Bonds

Hedge fund managers have been increasing their short positions in sterling amid fears the currency is set to depreciate further as investors flock to the euro.

Schroders has promoted Karl Dasher to head of North America, replacing Jamie Dorrien-Smith who is retiring in July after 19 years of service at the firm.

Aberdeen is the biggest riser in the FTSE 100 after a double acquisition that CEO Martin Gilbert said does not alter the group's "very cautious" strategy.

Aberdeen has hit the acquisition trail with two new deals, agreeing to buy US asset manager Artio Global Investors and taking a majority stake in private equity fund of funds business SVG.

Old Mutual Global Investors' (OMGI) Stewart Cowley believes the so called ‘great rotation' out of fixed income and into equities has as yet failed to occur.

EMD

Andy Brown, investment director at Prudential's Portfolio Management Group, believes there is great value in the corporate bond market and that noise to the contrary is overdone.

The Bank of England is close to announcing a further bout of asset purchasing, particularly as gilt yields continue to soar, Kames Capital's Iain Buckle has predicted.

First State Investments has launched a Global Credit Income fund for the UK market, targeting wealth managers and discretionary investors.

Germany's AAA credit rating will come under increasing scrutiny this year as investors shift their focus, according to Cosimo Marasciulo, head of government bonds and FX at Pioneer Investments.