Hard times spark falling-out of partners in leading law firms Once regarded as secure for life, partners in Britain's leading law firms are now being presented with a stark choice: prove your worth or leave. Almost 2,000 of them could go.

Threat to SEC as Madoff breaks bail by mailing $1m in jewellery$ Politicians on Capitol Hill yesterday questioned whether America’s main financial regulator has any future as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) came under renewed attack for missing what is believed to be the world’s biggest fraud.

FSA calls end to ban on short-selling of financial stock The ban on the short-selling of shares that was introduced to protect Britain's banks is to be lifted.

Retirement funds at risk in HBOS deal, says trustee HBOS could be “hollowed out” by its takeover partner Lloyds TSB, leaving the 79,000 people in the HBOS pension fund at risk of not having their pensions paid in full, the scheme’s leading independent trustee warned yesterday.