UK

The FTSE 100 is in the black this morning, buoyed by shares including Royal Bank of Scotland which helped the index shrug-off weak Asian markets overnight.

The UK economy delivered growth of 0.3% in the first quarter of the year, the final reading from the Office for National Statistics has confirmed, but revisions to previous readings mean there was no 'double-dip' recession.

The co-founders of Armstrong Investment Managers are in talks over the future of the business as the power couple goes through a divorce.

The UK economy grew by 0.6% in the three months to the end of May, driven primarily by growth in the production and private services sectors, according to the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR).

The British Chambers of Commerce(BCC) has upgraded its long-term growth forecast for the UK, but warned the economy still faces domestic and overseas challenges.

UK equity markets have got off to a flying start this year, with the FTSE All Share and FTSE 100 both enjoying double-digit returns, but which stocks have stood out?

Henderson's Alex Crooke, manager of the £647m Bankers investment trust, has sold out of UK recovery plays as he does not expect this part of the market to deliver for a number of years.

Multi-asset managers have been forced to move into specialist vehicles or even switch to open-ended funds as the number of closed-ended vehicles trading on a premium to NAV hits a post-crisis high.

MULTI-ASSET

The Office for National Statistics' second estimate of Q1 GDP has left the reading unrevised at 0.3%, but hopes are growing of a more positive Q2 figure.