BlackRock

INVESTMENT OUTLOOK

With equity markets around the world diving in the latter half of the year amid the turmoil in Europe and global growth fears, a number of funds were hit particularly hard.

ON NORTH AMERICA

BlackRock's Evy Hambro has hinted his £3.3bn Gold and General fund may be set to pay out dividends for the first time in a decade.

Will Landers, manager of the $7bn BGF Latin American fund and $500m BlackRock Latin American investment trust, has said equities in the region are poised for a strong rally if the eurozone crisis is resolved.

Barclays has written down the value of its stake in asset manager BlackRock after a sharp fall in the US firm's share price.

BlackRock's Richard Plackett has warned profits are set to come under severe pressure under the next six months as macro uncertainties weigh on corporates.

BlackRock is bringing a version of its concentrated UK Focus fund, managed by Luke Chappell and Imran Sattar, to the retail market.

Paul Shuttleworth, manager of the £115m BlackRock Corporate Bond fund, has resigned after 11 years at the firm.

Three absolute return funds were among a raft of launches seen last week despite the IMA reporting the highest outflows on record from the sector in August.