As someone with a Virgin flight getting ever closer, it is nice to see that common sense has prevailed and the strike has been resolved. I always love to think of the pilot sitting up front with no worries or cares troubling him, or her, other than my safe arrival, when in actuality they are probably planning the evening's entertainment on autopilot. Air traffic controllers though, who love a good strike threat, are probably just on the very edge of sanity so they should be dealt with as carefully as you might in a hostage situation, which is what Joe public usually is.

It appears that Japan has located Rare Earth deposits in the Pacific Ocean, somewhere in the region of 100 billion tons, threatening China's monopoly on this commodity. Does that mean the stuff needs to be renamed?

Greece may have voted through the austerity package but there appears to be only 155 people in the entire country that want it

The markets have recovered from the S&P credit warning on US debt reasonably well but the deficit they face is truly staggering. Let's face it however,the US is not going to defult on its obligations but positive progress needs to be made very soon or political infighting in the US could caue the whole pack of cards to fall,if no agreement is reached on Obama's deficit reduction plans Interesting that current equity markets can handle the sheer volume of negative news without going into meltdown mode

Markets aside,how sad is the current situation in Japan? with 2,500 people killed and thousands more still missing and if that wasn't enough,you have a potential nuclear catastrophe unfolding also. The earthquake was the 5th largest since 1900, massive by any standards but the destructive power of the tsunami it caused is truly incredible. Unrelenting power that surged to 6 miles inland in some coastal regions, creating a total wasteland in it's path. The pictures coming out of Sendai, just one of the stricken areas are just mind blowing as cars and even ships are tossed aside like matchwood.

Oil prices are slightly lower as Opec members discuss making up the shortfall through Libyan disruption, though the situation there is anything but resolved. The impact of higher oil prices, that would soar if Saudi Arabia were involved would severely inhibit the global recovery but the whole scenario is like a black cloud hanging over the world's equity markets.

Not as good as expected, their cost base rising to an unacceptable level and though bad debt levels are much improved they are still huge but it is the declining revenue figures that have disappointed and their shares are down close to 5% in the UK as a result

As a member of the UK public and therefore a shareholder of LLoyds Bank and the RBS,I was interested to see how well they are doing,though LLoyds substantial exposure to Ireland is worrying still, where about one in four mortgages is in arrears.

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Another successful set of figures from Domino's pizza today. The £1m sales figure comes from only 3 months of the iphone app being live; highlighting the effectiveness of convenience when purchasing online through mobile devices. Have you considered mobile apps for your firm? Either for online shopping, or raising brand awareness?

It always makes for positive reading in these difficult times to read that the private sector is generating an increasing amount of employment opportunities. Lets hope that the government continues to focus significant effort on private sector growth, to offset the damage caused within the private sector.

It is of course positive news to hear that small businesses will benefit from todays banks lending agreement. With small firms expected to recieve 76bn, there is still a question of whether quite enough has been done; with many business owners still feeling starved of financial support.

Most economists would be saying "about time" but better late than never. Lots of synergy over and above cost cutting and gives the merged larger concern more muscle and combined liquidity in attracting global investors. The initial 10% rise in the LSE share price in London this morning confirms the market positive reception of this move.

Its good news to hear that small businesses have upped their manufacturing output, despite the intense cost pressures they are facing. An even sharper increase has been forecast in the forthcoming quarter.