Tesco pays nearly £1bn for Korean stores

Tesco is breaking its decade-long pursuit of overseas organic growth, with a nearly £1bn purchase of a chain of hypermarkets in South Korea

• Shoppers ‘positive’ on Tesco’s US stores
• West Coast takes Tesco to court over Dobbies

Worldspreads eyes Europe as dealing starts in Ireland

Worldspreads, a Dublin-based spread-betting company already listed on Aim, starts trading on the Irish Stock Exchange’s junior IEX market

ScS shares plunge after fresh warning

A profit warning from the sofa retailer sent shares sharply lower and underscored the difficulties sellers of large-ticket items are facing as the housing market slows

Banks set to sell Alliance Boots debt

Investment banks are poised to agree a plan to sell much of the £9bn debt in Alliance Boots

Business Life: Hot times ahead for curry houses

The family-run restaurants that serve Britain’s favourite food are facing many threats. Might chains of eateries be the sector’s future? Or would they damage community spirit?

Jaeger’s youth focus bears fruit

Privately held UK niche clothing brand quashes talk of flotation and says decision to target younger consumers is showing signs of success as sales rise 16%

Carluccio’s defies restaurant gloom

Income from new store openings sends first-half profits up nearly 22%

Wal-Mart boosted by cost-cutting shoppers

The world’s largest retailer saw its sales boosted by increasingly frugal shoppers during its first quarter as the world’s largest retailer reaped greater efficiencies from management efforts to transform its US business