Moody's has slashed Ireland's sovereign debt rating by two notches, to BAA3 from BAA1, on its weak economic growth prospects.

The FTSE 100 is in the red in early trading with miners leading it lower despite gains overnight in the US.

Japan's government has downgraded its economy growth prospects in the wake of the devastation caused by last month's earthquake and tsunami.

Skandia Investment Group (SIG) has been given the green light from shareholders to revamp the group's equity income fund of funds and hand the portfolio to O'Shaughnessy Asset Management.

Alliance trust's board has defended its performance record in its annual results, with the trust increasing its divided by 3%, the 44th consecutive year it has grown.

Alliance trust has hit back at activist investor Laxey Partners and rejected calls for the introduction of a discount control mechanism (DCM), in the company's annual results, released today.

Japan has been struck by an earthquake aftershock with a 7.1 magnitude, which has rattled the country's north-eastern cost, exactly one month on from the deadly tsunami.

Laxey Partners has claimed Alliance trust is "terrified" to reveal its total expense ratio to shareholders in its latest swipe at the trust.

Tim Guinness, renowned energy investor and manager of the $416m Guinness Global Energy fund, has tipped oil to fall below $100 per barrel within the next six to 12 months.

Standard Life Investments' Ed Legget has moved overweight miners to take advantage of falling share prices across the sector, but has cut oil major BP from his portfolio.