Rise in jobless

NEW figures today showed the number of people claiming unemployment-related benefit in the West Midlands is 123,000, a rise of 2,000, while the unemployment rate for the area is 4.7 per cent.

The number of people claiming unemployment-related benefit across the UK has increased for the ninth month in a row.

An extra 12,000 men and women claimed Jobseeker's Allowance last month, taking the total to 890,100, the highest in any month this year.

BHS mistakes

BILLIONAIRE retailer Philip Green conceded that his BHS chain was under pressure after admitting mistakes had been made with some ranges.

The owner of the department store business said that the product "was not where I'd like it to be" and that the disappointment had been compounded by the impact of competitive trading conditions.

Fuel price cut

ASDA today cut the price of petrol for the second time in a month following the continued fall in oil prices.

It brings unleaded petrol down to 85.9p per litre and diesel to 90.9p per litre at the supermarke''s 162 filling stations. The chain claims it now offers the lowest pump prices across the UK.

Further strikes

THE Fire Brigades Union has warned that it will stage further walk-outs in the West Midlands if its initial series of three strikes fails to settle a dispute over working conditions.