The Chicago Board Options Exchange Volatility Index or the VIX, Wall Street's main barometer of investor fear, shot up on Friday as many anxious players sought options to guard their portfolios.

Imperial Tobacco Group said Thursday that it plans to slash its work force by around 6 percent as part of its restructuring plans after its recent takeover of Spanish rival Altadis.

Plain packs a risk to UK cigarette profits-analysts British cigarette makers face a new and serious risk to their profits if the UK government rules that cigarettes should only be sold in plain packaging, undermining the power of brands, analysts said on Monday.