A statement from the office of the British Prime Minister David Cameron revealed that 6,000 mortgage applications, with over 80% of them as first-time buyers, applied for home loans under the government's Help-to-Buy program.

Cyprotex, a drug testing company based in the UK, on Thursday announced that it had purchased American rival CeeTox. Cyprotex will initially pay £630,000 to the North American Science Associates for CeeTox.

Debenhams PLC, Britain's second-largest department store chain, on Thursday announced the resignation of its chief financial officer Simon Herrick. Herrick had quit his post two days after the retail chain issued its second profit warning in less than a year.

Northern & Shell, the owner of Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd., is reportedly considering to put up the TV broadcaster for sale for £700 million. Northern & Shell acquired Channel 5 for £103.5 million in 2010.

Private equity companies are buying the debt of the companies they own so they can become creditors and have a second shot at making money on their investments.

Social media accounts and internet downloads should be considered part of a person's estate and be included in wills to be handed down as inheritance.

The UK government could sell off its remaining 33% stake in Lloyds Banking Group next year to complete the privatization of the lender, according to sources familiar with the process.

The leveraged buyouts in Europe are surging as US distress investors purchase existing bank loans at steep discounts and move to take over the companies by exchanging their debt for equity in "loan-to-own" deals in the wake of the financial crisis.

The DealBook said in its report that banks in China are steadily making strategic acquisitions offshore and opening its businesses outside of the mainland, thanks to recent economic reforms.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi was quoted by German news magazine Spiegel in an interview that there is no need to hurry to reduce the Euro Zone's main interest rate further.