Summary

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  • FTSE 100 falls 0.3%

  • GM sells Vauxhall and Opel to PSA Group

  • Standard Life and Aberdeen Asset Management to merge

  1. UK car industry wants 'unimpeded access' to Europepublished at 06:33 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017

    Today Programme
    BBC Radio 4

    The UK car industry has concerns about trading arrangements after Brexit.

    Around 60% of the parts of cars made in the UK comes from abroad, and of that, two-thirds comes from Europe, says Mike Hawes, the chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

    "The UK car industry needs a Brexit deal that is tariff fee and guarantees the unimpeded access to move parts back and forth," he said.  

  2. Locals worried about Vauxhall mergerpublished at 06:28 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017

    BBC Radio 5 live

    Vauxhall / Opel signsImage source, Getty Images

    Locals are worried about the future of Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port plant in Cheshire, if PSA does indeed buy the firm.

    One tells Radio 5 Live: "Thousands work there but there's also all the suppliers [based around here too]. It's the last big industry going, so closing it would decimate Ellsemere Port."

    Another says: "It would have a devastating effect on not just the people [working there] but on all the shops around here."

  3. Tax rises on the way?published at 06:22 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017

    Newspapers

    Tax rises are on the way, if stories on the front pages of the The Times and Financial Times are right.

    The newspapers both speculate on what the Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond will do in his budget on Wednesday.

    The Times says that taxes on the self-employed will be bought into line with employees on PAYE.

    That will help fund raised spending on social care and further relief for firms facing raising business rates.

    The Financial Times agrees.

    The Guardian says the Chancellor will be "build up a reserve to deal with uncertainties arising from Brexit".

  4. Fund manager tie-up 'would be great for Scotland'published at 06:18 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017

    BBC Radio 5 live

    If Standard Life and Aberdeen Asset Management merge, it'll be great for Scotland where the firms are based, says Mouhammed Choukeir, chief investment officer at Klenwort Hambros.

    "They will become one of the biggest fund managers in the world, taking on the likes of Blackrock and Vanguard," he says. 

    He says the fund would be the largest in the UK, second largest in Europe, and having such a big firm based in Scotland would be "extremely important" for the country. 

  5. Aberdeen/ Standard Life merger 'about cost cutting'published at 06:10 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017

    BBC Radio 5 live

    Aberdeen boss Martin GilbertImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    Aberdeen boss Martin Gilbert is expected to be co-chief executive of the combined business

    A proposed merger between fund managers Aberdeen Asset Management and Standard Life is all about cutting costs, says Mouhammed Choukeir, chief investment officer at Klenwort Hambros.

    The cost of doing business for asset managers has gone up since 2008, due to heightened regulation, he says. They also face more competition from cheaper online trading platforms and so called "passive funds".

    However, this merger will probably cost around 900 jobs - about 10% of the combined workforce - he says. 

  6. 'Less is more approach' needed for UK infrastructurepublished at 06:00 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017

    BBC Radio 5 live

    HeathrowImage source, Getty Images

    The government should take a "less is more approach" to UK infrastructure in its Budget on Wednesday, says Perry Noble, head of infrastructure at fund manager Hermes.

    "The UK market is incredibly successful as a place to invest in infrastructure. Even after Brexit international investment remains strong," he says.

    However, he'd like to see a more "frequent pipeline of smaller projects", rather than all the focus going to big schemes like Heathrow and HS2, which take ages to complete but "don't really move the dial" for investors or taxpayers in the short term. 

  7. Good morningpublished at 05:47 Greenwich Mean Time 6 March 2017

    Good morning and welcome to Business Live. 

    Coming up, Peugeot's owners PSA are expected to confirm a deal to acquire the European operations of GM (including Vauxhall). It raises big questions about the future of GM's British plants, Ellesmere Port and Luton.

    RBS is in court over claims a £12bn investor cash call in 2008 contained misstatements and omissions. Shareholders are seeking £4bn in compensation. 

    And we'll have highlights from the Geneva International Motor Show which kicks off today.