News

Current political turmoil in North Africa will accelerate rather than derail a long-term structural change going on in the region, according to Fadi Al Said, head of Mena investment at ING Investment Management.

Insurance stocks worldwide took a big hit today in anticipation of lower future payouts following the huge earthquake and tsunami which hit Japan overnight.

Negotiations to find a solution to the European sovereign debt crisis will end in a messy compromise that fails to resolve the peripheral solvency problem, says Stuart Thomson at Ignis Asset Management.

Schroders has hired Rob Hall from Russell Investments to work within the group's multi-asset team.

A major earthquake in Japan has rocked markets, which were already fragile yesterday as the FTSE 100 hit a five-week low.

BlackRock has unveiled two overseas bond trackers for the retail market, providing exposure to global corporate and government bonds.

AIG is aiming to reduce its obligation to the US government by offering to buy a $15.7bn (£9.72bn) portfolio of mortgage-backed securities from the Fed.

Investors' growing appetite for emerging market debt is a cause for concern as the asset class could be set for a correction, says Rathbones' David Coombs.

Gartmore's Global, European and Fledgling investment trusts will make the move over to Henderson after the merger, with no plans to rename them as yet.

Hume Capital is launching an unconstrained Global Opportunities fund on March 28.