Vanguard

Vanguard has moved to reduce prices on its emerging market and global bond trackers as price competition in the passive space heats up.

The most read story on Investment Week's website this week concerned outgoing fund manager Neil Woodford and how Invesco Perpetual is moving to protect investors in his funds.

Bill Gross' Pimco Total Return fund has lost its position as the largest mutual fund in the world after investors pulled over 13% of assets from the fund since the summer.

Bestinvest has awarded a three-star rating to competitor Vanguard's S&P 500 ETF after recommending a switch away from iShares' S&P offering.

BIG QUESTION

Vanguard managing director Thomas Rampulla and AXA IM UK head Irshaad Ahmad have joined the IMA board, boosting total numbers to 18.

ETHICAL

Fund buyers are calling on iShares to review the pricing of its range of UK exchange-traded funds (ETFs), especially the mainstream vehicles that are charging substantially more than their peers.

The inability of US funds to outperform the S&P 500 has been a long-standing concern for fund selectors, but performance figures for the term of Barack Obama's presidency paint a particularly bleak picture.

Vanguard chief investment officer Gus Sauter will retire at the end of the year after a 25 year spell at the firm.