government

Taxpayers lost out on roughly £1bn in the Royal Mail initial public offering due to poorly-priced shares, MPs have said.

A review into how the the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) reach decisions in enforcement cases has been opened by the government, amid concerns over fairness, independence and transparency.

The government could have reaped more value from the Royal Mail sale it if had been less cautious and better controlled access to shares, the National Audit Office has said.

Investors will find little value in Lloyds Banking Group shares due to "limited" growth prospects, a UK equities manager has said.

The government last night sold another 7.8% of Lloyds Banking Group to institutions in its continued effort to return the government-backed bank to shareholders.

The government's Help to Buy scheme has triggered over £1bn of new home loans in the first three months since its inception, the Prime Minister has said.

More workers will have to wait until age 68 for their state pension after the Chancellor confirmed entitlement rules would change quicker.

The government has extended a payment scheme for Equitable Life policy holders to mid-2015 and is due to launch an advertising campaign to encourage more policyholders to come forward.

Soaring demand from retail investors for Royal Mail shares has pushed the estimated opening share value above £4.00.

The second part of the Help to Buy scheme will be available from next week after the government brought forward the launch date by three months.