The UK's Office for National Statistics (ONS) has confirmed that the the economy grew by 0.7 percent from April to June, unchanged from its earlier estimate. However construction, which has been languishing since 2010 and is seen as a bell-wether for the economy, and manufacturing both clocked up the fastest quarterly growth since the middle of 2010. Construction output went up by 1.9 percent and manufacturing by 0.9 percent, demonstrating a real revival of business confidence.

The agreement will see CNOOC develop the Kingfisher oil field over a period of four years. The field itself is thought to hold some 635 million barrels of oil, of which 196 million are recoverable.

According to Peter Lokeris, Uganda's junior energy minister, the field will have an initial capacity to produce between 30,000 to 40,000 barrels of oil per day.

The deal, which including debt values Smithfield Foods at $7.1 billion, represents the single largest takeover of a US company by a Chinese firm in history.

A series of high profile food scares in China has resulted in an ever-increasing demand for foreign food products in the country. Home to the world’s largest population, China is also the biggest consumer of pork on the planet.

Change is known to be a major source of stress for most people, which means that no matter how hard you have worked for a promotion at work, or how excited you are by the challenge of moving to an innovative new company, you are likely to find the transition stressful.

For its part Fairfax, already the smartphone makers’ largest shareholder has offered $9 a share in cash to buy the company, making the deal worth some $4.7 billion.

The First Quantum Minerals (FQM) story began in the late 90s and spans humble beginnings from a tailings retreatment process at Bwana Mkubwa in Zambia, to its present day achievable aspiration to be one of the world’s leading copper producers. The financing and development of Kansanshi marked the transition of the company to a fully fledged miner and the beginning of a spectacular growth story for the company over the last decade.

With limited natural resources and not much in the way of large manufacturing industries Jamaica is reliant on its tourist trade, the agricultural products, notably bananas, for which it has become famous, and its service industries. Its ports are naturally the focal point of the tourist industry, however the capital Kingston is also the main trading port of the country.

Boasting one of the highest growth rates and per capita incomes in all of Latin America, Trinidad and Tobago is among the wealthiest and most developed nations in the Caribbean. It is also the leading Caribbean producer of oil and gas, and its economy is heavily dependent upon these resources, with them accounting for approximately 40 percent of its GDP and 80 percent of its exports.

Founded in 1876 and today headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany, Henkel is a recognised holder of globally leading market positions in the consumer and industrial businesses. Boasting a host of reputable brands including Persil, Schwarzkopf and Loctite, Henkel has some 47,000 employees operating throughout the world across the group’s three business sectors; laundry and home care, beauty care and adhesive technologies.

Following the unexpectedly strong support Mrs Merkel has received from the German electorate the next question will be: how will she now navigate the complex negotiations in a way that will safeguard her interests? It is thought she may seek a ‘grand coalition’ with the Social Democrats (SPD), which won approximately 26 percent of Sunday’s vote, however she is not making her mind up just yet. Addressing a rally at CDU headquarters, she told her supporters “This is a splendid result: We can celebrate tonight because we have done something fantastic.