IMA

The ABI will today announce plans to scrap its "misleading" managed fund sector names after research showed they were too difficult for consumers to understand.

Martin Currie's Jeff Casson looks at how investors can take advantage of the stock markets of Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Argentina.

The Investment Management Association (IMA) has confirmed it is leading efforts to shore up troubled Keydata-backer Lifemark, as part of a bid to recoup the fund management sector's £233m FSCS bill.

The IMA has criticised the Association of British Insurers' (ABI) proposed changes to its Managed sectors, arguing the suggested names are "opaque" and inconsistent with RDR and TCF principles.

The IMA's Absolute Return sector could be linked to the Managed sectors and broken down into risk profiles, according to director of markets.

Stock selection has been the key to outperformance for funds in the Asia Pacific excluding Japan sector over the last five years.

Tracker funds have seen the highest net retail sales since 2000, totalling £1.2bn last year compared with £406m in 2009, according to the IMA.

The aftermath of the global credit crisis has seen property as an asset class struggle in the face of liquidity issues.

The Strategic Bond sector was the most popular with retail investors in 2010 but sales of equity funds also soared to a 10 year high, according to the IMA.

The Investment Management Association is conducting a review of the Absolute Return sector, which may see its name changed and sub-categories introduced.