BT is preparing to fight Ofcom over pension costs. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA BT is refusing to accept defeat in its battle to pass on part of the cost of its pension deficit to other telecoms firms which use its UK network to offer services. Chief executive Ian Livingston said BT will fight Ofcom’s provisional decision [...]

Greek truck drivers clash with riot police in Athens. Photograph: John Kolesidis/Reuters The stand-off between striking truck drivers and authorities in Greece intensified today hours after the government issued an emergency order to force protesters back to work. With fuel shortages stranding thousands of tourists and disrupting supplies of food and medicines nationwide, prime minister [...]

Royal Dutch Shell has outperformed its rival, BP. Photograph: Newscast Anglo-Dutch oil giant Royal Dutch Shell put beleaguered rival BP in the shade today with a 34% hike in second-quarter profits to .2bn (£2.7bn). The forecast-beating performance in an “uncertain” economic climate came as Shell unveiled a 5% increase in production and faster than expected [...]

Metro Bank opened its doors this morning. Photograph: Graeme Robertson “The British banking revolution begins today,” claimed Metro Bank. But many experts were underwhelmed by its first set of products and the lack of introductory offers. “The rates generally aren’t going to trouble any best-buy tables,” said David Black at financial research firm Defaqto. There [...]