Public sector trainer hits buffers after £20m funding
12:00 a.m., Mon - A Manchester-based company, which ran improvement programmes for the public sector and received more than £20m from the National Health Service, has ceased trading with the loss of 50 jobs.

Latitude revs up for US gaming goldrush
12:00 a.m., Mon - Search engine optimisation firm Latitude is “revving up” for a potential bonanza if the US government decides to legalise online gambling.

Sky's the limit for IFE
12:00 a.m., Mon - A Cheshire company has done a pioneering deal to make Sony's PlayStation Portable games console available to airline passengers worldwide.

Good news as local publisher breaks even in first year
12:00 a.m., Mon - The local newspaper industry is struggling, but one new entrant claims to have broken even in its first year thanks to a low-cost business model.

Done deal: Revival forecast in buyout market
12:00 a.m., Mon - The private equity market in the North West had its worst year for buyouts since 1990, according to the Centre for Management Buy-Out Research (CMBOR).

Black cloud of debt seeds loan-to-own phenomenon
12:00 a.m., Mon - The “black cloud” of debt which needs to be refinanced over the next five years is not good news for the corporate finance markets, but will create more opportunities for companies to take control of competitors by buying their debts.

Tough targets for fund bosses
12:00 a.m., Mon - The four managers who will be appointed to run the region's new Venture Capital and Loan Fund will be expected to leverage in £92.

Credit union plans major expansion
12:00 a.m., Mon - The head of Manchester Credit Union has said the organisation plans to double in size within the next five years as the rules limiting the scope of its remit are relaxed.

On the Street and off the Cuff
12:00 a.m., Mon - James Timpson, the managing director of family-owned shoe repair and key cutting chain Timpson, had a few comical words to say about his brother Edward at last week's North West Finance Director Awards, where he was the after-dinner speaker.

Hiding behind the figures
12:00 a.m., Mon - Commercial property agents have been talking up a “robust” 2009, with take-up figures for the year finishing not too far from the five-year average of 850,000 sq ft.

New chief dials up gain for Expansys
12:00 a.m., Mon - - Shares in smartphone e-tailer Expansys continued their recent climb, adding a further 24 per cent to 13p, after new chief executive Anthony Catterson was granted performance-related options over 4.5m shares, equal to 2.