


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