UK

Equities are likely to post gains in 2012 whatever the outcome of the sovereign debt crisis in Europe, according to Richard Peirson, manager of the £347m AXA Framlington Managed Balanced fund.

Standard Life has successfully sued its professional indemnity insurers for around £100m to recover losses related to its Pension Sterling Fund.

Brewin Dolphin saw a 6% fall in revenues over the 13 weeks to 31 December 2011, although assets under management grew, according to an interim management statement released today.

ON UK GROWTH

Germany has unveiled plans for an alternative to the Tobin tax in the form of European stamp duty on shares.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) boss Stephen Hester is being urged to turn down a £963,000 bonus in shares awarded to him by the bank.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is to urge the coalition today to "go further and faster" in implementing an increase in the income tax threshold.

More than 100 London investment bankers have launched a claim in the High Court for £42m in unpaid bonuses.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) once again voted unanimously to maintain interest rates at 0.5% and keep the quantitative easing (QE) programme at £275bn in January, despite fears inflation may fall below target levels.

Senior executives of Dalton Strategic Partnership (DSP) are set to purchase equity in the firm following the death of founder Andrew Dalton in April last year.