Things worth reading: 9th March 2010

Things we're reading today include ...

Today's must read:

Banknotes: facts and figures - The Telegraph

• 1.5 billion - the number of £20 notes (worth £30 billion) in circulation, of which an estimated 150 million (worth £3 billion) are Elgar notes.
• £48 billion - the total value of bank notes in circulation, up by £10 billion in the last two years alone.
• 1024 A.D., the year the first use of a paper banknote was recorded in China
• 1694 - the year the Bank of England issued its first note
• 830 million - the number of notes, worth £11.4 billion, taken out of circulation and destroyed last year because they had become so poor quality
• 2,529 - the number of requests received by the Bank of England from consumers to replace notes – worth £82,000 – that were damaged because they had been "washed".

No encore for Elgar as £20 image disappears - The Times

 

Companies
I am not a criminal, insists billionaire behind Icesave - The Telegraph
Virgin Money to charge customers - BBC
UBS to set up dark pool in Europe - Financial Times

Markets

UK promises flexibility after Iceland shouts 'no' - The Independent
Markets must be able to punish Lord Myners says - The Telegraph
Treasury 'risks damaging shareholders in banks' - The Independent

Regulations

Britain in final push to tone down EU hedge fund rules - The Independent
British banks given a year's grace on liquidity - The Telegraph
Brussels to mull 'European IMF' - BBC

Bonuses

US senators try to impose a one-off 50pc bonus tax - The Telegraph
City workers face highest tax bill from next month - The Independent
Broker admits court’s tax ruling has put paid to City exodus - The Times

Technology

Internet access 'a human right' - BBC