Economics

Walker Crips managers Steve Bailey and Jan Luthman have cut exposure to gold ETFs by 20% deeming it a ‘crowded trade'.

US markets have opened lower as investors take a dim view of Hewlett Packard's latest acquisition and send its shares down 20%.

Richard Buxton, Schroders' head of UK equities and manager of the £2.9bn UK Alpha Plus fund, has seen his holding in Autonomy sky-rocket today after an audacious bid from Hewlett-Packard.

Shares in software giant Autonomy soared this morning after it confirmed last night it had received an $11bn offer from Hewlett-Packard.

French regulators have failed in an attempt to extend the short-selling ban to major European stock markets, allowing investors to bet on further falls in financial stocks, the FT reports.

The price of gold futures touched a new high above $1,850 overnight as panicked investors sold off shares heavily across the globe on growth fears.

The UK's index of 100 leading shares fell 2.76% to below 5,000 this morning, as global markets showed no signs of shaking off fears the West is heading back into recession.

US manufacturing data has sent markets plunging again, with the S&P 500 down 4.5% and the UK and Europe also tumbling.

France's AAA credit rating is "stable" said ratings agency Standard & Poor's, a week after rumours hit the market the country is facing a downgrade.

European markets have fallen further into the red in mid-morning trading on the back of recessionary fears, with the FTSE 100 suffering triple-digit losses.