Summary: Centrica , the owner of British Gas , reports a profit of £2.1 billion, nearly double the previous year's figures. British Gas profits have seen a tenfold increase, with £969 million in the past year. The significant profits have been attributed to changes in the price cap imposed by off-gem. Consumer groups argue that the regulatory system for energy suppliers needs an overhaul to promote competition and fair pricing. The privatized utilities sector continues to face debates on what constitutes a fair price and reasonable profit. ...

Martin Lewis: Energy Price Guarantee rise would be 'act of national harm' If the price rises in April, it's not firms, it's not regulators, it is the government putting people's prices up. Well, I wrote to the Chancellor three weeks ago, asking him to not increase the rise, the energy price guarantee in April by 20% as planned, for all the reasons that have just been outlined there. And most importantly, what you have to understand is if we do increase it, it would result in an act of national mental health harm. People have been battered by successive rises in energy bills, 14% rises in broadband, 7% in water, 5% in council tax. And for the sake of just three months, and you heard the explanation of why it's just three months there, to send millions of people another letter is bad for people's finances. It's bad for people's state of mental health....

Summary: FTSE 100 opened higher on positive results for London listed companies . NatWest announced a £1 billion jump in Bretex profits . Standard Chartered reported a 20% jump in interim profits and announced a $1 billion buyback. International Airlines Group announced a half-year profit of €1.26 billion. AstraZeneca 's deal to buy Pfizer's gene therapy portfolio led to a jump in their stock. Right Moves experienced significant revenue growth. Europa Oil and Gas to take over the Clouton Gas Discovery near Scarborough . ...

Summary: FTSE 100 rises on a day of earnings announcements , driven by Cendrica 's exceptional performance with a tenfold increase in net cash and 55% jump in adjusted profit . Shell 's $5.5 billion buyback scheme and dividend hike fail to impress investors , leading to a decline in shares. Barclays faces challenges as increasing quarterly pre-tax profits are overshadowed by mounting bad debt provisions . Drax Group 's positive half-year pre-tax earnings do not prevent a slip in shares. BT opens higher on the back of quarterly revenue rise , while Ocado 's shares are impacted by the upcoming retirement of th...