Markets

James Sullivan, co-manager of the Miton Special Situations and Strategic portfolios, warns investors not to get too carried away by the New Year optimism.

The £3m Martin Currie Global Energy fund is set to wind down at the end of February after prolonged uderperformance.

The FTSE 100 has had the best start to a year since 1999 as investors pour billions back into global equities.

The US Treasury has ruled out minting a $1 trillion dollar platinum coin as a way to circumvent the need to raise its national borrowing limit next month.

THE BIQ QUESTION

2012 was a particularly tough year for some sectors, notably commodities and gold, as fears over global growth weighed on demand for materials.

Cofunds has extended its lead as the UK's largest platform, with assets rising to £45bn, according to the Platforum's latest pricing guide.

Two executives at Royal Bank of Scotland are reportedly under pressure to step down as US and UK regulators are concerned about the culture of the investment banking division at the bank.

Polar Capital has reported a jump in assets under management in its latest group update.

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) spent £1.3m on its ill-fated investigation into the collapse of Kaupthing Bank, a Freedom of Information (FoI) request has revealed.