ETF

First Trust Advisors is planning to open up its $4.6bn enhanced index fund range to the UK market, taking on the likes of BlackRock and Vanguard in the ETF space.

The £1.3bn Witan Investment trust has moved to quarterly dividend payments after announcing a 10% rise in payouts for 2012.

ETFs

David Gardner, head of EMEA sales and BlackRock's iShares veteran, is set to retire after 12 years.

Uncertainty over the outcome of the US presidential election, the fiscal cliff and Hurricane Sandy saw inflows into global ETFs slow sharply in October, according to consultancy ETFGI.

MAM Funds' Simon Callow has been adding risk back into his £190m CF Midas Balanced Growth fund over the last quarter as policymakers work to steer the eurozone into recovery mode.

Janus Capital Group's fixed income team has reduced the credit weighting and high yield exposure across its Core Plus bond strategy.

Bidders for Credit Suisse's ETF arm will be getting it "on the cheap" as the sale is another example of a bank being forced to sell assets to strengthen its capital positions, according to Citi.

Credit Suisse is selling its $17.2bn European ETF business, with BlackRock and State Street among the firms that have bid for the business, according to reports.

As equity markets wane and politicians dither, gold has moved firmly back into the limelight recently, with investor demand for the precious metal sending its price rebounding back near record highs.