Jupiter has launched the Merlin Real Return fund for Algy Smith-Maxwell as it shuts the manager's Jupiter Equity fund.

Hargreaves Lansdown has risen 5.8% to top the FTSE 100 leaderboard as the blue-chip index recovers from yesterday's decline.

The return of high-profile funds to the top of the performance charts is shaking up the UK equity rankings, just as the asset class returns to favour.

Analysts at Citigroup have hiked their 2013 FTSE 100 forecast to 7,000, suggesting the UK's blue chip index can still add another 10% by the end of the year.

Troy Asset Management is to soft-close Francis Brooke's Trojan Income fund in order to protect performance for existing investors.

RBS shares have continued a pullback that began in earnest earlier this week as the FTSE moved back below 6,300 in morning trading.

MPs have heavily criticised Barclays' defence of its bonus programme, labelling former CEO Bob Diamond's £2.7m bonus for 2011 as "absolutely extraordinary".

Total income at Brewin Dolphin for the final three months of 2012 fell by 5% on the quarter as trail income fell ahead of RDR implementation.

Shares in private equity firm 3i have risen 3% today after it revealed activist investor Edward Bramson had been buying shares via his Sherborne vehicle.

Royal London Asset Management(RLAM) head of equities Jane Coffey is "in discussions" with the group over her future as the group overhauls the management of some of its equity funds.