Investment companies are being urged to issue zero dividend preference shares (ZDPs) rather than rely on banks to provide financing, to help ride out short term market volatility.

The UK's leading share index has fallen to its lowest level this year, slipping below 5,500, as Greece's continued failure to form a coalition government dampens risk appetite.

Vince Cable has voiced concerns there will be dire consequences for the UK's economy if Greece were to exit the euro and debt contagion spread.

Fund groups are scrambling to develop risk-rated propositions ahead of the RDR deadline at the end of this year, with major houses including Jupiter planning how to enter the space.

Skandia Investment Group(SIG) has handed a €34m mandate to BlackRock's Richard Plackett in its €345m European Best Ideas fund.

Lindsell Train co-founder Nick Train has called the beginning of a new technology bull run following Apple's explosive start to 2012.

BlackRock's Will Landers on the prospects for a rapidly growing market spurred by commodity demand.

Philip Shaw, Investec's chief economist, expects the Bank of England to extend its quantitative easing programme on Thursday, arguing more liquidity needs to be pumped into economy to drag the UK out of recession.

Spain has unveiled plans to clean up its stricken banking sector in an attempt to prevent the economy from derailing.

The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) is advising members with modest investments in US securities to avoid signing up to FATCA, in the same week as the IMA called for a further delay to the deadline.