The Firestone tyre recall in the US could run to more than £2bn, according to bankers UBS Warburg. Analysts predict that a wider recall sought by the Center for Auto Safety will go ahead and have based their figures on the costs of the larger tyre recall in 1978.

Ford will decide within six months whether to move its loss-making Land Rover division out of the UK to the continent or the US. Land Rover, which employs 8,500 workers at its Solihull plant, is increasingly sourcing more components from US parent Ford.

Royal Dutch Shell is considering imposing the information security standard BS7799 on its electronic trading partners. Last year, only 37 firms in the UK were accredited with BS7799 and it is thought to be unlikely that the majority of Shell’s trading partners will have gone through the lengthy and expensive accreditation process.