Updated 2:06am 16 February 2012:

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Anna Blackaby

Four enterprise zones expected to create 46,000 jobs in West Midlands

The scramble to create enterprise zones in the West Midlands has ended in triumph for Wolverhampton, Hereford and Nuneaton after three manufacturing-focused job creation schemes were given the green light.Read

Worcestershire LEP sets up delay-busting planning forum

Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership has set up a delay-busting forum for expanding companies experiencing barriers to growth through the planning and consultation process.Read

Rise in inflation "huge setback" for West Midlands

West Midland business leaders have described the rise in inflation to 4.4 per cent as a “huge setback” for firms in the region.Read

Warwick pork firm fined £16,000 after worker has fingers sliced off

Warwick-based Tulip, the UK’s biggest producer of pork products, has had to pay out more than £20,000 after a worker had two fingers sliced off in an unguarded mixing machine.Read

Desire Petroleum benefits from Rockhopper's Falklands oil boost

Desire Petroleum (DES), the Malvern-based firm looking for oil in the Falklands, has piggy-backed on fellow explorer Rockhopper’s news that its oil discovery is bigger than first estimated.Read

Widgit Software and Speedwell call in liquidators

Liquidators at Begbies Traynor are fighting to save an educational software business that was forced to close its doors.Read

Desire Petroleum benefits from Rockhopper's Falkland oil boost

Desire Petroleum (DES), the Malvern-based firm looking for oil in the Falklands, has piggy-backed on fellow explorer Rockhopper’s news that its oil discovery is bigger than first estimated.Read

Widgit Software and Speedwell call in liquidators

Liquidators at Begbies Traynor are fighting to save an educational software business that was forced to close its doors.Read

Warwick pork firm fined after worker has fingers sliced off

Warwick-based Tulip, the UK’s biggest producer of pork products, has had to pay out more than £20,000 after a worker had two fingers sliced off in an unguarded mixing machine.Read

Market panic sees £3.4bn wiped off value of Midland firms

Almost £3.4 billion was wiped off the values of listed companies in the West Midlands in a single week as financial crises in the US and eurozone hit home.Read

New Street solicitor shuts up shop as small legal firms struggle

A prominent Birmingham solicitor “fed up with living on a shoestring” is closing her city centre practice after seven years to avoid running up more debts.Read

JLR grows revenues to £2.7bn

Strong growth in China and Russia helped Jaguar Land Rover clock up revenues of £2.7 billion last quarter.Read

Pertemps boss fields offers for the Wrekin Ruby

Offers have been flooding in from foreign shores for the so-called “Wrekin Ruby” – the giant gem once valued at £11 million but sold for less than one-thousandth of that amount.Read

Laidlaw sees turnover quadruple after buyout

An ironmongery firm has will see its turnover almost quadruple from £35 million to more than £130 million after completing a major acquisition.Read

Businesses lose £7m as a result of Birmingham riots

Riots in Birmingham have cost firms at least £7 million after the city turned into a “ghost town” abandoned by shoppers and diners too scared to leave their homes.Read

Strong start puts S&U in place for growth

Solihull-based niche consumer and motor finance provider S&U could be set to go on the acquisition trail after revealing the first six months of the year had been in line with market expectations.Read

Historic business capitalises as Edgbaston off to winning start

England’s cricket successes have started to pay off for firms in the West Midlands as manufacturers join hospitality businesses in enjoying a Test match-related boost.Read

Hampson Industries warns of revenue challenges

Black Country engineering firm Hampson Industries has warned it is facing short-term revenue challenges.Read

Enterprising duo selling Indian wine to the French

Two West Midlands entrepreneurs are on a mission to convert the world to Indian wine - and are even sending it over The Channel to beat the French at their own game.Read

Five of Birmingham's 11 town centre managers to be saved from axe

Funding has been found to save the jobs of some of Birmingham’s town centre managers – but in other parts of the city shopkeepers are warning stores will go to the wall if action isn’t taken.Read

Author Profile

Anna is the Finance Editor of the Mail's sister title, the Birmingham Post. For the Mail she reports on a wide range of business topics. She joined the business desk in May 2008 after a stint on a corporate finance magazine and freelancing. Before this she lived and worked in Italy as a teacher of English. On her return to the UK, she made use of her language skills to work as a translator and writer specialising in European business and green technology.