Equities

The price of gold has hit a record high on concerns about unrest in the Middle East and contagion risk from Libya, while oil has topped the $116 a barrel mark.

The soaring oil price poses a threat to the US economic recovery if price hikes are sustained, warns Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke.

Collins Stewart has liquidated its UK Focus fund, after only garnering £1.6m in assets under management since launch in 2008.

The re-opening of the Egyptian stock exchange has been further delayed as the exchange head rejects calls to cancel trades placed in the last few days it was open.

ON NORTH AMERICA

ON JAPAN

Former M&G chief executive of equities Ed Rosengarten has joined Eden Group as the head of asset management.

The new Irish government could hit holders of bank debt with serious ‘haircuts', drying up bank funding and even derailing the European economic recovery, bond managers have warned.

F&C is preparing to launch a European absolute return fund for latest hire Randeep Grewal.

Henderson's Bill McQuaker has reshaped the group's multi-manager range, giving it a greater European focus.