News

The MPC is highly unlikely to raise interest rates this week but will begin to hike in the second quarter as GDP improves, says OMAM's Ashton Bradbury.

Threadneedle's CIO Mark Burgess has reduced holdings in Asian and emerging markets in expectation of inflationary pressures, adding instead to European banking stocks and Japanese equities.

Inflation-linked gilts are "very attractive" as a defensive allocation in portfolios, despite low real yields, says Chris Iggo at AXA Investment Managers.

China has raised interest rates for the third time in four months in an attempt to cool inflation.

The government says it will increase the levy on bank profits to £2.5bn this year, to raise an extra £800m for the public purse.

London's leading index started trading sluggishly, despite the Dow Jones yesterday closing up for the sixth consecutive day and the Nikkei hitting a nine-month peak overnight.

Laxey Partners has sent out a letter to Alliance Trust shareholders arguing for the introduction of share buybacks if the trust's discount to net asset value exceeds 10%.

Braveheart Investment Group has launched a fund investing in young UK companies it believes have strong growth prospects.

Ignis has restructured its UK equity team resulting in the departure of the head of desk and four analysts from the team.

Threadneedle's Simon Brazier has revealed the three factors he believes could stall the UK's "muted economic growth".