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 in Holborn, central London will open to the public today Photograph: Toby Melville/Reuters Yorkshire terrier Duffy is yapping away, the silver pillars are being polished and plastic sheeting being torn off surfaces. After two years of preparation, it is a few hours before the opening of Metro Bank, the first new bank to [...]

Flooded houses in Cockermouth, Cumbria, last November. Photograph: Scott Heppell/AP Climate change will increase the risk of flooding in the UK, which could lead to dramatic rises in insurance premiums for homeowners and businesses and make some areas of the country uninsurable, the Association of British Insurers has warned. “Flood risk is the main catastrophic [...]

EasyJet has taken a £65m hit from the volcanic ash cloud. Photograph: Carl de Souza/AFP/Getty Images The volcanic ash cloud this spring cost easyJet £65m as the budget airline was forced to cancel 7,314 flights and disrupt the travel plans of nearly a million passengers. Despite the disruption, easyJet said that revenues in the three [...]