Telegraph

George Osborne has warned the European Union that Britain will refuse to sign up to "idiotic" proposals that would water down tough international rules on bank capital requirements. During angry exchanges, the Chancellor told a meeting of Europe's finance ministers on Wednesday night that EU measures to implement "Basel III" bank rules would be ridiculed by financial markets and the banking sector because it so clearly failed to enforce clear and tough rules.

Disgraceful. You should be ashamed of yourself Mr Osborne.

It's that time again when economic news is dominated by the Chancellor's annual budget and his speech delivered in the commons today. Rather tediously the build-up thus far has been led by the will he or won't he scrap the 50p top rate of income tax. Quite frankly who cares?

Telegraph

This was the Budget when business was meant to deliver. Companies were supposed to carry the country back to growth on a wave of investment spending this year. Instead, they will barely contribute. The Government may "unashamedly back business", as George Osborne said today, but it was "working households" who earned his support.

We are becoming tired of all the political rhetoric from successive politicians about budgets for jobs.

 

Politicians can screw up economies and traditionally they demonstrate ample skill in that area, but they rarely do much for jobs. Mr Osborne has done little for jobs this year.

Telegraph

Apple will reveal what it plans to do with its enormous $97.6bn cash pile on Monday, raising expectations that it could pay dividend for the first time since 1995. An Apple statement on Sunday night said it would "announce the outcome of the Company's discussions concerning its cash balance" in a conference call at 9am (UK time) on Monday.