Kingfisher, which also owns Screwfix, saw sales shoot up 38 per cent in the third week of March. Online sales jumped by a quarter as people avoided shops as the threat of the virus became clear.

A day which started with optimism due to a surge in a Chinese manufacturing index in March, suggesting there could be a sharp 'V' shaped recovery from global lockdowns, ended with more alarming data.

Alarmist forecasts of more than 20m job losses in the US, and a 10 per cent plus loss of output in Britain and in America in the second quarter, look likely to be a reality.

When it comes to loading up the big guns, Japan is market leader. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is unsheathing a fiscal package as the country places its cities under a state of emergency.

Bank of America alone has approved 177,000 loans worth $32.6 billion (£26.3 billion) in just over a week. The White House says that £56.5 billion of such loans have been sorted.

Housing Minister Christopher Pincher will host a video conference call with the trade body for estate agents to discuss how people can safely begin buying, selling and moving home again.

Britain's biggest car-maker is making a bid to kick-start the dormant car sales market and entice customers into buying new vehicles despite the coronavirus lockdown.

Trainer Dan Skelton had indicated the gelding Allmankind, who won at Cheltenham on Saturday, might be given a break before one prep-run for March's Triumph Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival.

SPORTS AGENDA: It would appear to have been a week of cock-ups by sporting authorities. UEFA sent out a tweet announcing that it would still be 'Euro 2020' next year, before backtracking. 

Racing Post will temporarily stop publication of their daily newspaper for the first time since its inception in 1986 due to impact on the sport from the deadly coronavirus pandemic.  

The Financial Conduct Authority was always going to be a bed of nails for Bank of England governor aspirant Andrew Bailey - and so it has proved.

Labour promises, such as free broadband and a pensions bailout for women born in the Fifties would eviscerate public finances, destroy our credit rating and lead to a run on the pound.

The truth is that, in or out of the European Union, the citizens of the United Kingdom often under-estimate all the terrific things we have going for us.

I rented out my late mother's house. I chose Howards Estate Agents to find a suitable tenant in full time employment, but it later became apparent they were not and defaulted on the rent.

Uncle and nephew Emon and Jamiul Choudhury have shared the 'amazing experience' of taking part and eventually winning BBC's Race Across the World following the climax of the show on Sunday.

The actress, 32, joked she was in need of a 'filter' after going a week without washing her hair in lockdown, but still looked incredible, as she thanked Our Girl fans for their continued support.

Colonel Tom Moore's incredible National Health Service fundraising attempt isn't his first brush with fame, as it's revealed he previously appeared on Blankety Blank.

The presenter, 25, cut a casual figure in a pale grey tracksuit and black bucket hat as she was seen leaving the BBC studios in London on Friday.

Tonight's Horizon: The Great British Intelligence Test on BBC Two revealed University Challenge star Bobby Seagull, 26, from London, has an 'extremely average' size brain.

The names of those who sit on the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) had not previously been published on security and independence grounds.

James Rodriguez, Lucas Vazquez, Mariano Diaz, Alvaro Odriozola, Alphone Areola and Nacho Fernandez will also be shipped out. Zinedine Zidane is hoping to raise £105million.

Although Gareth Bale would likely draw a hefty sum, Real Madrid reportedly want to hang on to him for now as they make preparations for a season without a major acquisition.

Bale became one of the world's best wingers in north London before leaving Spurs for the Bernabeu in the summer of 2013 for what was then a world-record transfer of £86million.

Real Madrid star Gareth Bale has attempted to recreate his iconic Champions League final goal in his living room to raise money for the NHS during the coronavirus pandemic. 

Real Madrid attacker Gareth Bale has declared his interest in moving to the MLS and questions continue to be asked about his future in Spain.

Bale has long been loathed by Madrid supporters and targeted as a scapegoat when the Spanish giants underperform, with Bale nearing the exit door this summer.

The club had been planning a big summer of spending, with Zinedine Zidane looking to freshen up the squad he has at his disposal, with Kylian Mbappe and Eduardo Camavinga linked.

MARTIN SAMUEL - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER: All the reasons for not taking the Open to Royal Portrush are now similarly advanced for keeping it away from Royal Porthcawl.

Andy Murray continued his singles comeback with a straight-sets defeat by Tennys Sandgren at the Winston-Salem Open in North Carolina on Monday night.

In order to qualify, GB are reliant on him using up one of his 'protected ranking' entries. Murray is counted as a world No 2 for these purposes under the scheme that helps the long-term injured return.

Andy Murray was knocked out of the Zhuhai Championships at the last-16 stage after a three-set tussle with Australia's Alex De Minaur. Murray had been hoping to follow up his victory on Tuesday.

MIKE DICKSON IN ANTWERP:Andy Murray may have had his hip covered in metal, but nobody ever suggested his mentality needed any resurfacing.

It's Hot or Not time again as Sportsmail's Riath Al-Samarrai reveals what's been making him feel warm and what's been leaving him cold this week.

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has lifted the lid on his extraordinary bust-up with Sir Alex Ferguson after including an injured Wayne Rooney in his 2006 World Cup squad.

Taking to Instagram, footballer celebrated their lengthy relationship with the hashtag #18years to highlight the fact that they began dating while still teenagers

TOM COLLOMOSSE AT PRIDE PARK: Wayne Rooney is still breaking new ground even after 500 games in English league football with the first 'Panenka' penalty of his career.

INTERVIEW BY IAN HERBERT: It's when Rooney is asked whether Sir Alex Ferguson's old man-management ruses make more sense to him, now he is a player-coach, with Derby County.

Gary Neville has recalled the time he tried to relinquish his captaincy duties at United only for Ferguson to emphatically shut him down as he was worried of feuds breaking in the camp.

Wayne Rooney has recalled the abilities of his former Manchester United colleague Ravel Morrison with the highest praise. And he's far from alone in remembering how good Morrison used to be.

Simona Halep's advice to Taylor Townsend came back to bite her after the American qualifier dumped the Wimbledon champion out of the US Open.

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Michael Owen's injury problems began at a youth tournament held in Malaysia in June 1997, just a month after scoring on his professional debut for Liverpool.

Kaley Jones, 32, has revealed that her parents taught her the 'meaning of real love' and that she's been looking after Vinnie, 54, since Tanya, 53, died at her Hollywood home in July.

Aaron Ramsdale has been rewarded for establishing himself as Bournemouth's first-choice goalkeeper this season with a new long-term contract.

The reality star, 26, enjoyed some time away from her busy schedule as she attended the press night for Cinderella at New Wimbledon Theatre in London on Tuesday evening.

MIKE DICKSON IN MELBOURNE: It was literally at the eleventh hour that Dart saved British tennis from an Australian Open wipeout when she fought her way through to second round.

The Laver Cup has been postponed until 2021 after the French Open was rescheduled to clash with the September tournament which was co-created by tennis icon Rodger Federer.

The biggest challenge for sports fans once action does resume will be keeping track of it all and where there have been changes in the schedule. Here, Sportsmail runs you through the plan so far.

Food blogger Annem Hobson, 30, from London, who runs food blog So Wrong It's Nom, created the UK's first ever cheese advent calendar in 2016.

Ahead of Bank Holiday weekend, Wales Online have reported the current restrictions in place for buying Easter eggs at the likes of Sainsbury's, Tesco, Aldi and Asda.

Primark's owner Associated British Foods said it has furloughed 68,000 Primark workers across Europe and looking to start discussions with landlords to seek help with their lease payments.