Global

HSBC's Douglas Helfer, manager of the £240m GIF Russia Equity fund, has boosted his overweight position in energy since the start of the year, funded by profit-taking in materials.

Soaring stock market performance in Latin America makes it hard to find quality companies at reasonable valuations, especially in Brazil, according to First State's Millar Mathieson.

We are only two months into the New Year and many forecasters have torn up their predictions for 2011.

HOW TO PLAY THE MIDDLE EAST CRISIS

ON ASIA

MIDDLE EAST IN TURMOIL

Aberdeen is converting one of its Asian bond funds into a short duration product due to rising demand for the strategy.

Jason Pidcock and Caroline Keen of the Newton Asia-Pacific equities team say the trend for dividend-paying Asian companies is continuing to evolve.

Saudi Arabia is stepping in to prevent an oil supply blackout driven by the Libyan turmoil, the Financial Times reports.

A member of the US Federal Reserve has called for Wall Street's financial giants to be broken up to avoid another financial crisis.