Energy bill payers could make "substantial savings" if they used the internet to compare different price cuts, it has been suggested.

There has been an increase in consumer confidence in recent months, it has been suggested.

The Virgin current account which charges upfront costs to ensure customers understand their monthly charges and rates has been called an innovation by one specialist.

Pensioners have been advised to take care when buying travel insurance due to overnight price hikes targeted at 65-year-olds.

Barclays Stockbrokers has launched a new FTSE 100 structured product, aimed at offering investors advanced returns over a five-year period.

Safe Home Income Plans (SHIP) has announced its commitment to providing financial stability for the elderly with equity release plans, after a parliamentary group convened last week to discuss retirement funding.

JP Morgan Asset Management has warned investors that relying on the best performers in the cautious managed sector is unsafe and may result in buying a fund with the highest underlying risk.

Smokers, who pay almost two times more than the average person for life insurance, could save up to £2,000 if they quit mid-policy, it has been suggested.

Scottish Widows is offering an online financial planning book to ensure its customers are up to date with the latest financial developments in the coming year.

The new Barclays Isa has been received well by customers, making it second for savings deals in the Moneynet best-buy charts.

People who do not use an Isa will eventually see their savings diminished by the taxman, it has been suggested.

Women who do not contribute to their retirement will leave themselves vulnerable to financial difficulty, according to one expert.

UK inflation has reached the highest level in Europe but deflation is a bigger threat, according to one business expert.

Water and utility debt is creating a demographic of financially excluded consumers who are struggling to repay, it has been suggested.

The economy will see medium to long-term growth of one per cent over the next few years and another contraction in the market is unlikely in this quarter, it has been suggested.

The credit market is deterring consumers from saving and making them feel it is safe to make the minimum repayments on a number of cards, according to one expert.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee has voted to maintain the UK's base interest rate of 0.5 per cent and keep its asset purchase programme at £200 billion.

Energy suppliers look set to cut their prices further since the 'big two', Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and British Gas (BG), have made the market more competitive, one expert has said.

Parents are increasingly loaning or giving money to their adult children and eating into their savings, according to one specialist.

Barclays has announced that it will raise the limit to £15 for small purchases on its new contactless payment card, which is thought to effectively eliminate the need to carry ready money.