Global

Global was the best-selling IMA sector in January - a month which saw net retail sales fall from recent highs to reach a 12-month low.

The disruption and anti-government protests seen in the MENA region stems from the US Federal Reserve printing money, said Aberdeen's head of global equities, who has moved defensive to protect portfolios from further unrest.

Threadneedle's Jeremy Podger has urged investors to avoid last year's best performers whose share prices have already soared.

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.

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