THE DAILY BRIEFING

MONEY MAKING Fundraising website group Seedrs has raised £6m from more than 2,000 savers in just five days.

The so-called crowdfunding business – which allows ordinary people to invest directly in private companies – was also given £4m by fund manager neil Woodford.

Consumer groups, however, have warned that backers risk losing their money by supporting firms they don’t fully understand.

BOSS NAMED Wealth manager Tilney has appointed Chris Woodhouse, the former boss of motoring group RaC, as its chief executive. The 56-year-old is succeeding Peter Hall, 53, who is joining investment firm Permira as an advisor.

CASHING IN a bitcoin trading desk could be launched at Goldman

Sachs as the investment bank scrambles to cash in on the boom in internet money. Bitcoin is up 341pc this year – but some experts fear investors are buying into a huge trading bubble which could eventually lead to massive losses.

■ AUDITOR PROBE an investigation into tainted accountant

KPMG’s work at businesses owned by the nation’s wealthy Gupta family, who are at the centre of huge corruption scandal, is being fasttracked by south african regulators.

■ GEM FIND aIm-listed Firestone Diamonds has found a 134- carat gem at its liqhobong diamond mine in lesotho, the largest find to date by the miner founded and run by former De Beers finance chief stuart Brown.

■ COLLEGE PLAN a consortium led by support services and construction group Interserve has been hired by Durham University to build two colleges in Durham City.

■ SOFA SALES Furnishing retailer SCS saw sales increase 4.9pc to £333m in the year to the end of July from £317.3m the year before, and profits soared 9.9pc to £12m, defying the sector slowdown. ■ NEW DIRECTOR Infrastructure products firm Hill & Smith Holdings has appointed alan Giddins, a managing partner at 3i Group, as a non- executive director and senior independent director.

■ DEBT DEAL Global mobile network company Truphone has raised £255m in a funding round to pay off its debts and fuel its expansion plan worldwide.