Business news for Mon, 31 Dec 2007 & with word rate. 7 news.

Pressure on the Bank of England to cut interest rates again next week rose today when further evidence arrived of a decline in the economy

To use one of football's well-worn cliches, 2007 was a year of two halves. First the FTSE soared on a takeover boom, then interest rate fears and the credit crunch blew all that away

A rail users' group is planning a ticket boycott over fare increases of more than twice the rate of inflation on many lines from now.

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - In a hint of stability, sales of existing homes rose 0.4% in November to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 5.00 million, the National Association of Realtors reported Monday. Sales of existing homes are down 20% in the past year and are down 31% from the peak of 7.21 million two years ago. Inventories of unsold homes on the market declined by 3.6%, representing a 10.3-month supply at the current sales pace. The median sales price fell 3.3% compared with a year ago to $210,200. November sales were in line with the 4.99 million annual pace expected by economists surveyed by MarketWatch.

Figures from the Central Bank show that lending growth slipped again in November, with the adjusted annual rate of private sector credit growth dropping to 17.1% from 18.5% in October.

Dr. Leslie E. Keeley claimed he had invented a scientific cure for alcoholism with a 95% success rate in the late 19th century. He was part visionary, part charlatan, and the combination made him a wealthy man.

Savers were dealt a blow after it emerged that Halifax, Nationwide and Bradford & Bingley are to cut savings rates by more than a quarter-point after the base-rate cut this month.