Although FTSE 350 compliance with the UK corporate governance code is at its highest level ever, investor engagement continues to decline, particularly for smaller companies, according to analysis by Grant Thornton

FTSE 100 mining giant Rio Tinto has been fined a record £27.4m by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) for breaching disclosure and transparency rules, and is also facing fraud charges brought by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in the US against both the company and its former CEO and CFO

The government is to update the merger system to enable greater scrutiny of foreign investment with measures which it says are designed to better protect national security, and include substantially lowering the threshold for intervention

Despite the apparent deadlock over Brexit negotiations, middle market businesses remain bullish about the prospects of the UK securing a good deal, with twice as many companies feeling positive rather than negative on the topic, according to a YouGov survey

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) is consulting on proposals for streamlined energy and carbon reporting within the Companies Act 2006 business reporting framework, in a bid to reduce administrative burdens, raise awareness of energy efficiency, reduce bills, and save carbon

Chris Pole and Mark Orton, partners at KPMG, have been appointed joint administrators to M&J Haulage Limited, a sugar beet handling company based in Lincolnshire which has ceased operating due to cashflow difficulties

Lots of businesses want to raise funds and often they will turn to their accountant for help in the first instance. Clive Hyman FCA of Hyman Capital Services provides a brief overview of the issues to consider from identifying finance sources, financial modelling and business valuations

Kenneth Moyes, who ran a company organising pre-season tours for top division football clubs, has been disqualified for five years from acting as a director after he withdrew cash from the company to avoid over £250,000 in tax payments

Optimism among chief financial officers (CFOs) has recovered from its post-election low and is close to levels seen at the end of last year, with Brexit viewed as less of a concern although the focus remains on defensive strategies, according to research by Deloitte

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Administrators from KPMG have found a buyer for the Oldham Evening Chronicle, one of the oldest newspapers in the UK, which has been sold to local radio station Revolution 96.2

Nearly 80% of accountants still rely on spreadsheets and one in five (18%) still use paper ledgers despite 60% saying that the finance and accounting profession is at a technological tipping point, according to research from software provider Xero