GDP

What do the New Year and the run-up to a general election have in common? An inevitable outbreak of predictions, resolutions and outlooks.

With the northern hemisphere still reeling from the effects of the recession, attentions are heading south as now more than ever investors need to adapt a broader perspective to their investments

The UK economy is likely to have shrunk nearly 5% in 2009 yet many UK firms have shown resilient profitability.

Last year was a stellar year for emerging equity markets.

Corporate bonds posted a strong performance in 2009 (c. 15%), more than recovering the losses of 2008, and have dramatically outperformed equities over the last decade.

China is to hold its economic growth target at 8% in 2010 despite the global downturn.

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

There has rarely been a dull moment this year. A 20% fall in the UK equity market by early March has given way to close to a 50% bounce.

Hail Dorothy, the wicked witch is dead! In the classic movie, the Wizard of Oz, this is the ending of one era and entering of another.

Over the course of the year, the Japanese stock market has continued to rise from its March low point, helped by a general improvement in investors' risk appetite and the release of more positive economic data.