Equities

The FTSE 100 has risen 2.1% and yields on benchmark Italian government debt have touched five-month lows as markets react positively to the ECB's bond-buying plans.

Shares in Royal Bank of Scotland led the FTSE 100 lower in early trading after MPs criticised the bank over its IT failure in June.

The S&P 500 is at a four-year high and the Dow looks set to follow as US equity investors continue to make gains.

Shares in social networking giant Facebook have hit a new low, falling another 6% after the first lock-in period ended and its largest investors were able to sell the stock.

It has been a bad week for Standard Chartered, and the explosive charges the bank faces dominated the headlines this week.

Investment Week will be hosting the latest in our series of Income Focus events on 11 September at the Cumberland Hotel in London.

The Church of England has sold News Corporation shares worth £1.9m after the company failed to address ethical concerns raised in the aftermath of the phone-hacking scandal.

Analysts have warned the investment case for holding Standard Chartered has been hit with a 'hammer blow' following the news it may lose its US banking licence.

Shares in beleaguered retailer HMV fell sharply in early trading after it confirmed its finance director is set to follow former chief executive Simon Fox out of the door.

Ignis' Terry Ewing has revealed the top American brands to watch as he seeks to insulate his £90m American Growth fund from the difficult global macroeconomic environment.