Astrazeneca Share News (AZN)

The UK markets regulator has given his backing to asset managers fighting proposals that could see them labelled as potential threats to the financial system. Martin Wheatley, head of Britain's Financial Conduct Authority, said global regulators faced "big questions" that needed to be answered before determining whether the world's largest asset managers should be deemed "systemically important". - Financial TimesAstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot has warned that the UK is "falling behind" in cancer care and questioned the UK's commitment to innovation, after an ovarian cancer drug developed by British scientists was deemed too expensive to use by NHS. - Financial TimesGreece was last night urged to be 'honest with voters' about the parlous state of the country's finances as hopes of an imminent deal to resolve the debt crisis were dashed. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras insisted his government had 'submitted a realistic plan for Greece to exit the crisis' after weeks of wrangling with its international lenders. - The Daily MailCenter Parcs UK is expected to consider expansion in North America, after its sale for more than £2.4bn to Brookfield Property Partners, the Canadian property group that part owns Canary Wharf. The holiday village operator, which last year opened its fifth venue in Britain, in Woburn Forest, has announced plans for a new €200m village in Ireland but its new owners are likely to back a move further afield. - The TimesFashion retailer New Look has unveiled plans to more than double its number of Chinese stores after delivering a surge in annual profits. The chain, which recently agreed to a £780m takeover offer, has 30 stores in China, the world's second-largest economy, and has set itself a target of growing that figure to 70 by March next year. - ScotsmanPrices in British shops have moved into their third year of decline as a result of widespread supermarket discounting and cheaper fresh food , according to new industry figures. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said shop prices in May were down 1.9% on last year's levels, unchanged from April's rate of decline and the 25th straight month of deflation. - The Guardian