Neptune

Mark Martin, manager of the Neptune UK Mid Cap fund, explains why investors should expect M&A activity to return to markets, and which mid-cap companies could be prime targets for takeover.

Investors and backers of Richard Buxton's UK Alpha Plus fund have reacted positively after the group revealed it has poached well known managers from Jupiter and Neptune to replace the outgoing star.

Neptune manager Mark Martin is backing niche medical companies to outperform the UK's mid-cap sector this year.

Neptune Investment Management has closed four funds including three in its Max Alpha product range.

Aberdeen's Bruce Stout, manager of the £1.4bn Murray International trust, has urged investors to diversify out of bonds to avoid heavy losses when central banks stop the printing presses.

Neptune founder Robin Geffen has blamed an underweight to financials for the recent poor performance of the £922m Neptune Income fund.

Neptune's Doug Turnbull is holding his largest ever position in financials in anticipation of a rally for the sector, driven by looser monetary policy and reform.

The eurozone crisis is now over and investors must start adding cyclical risk back into their portfolios, according to Neptune's head of European equities Rob Burnett.

2012 was a mixed year for markets, with developed market equities recovering from a summer sell-off to make marginal gains, while some segments of the property and bond markets outperformed.

After a strong year for most asset markets in 2012, many commentators are pointing to a much leaner year in 2013.