The paper [3] proved a necessary algebraic condition for a Banach algebra A with finite-dimensional radical R to have a unique complete (algebra) norm, and conjectured that this condition is also sufficient. We extend the above theorem. The conjecture is confirmed in the case where A is separable and A/R is commutative, but is shown to fail in general. Similar questions for derivations are discussed.

Semisimple Banach algebras are well-known to have a unique (complete) algebra norm topology, but such uniqueness may fail if the radical is even one-dimensional. We obtain a necessary condition for uniqueness of norm when the algebra has finite-dimensional radical. In the case where the Banach algebra is separable, the condition is shown to be also sufficient for a large class of algebras, and in particular under various hypotheses of commutativity. Examples are given to show the limitations of the various sufficiency results, and these also give a good indication of where the difficulties lie in general. We conjecture that, at least in the separable case, our condition is both necessary and sufficient.

1991 Mathematics Subject Classification: 46H20, 46H40.