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The standard deadline for paying bills will be 30 days under a deal with the Council endorsed by Parliament in plenary session on Wednesday. The new rules should ensure that small firms no longer face financial problems due to the late payment of bills by public authorities or companies and bolster solvency, innovation and jobs.

Sun Life Financial Inc. released in the United States the latest edition of its UnretirementSM Index, which reveals that more than 8 in 10 American workers believe they will need at least three years to rebuild their retirement savings as a result of the economic crisis — up from 64% a year ago. In addition, more than half the working Americans that responded (52%) expect to work at least three years longer than originally planned — with just as many believing they will retire at 70 as those who believe they will retire at 65.

While half of Americans still primarily use spreadsheets and checkbook registers to manage their finances, more than one third are now managing their finances using online solutions provided by their financial institution — an increase from 27 percent a year ago. Just over one quarter of Americans have also cut back on visits to their local bank or credit union branch to just once a month, indicating that financial institutions are offering viable online solutions that are able to meet customer needs and deepen banking relationships. These are key findings of the Third Annual Intuit Financial Services Online Financial Management Survey.

According to Strategy Analytics’ latest research, the number of Internet users around the world that use social networks such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter will reach 900 million by the end of this year and increase to 1.85 Billion by the end of 2015. However, the Strategy Analytics report, “Global Social Network Market Forecast,” finds that there are already significant regional differences in the adoption of different social networks, as well as in business models for how social networks are monetized.

Investor behavior suggests significant disconnects exist concerning risk and asset allocation and retirement readiness according to findings from a survey conducted by MFS Investment Management® of investors with at least $100,000 to invest. MFS asked those investors to compare their attitudes and behaviors about investing today to before the recent economic downturn and recession. The results point to a greater need for professional advice, especially regarding fixed income risk, diversification and retirement planning.

In August 2010 the amount outstanding of shares/units issued by euro area investment funds other than money market funds was EUR 53 billion higher than in July 2010. This was due almost equally to increases in share/unit prices and to net issues of shares/units.

In the construction sector, seasonally adjusted production fell by 0.4% in the euro area (EA16), but rose by 0.3% in the EU27 in August 2010, compared with the previous month. In July, production decreased by 3.2% and 2.5% respectively.

Median weekly earnings of the nation's 101.4 million full-time wage and salary workers were $740 in the third quarter of 2010 (not seasonally adjusted), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported. This was 0.3 percent higher than a year earlier, compared with a gain of 1.2 percent in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) over the same period.

Though much attention has been paid to the concerns of older baby boomers, who are now entering retirement, the 2008 economic downturn was a particularly strong wake-up call for Americans in their late 40s. Younger boomers still have time, but worry more about control and stability in retirement than older boomers, according to a survey* of Americans aged 44-75 by Allianz Life Insurance Company of North America (Allianz Life).

In August 2010 the seasonally adjusted current account of the euro area recorded a deficit of EUR 7.5 billion. In the financial account, combined direct and portfolio investment recorded net outflows of EUR 1 billion (non-seasonally adjusted). At the end of the second quarter of 2010, the international investment position of the euro area recorded net liabilities of EUR 1.1 trillion vis-à-vis the rest of the world (12% of euro area GDP). This represented a reduction of EUR 202 billion in comparison with the position at the end of the previous quarter.