News

The disruption and anti-government protests seen in the MENA region stems from the US Federal Reserve printing money, said Aberdeen's head of global equities, who has moved defensive to protect portfolios from further unrest.

Emerging market debt investors are shunning low yielding regions in anticipation of a further rise in treasury yields this year.

Threadneedle's Jeremy Podger has urged investors to avoid last year's best performers whose share prices have already soared.

Most European bourses look cautiously positive in morning trading ahead of the US non-farm payrolls data for February.

China is cutting import tariffs and easing restrictions in an attempt to re-balance its trade policy, says US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner.

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway made a $1bn loss in Q4 last year on his holdings in junk bonds, according to the Wall Street Journal.

HSBC's Douglas Helfer, manager of the £240m GIF Russia Equity fund, has boosted his overweight position in energy since the start of the year, funded by profit-taking in materials.

Soaring stock market performance in Latin America makes it hard to find quality companies at reasonable valuations, especially in Brazil, according to First State's Millar Mathieson.

The board of the Electric & General investment trust may be forced to offer a range of alternative funds for investors after pressure from shareholders, according to analysts at Numis.

The Henderson International Income trust will be invested entirely in equities at launch to exploit the higher dividends on offer and the potential for growth.