Analysis

Investors are needing continual confirmation of their convictions in order to stay invested, and this is having an impact on emerging market indices, explains Nick Henderson from Skagen Funds.

There is a worrying level of calmness in markets at a time when risk levels across the board are rising. Investors should be upping cash now, argues M&G UK Growth manager Mike Felton.

The UK economy appears to be in rude health. In May, the Bank of England upgraded its growth forecasts for 2015 to 2.9%, from 2.7%, saying that the economy "has started to head back towards normal". It left its growth prediction for this year unchanged...

The steady eddie water utility stocks should have been casualties of the improving economy. But this sector has outperformed the All-Share so far this year. Rathbones' Alan Dobbie explores this 'intriguing' performance.

The deep recession in the US and subsequent sluggish growth has led some experts to suggest the market is suffering economic hysteresis - or permanent damage to potential growth and employment, explains Robert Jukes from CGWM.

A recent spate of share buybacks among companies jostling to prove they can reward shareholders shows Japanese companies are finally ready to be shareholder-friendly, explains GAM Japan manager Ben Williams.

Following a bumper season for special dividends, capex growth has picked up substantially. The era of special dividends could be drawing to a close, explains AXA IM's Jamie Forbes-Wilson.

Asia's growing consumer base will be a force to be reckoned with. Yuming Pan from Allianz GI lays out the statistics that show just how big the investment opportunities will be.

Since the financial crisis in 2008, the FTSE All-Share has been on a steady upward trajectory.

Rising labour costs in China means manufacturers have been turning to robotics to save costs. Now, a robotics revolution is underway, driven by smart materials and more sophisticated design. Pieter Busscher from RobecoSAM explains the dynamics.