News

In London, share prices moved upwards as markets opened this morning, though the index is volatile following signs of economic weakness in the US.

The rising price of gold simply reaffirms investor scepticism about an apparent economic recovery and places the US dollar's position as the world's leading reserve currency further in doubt, F&C's Ted Scott says.

More than 40% of smaller employers in the UK would consider closing their existing pension schemes for the potentially less-generous Personal Accounts, a study suggests.

Nine out of ten advisers warn investors are over-exposed to UK equities and could be hit in the coming months as the current market rally starts to falter, according to research by Ignis Asset Management.

The Dow Jones shed 0.36% in early trading today as sales of existing US homes fell in August for the first time in four months.

Bank of England governor, Mervyn King, says RBS and HBOS were within hours of a liquidity shortfall on 6 October 2008, and the day after, as the country's financial system came to the brink of collapse.

BlackRock's Catherine Raw says commodities will continue their bull run and remain an attractive investment at relatively cheap valuations.

UK stock markets are vulnerable to a major correction should banks suddenly sell the equities they have been hoarding with Government bailout money, Moonraker's Jeremy Charlesworth says.

The FTSE has tumbled 0.76% this morning, as the markets reacted to suggestions the US Federal Reserve is preparing to remove stimulus measures.

Wall Street shares were relatively flat in early morning trading as investors locked in profits as they await the Federal Reserve's interest rate decision later today.