Crude and food falls help lift equities

Oil prices continued to fall, dropping below $125 for the first time in six weeks and fuelling declines in other commodities that hit record highs earlier in the month such as corn and soyabeans

• Q&A: Fuelling a bubble?

HBOS interest lifts London

HBOS saw its biggest one-day percentage gain in 8½ years as short-sellers scrambled to close their positions

Qualcomm hails Nokia settlement

Qualcomm is hailing a new technology cross-licensing agreement with Nokia as a major boost for the wireless industry, putting an end to extensive litigation between the world’s leading wireless chip producer and the largest handset maker

Daimler shares plummet on profit warning

Carmaker says sluggish growth in car market, rising raw material costs and a strong euro are taking their toll on earnings, currently estimated at €7bn for the year

Eurozone growth prospects crumble

The eurozone’s economic slowdown has worsened markedly, according to closely watched surveys that show growth prospects collapsing across the 15-country bloc

Ericsson shares hit as profits fall 70%

Shares in the world’s largest telecommunications equipment maker fell 11 per cent as the company reported net income down to SKr1.9bn in the second quarter

Germany1 IPO shows appetite for Spacs

The cash shell, which focuses on small to medium-sized businesses, raises €250m in one of the few sizeable deals in Europe outside the renewable energy sector

View of the day: European equity markets

It’s time to dip a toe back into European stock markets, says Teun Draaisma at Morgan Stanely