Confidence sparked by Federal Reserve rate rise on Thursday now replaced with caution

Combination will transform Shell into the world’s top liquefied natural gas trader

Current cost of supplies earnings - the group’s definition of net income - 70% lower

European shares ease back after 8% drop, as fears of slowdown triggered price swings

Anglo-Dutch company says it will reduce headcount as it steps up spending cuts

Noble acquisition sets precedent for other companies plotting shale deals

Highly paid members of exploration team among ‘about 46’ due to depart

Energy industry’s biggest deal in more than a decade

Gains in BG push gauge of oil and gas shares to its biggest gain since 2009

Acquisition of BG Group in $70bn deal will give Royal Dutch Shell access to new markets

ECB’s quantitative easing programme prompts investments in euro zone shares

Helge Lund will have to work against the clock if he is to replicate the success he had at helm of Statoil

Bank of Ireland and CRH down with slight falls also for Aer Lingus and Ryanair

Mining stocks regain some momentum following increases in oil and metals prices

Cost of crude down 25% since mid-June with future investment threatened by price slide

Chris Finlayson set to leave the UK’s third largest oil and gas producer for personal reasons

Production this year would be as much as 11% lower than analysts were expecting

Investors nervous that shakeout in markets could lead to a full-blown financial crisis

Iseq slips back as dealers indicate ‘pretty flat’ session with values up just over 0.5%

Iseq mirrored mood across Europe, and traders said volumes were pallid

Chief executive Ashley Almanza was promoted from finance chief in June

Jobless claims in US fuels speculation that Fed will trim bond-buying programme