Aviva

Aviva Investors has added a discretionary dilution levy fee to its Isa wrapper following a switch in the fund's administrators in September.

Is the growing number of absolute return funds a knee-jerk reaction to a fear of relative return products after market volatility? Will absolute return strategies prove their worth in good times as well as bad?

A healthy increase in enhanced annuity sales has been heralded as a sure sign of progress by the industry. Latest figures show Q2 sales were up 30% on last year and accounted for 17% of all annuities written

Positive US job figures failed to spur the Dow Jones in early trading on Wednesday.

The FTSE 100 continues to advance this afternoon, adding 60.29 points (1.27%) to 4816.87 at 2.30pm.

London's blue-chip index has suffered a poor start to the week after sharp stock falls in Asia today, with property groups and miners among the early decliners.

Aviva has made a profit of over £700m in the first half of the year but has slashed its dividend to just 9p.

Financials have helped the FTSE 100 regain its winning streak, with the index up over 1% this afternoon.

The Dow Jones slipped in early trading as worries increased over earnings and the state of the US economy.

The Dow Jones has risen 23.84 points (0.58%) to 8183.40 after the US aluminium giant Alcoa revealed better than expected results.