Markets

The US economy added 155,000 jobs in December, broadly in line with analyst estimates, as the dollar reached a two and a half year high against the yen.

Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM)'s chairman Jim O'Neill outlines five encouraging signs from the global economy and asks whether 2013 will be the year investors ditch fixed income in favour of equities.

GLOBAL GROWTH

Minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting suggesting its quantitative easing programme could end sooner than expected have hit equity markets overnight.

Schroders Private Bank has highlighted the three areas of the market it expects to outperform this year, pointing to Japan, UK property, and commodities as potential winners.

EQUITIES

Private bank and wealth manager C. Hoare & Co has shifted its asset allocation focus from the US to Europe for 2013 ahead of an expected boost for the single currency.

The future stability of the global economy has been threatened by the Bank of England and six of the largest central banks issuing close to $6trn of "essentially free" money since the financial crisis, according to PIMCO's Bill Gross.

Baring Asset Management has appointed Nicola Hayes as head of client service and relationship development.

Smith & Williamson Investment Management has appointed Mickey Morrissey as head of UK IFA sales in a push to grow its discretionary fund management service.