Equities

MFS Investment Management's James Swanson says companies must spend if they want to compete.

Investment Week and our sister title Investment Europe provide ongoing updates on the turmoil in global markets as investors fret over the US and European debt crises.

Threadneedle's Philip Dicken says a bleak European outlook is is cause for caution, but not excessive negativity.

Jupiter's Guy de Blonay has called for European authorities to take further action in supporting markets or the sovereign debt crisis will spread to other eurozone economies.

The European Central Bank (ECB) has voted to hold interest rates and will boost liquidity in the eurozone in an attempt to prevent the sovereign debt crisis from spreading to Italy and Spain.

River & Mercantile's Hugh Sergeant said negative investor sentiment is pushing up equity risk premiums to credit crunch levels despite strong balance sheets among UK companies.

GERMANY SHOULD EXIT EURO

PIMCO's Bill Gross has slammed US policymakers for their failure to make a significant dent in the country's $1.5trn deficit, despite reaching an accord on the debt ceiling.

European and Asian stock markets declined sharply in Wednesday trading, mirroring overnight falls in New York, on concerns the US recovery is faltering.

Liontrust is set to acquire the fund management business of Occam, including its emerging markets and Asia teams in a £3.9m deal.