Equities

Standard Life Investments' small cap manager Ken Nicholson has left the firm after fifteen years.

The FTSE 100 was down nearly 1% this morning, while gold was in the ascendency, as investors sold down BP amid the latest developments in Ukraine.

US equity fund managers have begun cutting their exposure to technology stocks as the highly-rated sector falls out of favour with some investors following a long winning streak.

JPM Private Equity has reduced its gearing to 38%, having run it as high as 60% at the start of the year, cutting it back from "nosebleed" levels.

An independent inquiry into the Financial Conduct Authority's (FCA) release of information about its investigation into the fair treatment of long standing life company customers could cost up to £10m, according to a costs lawyer.

The Royal Bank of Scotland has agreed a deal to scrap its Dividend Access Shares, bringing the resumption of dividend payments by the bank much closer.

ON EUROPE

Legg Mason's Evan Bauman has compared the market conditions in the US to the bubble environment of 2000 as valuations reach record levels.

The five best-selling UK All Companies funds saw more than £1bn in collective inflows in the first two months of the year, confirming UK equities are back at the top of investors' wishlists.

Japan's Nikkei index has fallen another 2% after central bank governor Haruhiko Kuroda said there was no need for additional monetary stimulus to offset a recent sales tax hike.