Business week in pictures

Computer error was the reason given by HSBC as millions of the bank's customers were unable to access internet banking services or withdraw cash from high-street cash machines
Photograph: Bloomberg via Getty Images

The former boss of Goldman Sachs, Jon Corzine, resigned as CEO of the brokerage firm MF Global four days after it had filed for bankruptcy. He chose to forego a potential $12m payoff and any severance pay. Corzine, formerly a Democratic politician until he lost his position as governor of New Jersey, joined MF Global in 2010 Photograph: Mario Tama/Getty Images

International Airlines Group, the owner of British Airways, pledged to develop services to Asian destinations from Heathrow airport if it ends up successful in its bid for the rival carrier bmi. The airline group said that routes to countries including South Korea, Indonesia and Vietnam would be opened up Photograph: bmi

The financial and political pressures facing Greece, and the eurozone, led to the resignation of Greek prime minister George Papandreou, after a turbulent week that saw him abandon plans to hold a referendum on the latest Greek bailout plan Photograph: Aris Messinis/AFP/Getty Images

"This ticket offer is one of a range of initiatives we will be launching as a way of saying sorry as we move forward into this period of stability," said Alan Joyce, the Qantas chief executive. The airline expects to spend around $20m (£12.5m) offering 100,000 return economy flights inside Australia, or to New Zealand. The reason for the offer? The aussie carrier's decision to ground its entire fleet of aircraft in the middle of an industrial dispute Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images

Financial markets took further knocks at the end of a fractious and unproductive G20 summit that failed to agree any new fiscal help for eurozone countries in freefall. Italy, already facing bond-yield worries, was forced to accept International Monetary Fund monitoring of its austerity programme. And there were even more choppy waters ahead for Italian politics … Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

The regime of Italy's longest-serving prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, will come to an end; he said so himself – announcing his intention to resign. As investors fretted over the effects on the eurozone of a prolonged period of political uncertainty in Italy, the interest rate on Italian five-year government bonds rose above 7% Photograph: Alessandro Di Meo/EPA

Most financial sector professionals think City traders are paid too much, a postponed report by the St Paul's Institute revealed. The report, Value and Values: Perceptions of Ethics in the City Today, was based on a survey of 515 people taken by market research company ComRes in August. It revealed that 66% of respondents believe City traders are paid too much. FTSE 100 chief executives, stockbrokers, lawyers and bankers were also considered overpaid. Next week's question: do bears …? Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Vodafone has stolen Shell's crown as the biggest payer of dividends in the FTSE 100. A total of £6.7bn is to be handed to shareholders this financial year as the British mobile phone network passes on cash received from its US subsidiary. Shell has promised £5.6bn of dividends, and HSBC £5bn (provided it doesn't suffer any more, ahem, computer problems) Photograph: Carl Court/AFP

To buy or not to buy – that was the question, and one apparently better answered with a big fat 'no'. An attempt by Carphone Warehouse founder Charles Dunstone to shake up the electronics retail market ended in failure with the company forced to admit it is closing the 11 stores it operates in the UK with the American chain Best Buy. Best Buy UK's losses are heading for £140m and 1,100 jobs are at risk Photograph: Rui Vieira/PA

It sounds like the sale of the century: 248 shops packed with flatscreen TVs, fridges and laptops – but the £2 sell-off of struggling high-street electricals retailer Comet became a reality. Comet's losses had become such a drain on its owner, Kesa, that it was dragging down the whole group, said Thierry Falque-Pierrotin, the French boss of Kesa. Comet's new owner, OpCapita, said it had "no intention to close further stores or make redundancies" among Comet's 10,000 staff Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA

The recession has served to widen the north-south divide, according to a report from economists PricewaterhouseCoopers in its regional household financial stress index. And the gap is set to worsen as households in the north-east and Yorkshire are among the hardest hit by rising unemployment and falling house prices. London enjoyed the strongest earnings growth, the steadiest house prices and one of the lowest increases in personal insolvencies Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images