Economics

F&C Asset Management has reported pre-tax profits of £37.3m for the half year ending 30 June 2013, citing buoyant equity markets and cost-cutting measures introduced by activist shareholder Edward Bramson.

Barclays shares have dropped by more than 7% after it announced a £5.8bn rights issue to shore up its capital position.

Concerns over an expected capital raising at Barclays have pushed the stock down over 3% in the opening hours of this week's FTSE 100 trading.

The Nikkei tumbled 3% on Friday to touch its lowest level for almost three weeks as the yen strengthened against the dollar.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned if the US Federal Reserve begins tapering monetary stimulus, the weakest eurozone countries could be pushed into a "debt-deflation spiral".

UK GDP rose by 0.6% in the second quarter, according to initial estimates - in line with analysts' expectations and double the 0.3% figure seen in Q1.

China has unveiled new measures to boost its struggling economy in a fresh sign the ruling party is concerned about a slowdown.

The FTSE 100 has ended three straight days of losses to move 0.9% higher, returning to levels last seen at the end of May.

Disappointing Chinese manufacturing data has sent Asian equities into reverse and raised further questions over extent of the country's economic slowdown.

US equities can benefit from the end of QE and post an annualised return of 10% by end-2014, according to AXA IM head of research Eric Chaney.