Markets

The number of fund managers backing a strengthening in the US dollar hit a record high in March, as optimism over the US recovery also gathered pace.

UK CPI inflation rose from 2.7% to 2.8% in February as rising energy prices pushed the reading to its highest level since May of last year.

Société Générale strategist Albert Edwards has urged investors to stick with their core government bond holdings in the face of a threat to US profit margins which could hit equity markets.

Cypriot officials are attempting to renegotiate the terms of its €10bn bailout to limit the pain for small account holders, according to reports.

Royal London has agreed to buy the Co-operative Banking Group's life insurance and asset management businesses in a deal worth up to £219m.

Jupiter CEO Edward Bonham Carter has sold 750,000 shares in the group, bringing his shareholding down below 3%.

Asian markets tumbled overnight and safe-haven bond yields fell following news EU member Cyprus is to impose an unprecedented bank levy on deposits held in the country.

More than 20 fund management groups are to set to make a formal offer to buy 315 Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) branches, the Sunday Times reports.

Chancellor George Osborne is to bring forward the introduction of the flat-rate state pension and the cap on social care by a year.

Miton Group - Gervais Williams' fund management company - has announced plans to launch a range of UK equity funds after a positive year for the group which saw assets climb towards £2bn.