China

The leaders of the BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - are planning a $100bn (£65bn) fund to protect against financial shocks.

Old Mutual Global Investors' Richard Buxton has warned five major trends could affect the global economy throughout September and October.

It has almost gone unnoticed, but Chinese indices have begun to outperform amid a difficult August for equity investors.

The FTSE 100 has rallied strongly on positive manufacturing data from China, as well as the prospect of Vodafone's deal to sell its holding in Verizon Wireless.

Asia specialist Agnes Deng has left Baring Asset Management, handing her $2.3bn Hong Kong China fund to Laura Luo who joins the group from Schroders.

Fears over US monetary tightening, rate hikes, and recession triggered the 1987 stock market crash, and there are parallels with today's market environment, said Société Générale's Albert Edwards.

Investing in Chinese equities is not easy - even the most experienced investors can get their fingers burnt trying to find the right stocks to back in an opaque and volatile market - but one manager has a tip for would-be investors.

The Norway-based fund team bucks the trend and outperforms many peers in the offshore Equity - Emerging Markets sector over one, three and five years with focus on large caps and family-owned companies.

SPECIAL REPORT: JAPAN

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