Ratings agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) has warned Japan could face a downgrade over its inability to reduce its debt pile.

Kames Capital's bond fund manager Stephen Snowden said the ongoing crisis in Europe has left gilts looking much more secure than bunds in the medium term.

US GDP was revised down from 2.5% to 2% in the third quarter, the Commerce Department said today.

Swiss bonds were returning a negative yield during trading today as the country's government sold 6 month paper at -0.148%.

Henderson Global Investors' sustainable and repsonsible investment (SRI) team is on the verge of leaving the firm after their funds are to be handed to other parts of the business.

Investors should have been buying portfolios of gilts, treasuries and bunds, as well as commodities, while avoiding major indices, to maximise returns in 2011.

The president of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), Sir Roger Carr, has called for an end to the "demonisation" of banks, energy companies and the defence industry.

US shares plunged at opening ahead of an expected announcement politicians have failed to agree a deal to cut the US' sprawling budget deficit.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has warned investors to be wary of a bogus firm trying to clone Sarasin & Partners.

Cazenove is planning to launch a European equity income fund for head of pan-European equities Chris Rice next year, as well as expand its bond fund range with a new portfolio for Peter Harvey.