F&C

As a result of the credit crunch, the UK and other parts of the world are facing major structural changes. UK economic recovery will be muted and two-thirds of earnings will come from overseas. So which sectors will perform the best in 2010?

F&C's multi-manager team has added L&G Managed Monthly Income to the bond portion of its Lifestyle Defensive portfolio.

F&C Investments has selected Calastone's cross-border transaction network to carry its open architecture range of funds - joining Aviva Investors which signed up yesterday.

This year began broadly as expected, with most believing that the losses of 2008 would take years to recover from.

F&C has been replaced as manager of the £290m Foreign & Colonial Eurotrust following prolonged underperformance.

F&C's multi-manager team has sold out of the Ignis Argonaut European Income fund in favour of Neptune's European Opportunities.

The consensus view for the UK's economic outlook in recent months has been that while the worst was over, progress would be slow and consumers were in line to struggle in 2010 burdened with high unemployment and rising taxes.

Fund managers have sought to downplay the potential fallout from the Dubai debt crisis on both their holdings and the global economic recovery.

F&C's UK market strategist, Ted Scott, says oil majors will be supported by a number of factors next year, including secure dividends and strong oil prices.

Emerging market equities rose strongly over the third quarter of 2009 and have now more than doubled from the low point seen in October 2008. Indeed, the last six months have seen the asset class deliver the best returns on record.