oil

Tom Walker and Hugo Machin, managers of the Schroder Global Real Estate Investment Trust, explain how the need for liquidity is changing how, and where, funds invest in the property sector.

The price of Brent crude oil edged above $77 on Friday but remained close to its new four-year low as demand fears and weak Chinese data weighed on the commodity.

Man of Steel

'Investors in big oil stocks should be very nervous'

The sharp slides in oil prices seen since the summer could continue unabated until the commodity's chief trade body OPEC (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) is finally forced to take action, investors have said.

Brent crude oil has fallen to more than a two-year low following a thinktank's move to cut its forecast for global oil demand, while markets were muted overnight ahead of a pivotal US Federal Reserve meeting.

Oil majors can rebound

Shares in BP slumped late on Thursday after the group was found by a US judge to be "grossly negligent" and "reckless" in the Gulf of Mexico four years ago.

Global markets have jumped and oil has hit a 14-month low as geopolitical tensions between Russia and Ukraine show signs of abating.

Fund managers have a "critical" imperative to warn clients about the risks of chasing yield despite low volatility, former monetary policymakers have warned.