(LLOY.L) Lloyds Banking Group PLC Buy/Sell

TORIES PLAN EXTRA HELP ON LOW-CARBON ELECTRICITY

Greg Clark, the shadow energy secretary, has revealed that a Tory government is likely to create additional financial incentives to encourage investment in low-carbon electricity. In an interview with the Financial Times, Clark said his party was concerned that the carbon market set up by the European Union's emissions trading scheme did not provide a sufficiently reliable incentive. He also said that investment in new nuclear power stations should only go ahead "if commercially viable without government subsidy".

RETAILER MOVES BASE TO LIVERPOOL

B&M Retail, the discount retailer that operates more than 135 B&M Bargain stores, is to establish its headquarters in Liverpool, bringing 600 jobs to a deprived area of the city. The group is buying a warehouse near the airport at Speke as part of plans to expand. B&M Retail will invest 8 million pounds in the facility and receive a grant of up to 1.75 million pounds from the city's inward investment agency, Liverpool Vision.

WALKER REJECTS BOARD BOOST FOR WOMEN

Plans to force banks to hire more women directors have been rejected by David Walker, the man charged with carrying out a review of corporate governance for the Treasury. Walker said he was not in favour of re-engineering City boardrooms and his final report will be issued within a month. He told the Treasury select committee on Tuesday that it was difficult to parachute a woman -- or man -- on to a board unless they already had executive experience at a company. This year, deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman said that if Lehman Brothers had been called "Lehman Sisters" it would not have imploded.

RECRUITERS SEE JOB MARKET TURNROUND

The recruitment industry is set to report on Wednesday that the jobs market is on the road to recovery. The sector is counting the cost of a recession that has cut its turnover by almost 20 percent and driven more than 1,000 small agencies to the wall. According to the latest survey by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation though, permanent hirings increased at their fastest rate for two years last month. Figures also revealed that temporary appointments were at a 16-month high and vacancies rose for the first time in 17 months.

1.7 BILLION POUNDS IN OLYMPIC CONTRACTS ON TABLE

British businesses are being urged by Lord Mandelson to take up the 1.7 billion pounds worth of Olympic contracts still waiting to be awarded. The business secretary is calling on firms to use the deals as a springboard to win contracts in sporting events taking place abroad. According to Mandelson and Olympics minister Tessa Jowell, the experience of working on London 2012 will benefit British businesses when other host cities of sporting events ramp up their preparations.

L&G FIGHTS BREAK-UP SUGGESTION

Legal & General reported its lowest level of quarterly sales figures for at least seven quarters on Tuesday as it moved to defend itself against the idea of a break-up of its businesses. The life and pensions group said that keeping its annuity, protection and asset management businesses under one roof brought valuable "synergies" across all three. L&G reported global new business that, at 312 million pounds, was down 5.5 percent in the third quarter against the same period last year. Its shares increased 1.2 percent to reach 78 pence in a market that was down by 1.3 percent.

ST JAMES'S PLACE PICKS FUND MANAGER TO STEER STRATEGY

St James's Place has appointed Chris Ralph as its first chief investment officer after the group's funds under management broke through the 20 billion pound barrier. The savings and investment company, which is 60 percent owned by Lloyds Banking Group, said Ralph would work with its investment committee to help develop strategy. Chief Executive David Bellamy said: "Relative to the rest of the market, I'm very pleased to have growth at all (in the third quarter)."

TFL SEEKS REVIEW ON PPF LEVY

Employers will be keeping an eye on Transport for London (TfL) as the operator seeks the first judicial review of a premium levied by the Pension Protection Fund (PPF). According to TfL, which operates London's mass transit system, the levy imposed is many times greater than is justified by the risk it presents to the UK's pension insurance scheme. Employers have raised complaints about the way risk to the system is assessed since the creation of the PPF in 2005.

AERO INVENTORY REVIEWS TOP EXECS AS STOCK INQUIRY WIDENS

Aero Inventory is reviewing the positions of its top three executives after an internal investigation into the incorrect valuation of certain stock items unearthed wider problems than originally thought. Chief Executive Rupert Lewin, Finance Director Hugh Bevan and Chief Operating Officer Martin Dodge have all been "removed" from their roles, but have not left the Aim-quoted wholesaler of aircraft parts. The group's former business development director, Colin Trupp, is now acting chief executive.

STAGECOACH PASSENGER FALL SLOWS

According to bus and train group Stagecoach, its recession-hit industry is showing early signs of stability as the decline in passenger numbers slows. Last week Arriva revealed that the income from ticket sales was rising on its CrossCountry franchise and First Group said in September that rail revenues in the second quarter had been relatively steady. "Recent data suggest a summer of stabilisation in rail, though the threat posed by falling employment still hovers over the industry", Astaire Securities analyst Douglas McNeill said.

Prepared for Reuters by Durrants. Keywords: BRITAIN PRESS/FT

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