Week in pictures: September 21

The Bank of England's monetary policy committee voted unanimously to leave interest rates on hold earlier this month, minutes released this week show. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

The rate at which new homes are being built in the US plummeted last month to its lowest for 12 years, government data shows. Photograph: Joe Raedle/Getty

March 2004 decision to fine Microsoft a record €497m (£345m) for abusing its dominance of the software market is upheld in Brussels. Pictured: European competition commissioner Neelie Kroes. Photograph: Virginia Mayo/AP

The BBC's Planet Earth TV series and a new range of bargain basement goods have helped Woolworths cut its losses in the first half of the year. Photograph: Kristin J. Mosher/BBC

The Wall Street investment bank Morgan Stanley suffered a 17% plunge in quarterly profits after taking hits of more than $1.3bn on the summer's bout of turmoil in the global credit markets. Photograph: Richard Drew/AP

The news that Northern Rock had been crippled by the credit crunch first broke late on the evening of Thursday, September 13. Hours later the first queues started to form. Britain's banking industry hadn't seen such panic in almost 150 years, but the fears were well-founded - if the Rock went bust then account holders could lose most of their life savings. Photograph: Graeme Wearden/guardian.co.uk

The advertising watchdog has banned premium beer brand Stella Artois from implying in its ad campaigns that one family has been brewing the lager for more than 600 years. Photograph: Mark Renders/Getty

The Federal Reserve, America's central bank, slashed interest rates in a dramatic move designed to prevent the ailing US economy falling into recession. Photograph: Richard Drew/AP

Britain's big supermarkets are facing substantial fines after being accused of fixing the prices of milk, butter and cheese with the dairy industry. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA

Sir Richard Branson has sold his Virgin Megastores business to a management buy-out team, severing the last of his ties with the high street. Photograph: Chris Young/AFP

Bank of England governor Mervyn King was also hauled over the coals by MPs for not acting sooner. He defended his actions and said existing rules for takeovers and protection for savers made the crisis hard to handle. The Financial Services Authority ended up carrying most of the blame Photograph: PA