What a mess for the Murdochs

It has been all but impossible to pick up a newspaper or turn on the television recently without hearing about Rupert Murdoch. The Australian-born media tycoon has built an empire that stretches across the globe. Hardly surprising then that controversy follows him, similar to some modern-day Citizen Kane.

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Gas equals cash - and lots of it

Israel's recent economic success is indisputable. While much of the global economy was struggling to escape the 'great recession' in 2010, growth in the Jewish State climbed by four per cent, fuelled by a high-tech sector that represents an astonishing 40 per cent of exports.

But Israel has been viewed globally as something of a one-trick pony, dangerously dependent on one industry, which has been the main driver for the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE). That has now changed dramatically.

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Charity - a funny old business

When it comes to giving, British companies are somewhat put to shame by the United States, where several of the country's heavyweights are committing a significant proportion of their wealth to charities.

Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have pioneered a whole new approach to philanthropy.

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Cleaning up the Madoff mess

When Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150-years imprisonment two years ago, the Nobel prize-winning campaigner and writer Elie Wiesel suggested an appropriate punishment for the financier was that he were locked in his cell with a video screen playing a continuous loop of his victims.

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Who's top of the high street?

Britain's retailers are heading into the holiday season in a remarkably chipper state. They have had a surprisingly strong year.

In the food sector, Tesco remains steady, Sainsbury's continues to gain ground and Waitrose is challenging Marks & Spencer in the "quality market".

So far, the pre-Christmas sale signs have yet to appear, although many of the supermarket chains, including Morrisons and Asda, are seeking to attract shoppers by offering early discounts on champagne, wines and spirits.

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Strauss-Kahn has Europe on his mind

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the suave managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), finds himself at the vortex of the euroland crisis.

Until this spring it was inconceivable that the IMF would become involved in the developed economies of Western Europe except to conduct its annual check-up.

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Murdoch's mountain to climb

When the Murdoch family controlled News Corporation launched its £12.3bn bid for the 60 per cent of BSkyB, which it does not own, in June, what a storm it unleashed.

The deal, orchestrated by James Murdoch, who runs News Corp in Europe and is non-executive chairman of BSkyB, was poorly executed and prepared.

First, the price of 700 pence offered was inadequate and galvanised the normally-docile independent directors on BSkyB into action. Secondly, it raised questions of conflict of interest because of James Murdoch's role at News Corp and his job as chairman of BSkyB.

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To QE or not to QE? That is the question

The hostility of liberal Nobel prize winning economists Joseph Stiglitz and Paul Krugman to George Osborne's spending review has been palpable.

Krugman describes the Coalition's embrace of austerity as a 'fad'. Nevermind that if Labour had remained in power the cuts would have been almost as painful.

But what if the naysayers are right and the British economy, even after a near 20 per cent depreciation of the pound since the start of the recession, is heading back towards slump?

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The investor with a unique share tactic

Michael Grade has not had a great deal of luck with the quoted company sector of late. As executive chairman of ITV he eventually had to give way to Sir Archie Norman (the former Asda boss and Tory front bencher) after presiding over the broadcaster during an advertising drought. Now that he has moved on his successors are enjoying the benefit of an 18 per cent rise in advertising revenues.

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Bank bounce does not mean 'normal'

Just 24 months ago, the financial world was in deep crisis brought to the brink by "casino banking". Two Wall Street broker-dealing houses which survived the Great Depression vanished.

Bear Stearns was bought by JP Morgan for a song and Lehman Brothers collapsed and was bought out of receivership by Barclays Capital.

Switzerland's UBS was badly holed and the Royal Bank of Scotland - with a large investment banking arm - ended up 84 per cent owned by the British government.

The recovery of the sector in 2009 looked to have been remarkable.

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