FTSE 100

Invesco Perpetual's Martin Walker tells Dan Jones why now is the time to stick with insurers, and how the rich pickings across the equity market have dried up somewhat.

Another day of losses yesterday has left the UK's main mid-cap index down almost 7% since the start of March - underperforming both large and small caps as warnings on valuations made at the start of the year ring true.

CONTRARIAN INVESTOR

The FTSE 100 was down nearly 1% this morning, while gold was in the ascendency, as investors sold down BP amid the latest developments in Ukraine.

The five best-selling UK All Companies funds saw more than £1bn in collective inflows in the first two months of the year, confirming UK equities are back at the top of investors' wishlists.

UK EQUITIES

FUND MANAGER FOCUS

The last week has been one of major upheaval in the world of pensions, after George Osborne's latest Budget removed the requirement to buy an annuity, and the FCA then said it was preparing to probe closed life books. But which shares within the sector...

Shares in Lloyds Banking Group fell more than 5% this morning after the government sold another 7.8% of its stake in the bank last night.

Royal Mail, which was recently floated on the stock exchange, has announced it is scrapping a total of 1300 roles in a cost-cutting drive, with shares falling as the initial cost of the cuts spooks investors.