Markets

Brooks Macdonald's acquisition of Spearpoint helped drive a 44% rise in FUM in the second half of last year, although the firm continues to count the cost of RDR.

AXA IM's Nigel Thomas has added to his position in wealth manager St James's Place, whose shares have fallen 4% today as Lloyds Banking Group placed a 20% stake in the business into the market.

Troy's Trojan Income fund manager Francis Brooke has sold his position in Aberdeen Asset Management after its share price doubled in the space of 12 months.

Fears that the UK is heading for a triple-dip recession appear to have been confirmed by worse-than-expected January manufacturing data, analysts have suggested.

The asset management division of Close Brothers, comprising both advised and managed solutions for clients, turned a profit in the six months to February thanks partly to a 6% increase in overall assets under management.

Lloyds has put a 20% stake in wealth manager St James's Place up for sale, the bank confirmed this afternoon.

Chancellor George Osborne's Budget next week runs the risk of being a "dangerous missed opportunity" if he sticks to his guns on austerity, leading economist Roger Bootle (pictured) has said.

Some 67% of bankers in the City were unhappy with their overall remuneration package in 2012 and feel "excellence is not incentivised" according to a new study.

EQUITIES

Andrew Tyrie, the chairman of the Treasury Select Committee (TSC), has written to the Financial Services Authority over a decision by the Bank of Ireland to raise mortgage interest rates.