Better than expected results at some of the UK's major retailers gave a lift to UK fund managers today as Xmas numbers beat gloomy forecasts.

Liontrust's Stephen Bailey and Jan Luthman have been upping their exposure to asset management firms ahead of an anticipated "triple positive whammy" for the sector in the years ahead.

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FUND MANAGER VIEWS

Last November Argonaut's Barry Norris celebrated a decade managing European equity funds, through a period that has seen the end of the dotcom era, a global financial crisis, and a sovereign debt crisis in Europe.

Kames Capital's head of investment strategy Bill Dinning has quit his role to become an investment strategist for Coal Pension Trustee Services.

Peter Webb, the manager of the two worst-performing funds of 2012, has described his frustrations in trying to sell many of the "illiquid" positions he inherited on the portfolios, and his hopes for a turnaround in performance this year.

At a time when many fund groups are consolidating their fund ranges, Baring Asset Management has come to the market with three brand new funds this year.

Although 2013 will be a pivotal year in wealth management as RDR rulings are put in place on 1 January, the past 12 months have also been extremely busy as firms tighten up their business models to meet the deadline.

WEALTH MANAGERS