FTSE 100

The FTSE 100 climbed in early trading in line with other major equity markets as the US Federal Reserve moved to taper its bond buying programme.

A year hyped as the start of a great rotation from bonds into equities actually saw more of a trickle out of fixed income, but it was not plain sailing for bond funds.

Aggreko's share price shot up more than 8% yesterday, after the firm won contracts to supply power at next year's World Cup in Brazil and Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

EQUITY INCOME

EQUITY INCOME

Alexander Friedman, global CIO at UBS Wealth Management, sees Japan as ‘more of a risk' to investors than China in the coming year.

Bob Diamond, the former boss of Barclays who left in disgrace last year after the bank admitted its role in rigging Libor rates, is reportedly close to making a comeback with a new bank venture.

In smaller companies investing, there are few managers more high profile or successful than Standard Life Investments' Harry Nimmo.

Standard Chartered saw its stock price plummet 7% during trading today after warning of its first fall in operating profits for a decade.

Supermarkets are weighing on the FTSE 100 index today as worries escalate over price wars between the UK's leading food stores.