Asia

Asian stock markets swung between losses and gains overnight after a slowdown in Chinese trade data.

Aberdeen Asset Management is the biggest faller in the FTSE 100 index on the first trading day of 2014, as investors take profits after a stunning run higher for the business recently.

Stock markets in Asia have started the new year in the red after a lowly first session which saw Chinese shares sell off on weak manufacturing numbers.

Prusik Investment Management co-founder Heather Manners has outlined three forward-looking Asian themes she expects to drive returns for her portfolio in 2014 and beyond.

City Financial has unveiled a Japan fund for manager Peter Nicholas and re-shuffled its Asian equities desk as it continues to expand.

Japanese shares soared overnight, with the Nikkei index seeing its biggest one-day gain for three months, as Asian shares rebounded after last week's slide.

Henderson Global Investors has hired Aberdeen Asset Management's Andrew Gillan to head its Asian equities team, following the announcement he had resigned from his previous role.

Angus Tulloch and Martin Lau, managers of the Scottish Oriental Smaller Companies trust, have bagged a performance fee of £1.7m over the year to the end of August.

Asian stocks rose overnight, driven higher by the Nikkei which reversed sharp losses on Friday after climbing over 2%.

City Financial is preparing to launch an Asian macro fund for portfolio manager Geoffrey Barker.