TalkTalk is entering the mobile market with Vodafone at its side.

The ISP will be offering mobile voice and data plans from this autumn, but only for its 4.2 million broadband customers.

The services will be provided by Vodafone, with TalkTalk working as a mobile virtual network operation (MVNO).

Vodafone is behind several MVNOs, including BT Mobile and Asda, as well as TalkTalk's former parent Carphone Warehouse. The ISP was spun off from the retailer earlier this year.

No prices were announced, but TalkTalk did note the effects of its cut-throat pricing on the landline and broardband markets, claiming it has "been a major force in ensuring market prices for these services are far lower today than they were before".

Mortgage lenders continue to ration the size of their loans to home buyers and people remortgaging.

The number of deals on offer has risen by 66% this year, from 1,414 in January to 2,351 now, says the financial information service Moneyfacts.

But 58% of the deals available still require a downpayment of at least 25% of the value of the home being bought.

And the proportion requiring only a 10% deposit still stands at just 8% of all the mortgages currently on offer.

"There has been no real movement in the overall number of new mortgages available on the market [in the past month], but those that are available continue to be more competitive," explained Michelle Slade of Moneyfacts.

"Many of the best deals are now available for a 25% deposit, having previously only been available for those with a 40% deposit."

Many of the companies surveyed said cancelled public-sector contracts were beginning to hurt their businesses, forcing them to cut jobs and dealing a blow to chancellor George Osborne's hopes of reviving the private sector by reducing public spending.

Shadow ministers will not predict a double dip, but instead highlight the risk of it happening. Most forecast a long, slow recovery, such as in Japan, in which joblessness remains high.

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Tesco are changing the conversion rate of clubcard points into Airmiles. From 1st September 2010 they will be converted at the rate of 50 air miles instead of 60 air miles per 250 clubcard points.

They no longer convert automatically and are keeping the double clubcard points scheme going.

I wonder what's prompted the new direction?

I guess it's a tiny improvement in the house market causing a glut of homes to go on the market.

I was just about to post that , anytime I've ever read anything from the RICS it sounded like utter b0llocks and generally was, so I wonder what's prompted the new direction?

Yes but their members gain from a property bubble so they want a buoyant property market. It is the same from estate agents and building societies. Vested interests. I never saw this recovery as real. The Bank of England have flooded the banks with liquidity, and requests not to foreclose. Though once repossession kick in the market could tumble fast.