The International Monetary Fund has trimmed its US GDP forecasts and warned the nation's economic recovery remains fragile.

Last month's Rio Earth Summit, written off as a disappointment by most, still produced encouraging signs for socially responsible investors, according to Jupiter's Charlie Thomas.

The FTSE 100 has risen in early trading, building on recent gains, but Barclays' share price remains volatile as investors react to CEO Bob Diamond's resignation.

Chancellor George Osborne is to announce an inquiry into UK banking standards, with the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) also considering launching criminal prosecutions over the LIBOR rate-fixing scandal.

Analysts have suggested the fallout from the LIBOR price-fixing scandal may ultimately lead to significant asset disposals or even a break-up of the bank.

Europe can learn some important lessons from the historical development of emerging economies as it attempts to resolve its sovereign debt crisis, Franklin Templeton's Mark Mobius has said.

Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds and RBS have agreed settlements with the FSA after the regulator found "serious failings" in their sales of interest rate hedging products.

The UK is increasingly likely to lose its AAA credit rating - but this may not spell disaster for the domestic bond market, according to M&G's Jim Leaviss.

Threadneedle's Simon Brazier is to take over management of the £25m UK Select trust as the group lays out its plans for expansion into the investment trust space.

The Foreign & Colonial investment trust is to move to quarterly dividend payments and raise its total dividend for 2012 by 20%, as part of an overhaul of its distribution policy.