Japan

The FTSE 100 got off to a positive start on Monday, with shares shrugging off weak data from both China and Japan to move higher.

The Nikkei index climbed to a five-week high overnight as a weak yen - and positive pensions news - provided a boost for shares.

The year always begins with Uncle Tom Cobley and all offering their 12-month forecasts for a number of major asset classes.

JAPAN

LATIN AMERICA

Central bankers risk creating an "inflationary overshoot" because of their attempts to avoid deflation, the managers of the Ruffer Investment Company have warned.

UK equities dipped this morning after closing at a 14-year high yesterday, with falls in commodity markets hitting miners.

Equity markets around the globe are near - or at - record highs, with sentiment remaining positive, but Chris Wyllie at Iveagh argues investors need to be prepared for a setback after such a strong run.

JAPAN

The Nikkei has closed 3.1% higher at 14,843 after the Bank of Japan (BoJ) said it would double the size of two lending programmes in a bid to prop up credit growth.