Global

As we move further away from the financial meltdown in the autumn of 2008, investors are once again focused on investment returns, leading to the consideration of higher alpha approaches to global equity investing.

Aberdeen is preparing to launch a closed-ended Latin American income fund for head of emerging market debt Brett Diment and head of global emerging markets Devan Kaloo.

Henderson's Mark Harris has built a significant position in Middle East and African equities in his three multi-manager portfolios.

M&G's Richard Woolnough has initiated a number of derivative positions in sovereign bond markets to try and profit from the volatility caused by recent eurozone pressures.

Legendary investor Warren Buffett tried to block the first derivative contract in the US back in 1982.

As we feared, this is proving a difficult year for investors. We have long thought the best in world share markets was over.

Updated 12.30pm: The FTSE plunged in midday trade after Chancellor George Osborne unveiled details of the coalition government's £6.2bn spending cuts.

First State has launched an onshore version of its Global Agribusiness fund, managed from Australia by global resources specialists Renzo Casarotto and Skye Macpherson.

Artemis is to roll out its second fund in five years with the addition of a global equity fund to its income range.

THE ALCHEMIST