Two more UK homebuilders announced job cuts on Wednesday as housing woes deepened and with the industry warning the job losses in the sector could climb steeply.

First-quarter revenues at the London Stock Exchange rose 8 percent thanks to buoyant information and settlement services, the group said on Wednesday, sending its shares up 11 percent.

Germany's GfK Holdings is considering a cash offer for Britain's Taylor Nelson Sofres after Martin Sorrell's advertising group WPP muscled in on their original merger plan.

Falling sales in a weak home market have left British firms facing their worst cashflow situation since records began in 1992, a survey from the British Chamber of Commerce showed on Tuesday.

Shares in Britain's troubled Bradford & Bingley fell 16 percent on Monday to hit a record low of 41.5 pence, below its rights issue price of 55p, as concerns over the mortgage bank's future persist.

British pay-TV firm BSkyB is considering a bid of more than 2.5 billion euros ($4 billion) for Spanish pay-TV platform Digital Plus, the Financial Times said on Friday.

Bradford & Bingley on Friday increased its rights issue to 400 million pounds ($794 million) after U.S. investor TPG Capital pulled out of buying a stake as concern deepened about the UK bank's business plan.

Euro-zone rates rose to 4.25% as the central bank fights inflation, but ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet's message was slightly dovish.

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The oil price is a real problem and production needs to rise, British finance minister Alistair Darling said on Thursday.

A petition to halt interest rate hikes in the euro zone notwithstanding, European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet will in all likelihood boost interest rates when the policy makers meet Thursday.

The world's biggest central banks are pulling in opposite directions and it seems their efforts are only contributing to one thing: a weaker dollar.  Vote for your preferred central banker.

British housebuilder Taylor Wimpey has failed to raise the extra capital it said it would seek just two days ago, citing tough market conditions, sending its shares and those of its rivals plummeting.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Wednesday that high oil prices, further home price declines and capital markets turmoil will prolong the American economy's slowdown.

Euro zone inflation jumped to a record high of 4.0 percent in June, cementing expectations the European Central Bank will raise interest rates this week despite slowing economic growth.