Standard Life investments

The rally is well established. Small and mid caps have been at the forefront of this bull market which was ignited by the recent panic slashing of interest rates - sorry I mean concerted monetary easing to head off the 2008/09 world banking crisis.

Standard Life reported worldwide life and pensions sales were 15% lower at £10.5bn for the first nine months of 2009 compared to the same period last year, as falling markets took their toll.

Top performing high-yield managers attribute good results to high-yield convictions

Quality core holdings with a satellite portfolio deliver top-decile performance

Following significant fiscal and monetary stimulus, optimism regarding a US economic recovery is building with the change in Q3 2009 GDP expected to be a positive 2.2% following a 1% decline in Q2 2009 and a worse 6.4% contraction in Q1.

Where do we see the FTSE 100 finishing this year?

A substantial credit rally has materialised in recent weeks. The additional yield over government bonds of sterling credit (non gilts) illustrates a substantial spike higher during the thick of the financial crisis in 2008, but also a rally from March...

Growth fund managers are calling the end of the cyclical rally which drove returns after March's equity market low, according to Standard & Poors.

While it is too early to be confident in the timing of an economic recovery in Japan, there are at least some signs that the situation is improving significantly.

Artemis' Strategic Assets fund looks set to be one of the most successful launches this year, expected to raise as much as £40m in its initial offer period.