News

The Dow Jones held its level in early trading today, despite worrying results from Morgan Stanley.

The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) noted improving market conditions before unanimously voting to hold interest rates at 0.5%, the minutes of the July meeting have revealed.

Former New Star multi-manager Clare Bryant has joined investment consultants Mercer as a European equity researcher.

Investors should consider trading some of their sterling corporate bond holdings for dollar and euro denominated paper, Legal & General Investment Management claims.

S&P's annual emerging markets debt review shows managers believe corporate bond default levels will rise this year and are shifting into high-quality government debt.

The FTSE 100 fell on opening this morning, for the first time in seven days, after the Dow Jones temporarily faltered yesterday.

Threadneedle European equity managers believe the region's market recovery should gather pace in the autumn as companies continue to make the cost cutting needed to negotiate through the downturn.

The Dow Jones was up 50.03 points (0.57%) at 8898.18 this afternoon, following a volatile start to trading as US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke forecast unemployment would remain high into 2011.

Investors in US equity markets are likely to become more positive about the region's chances of a recovery following the release of "positive economic news" in coming months, says Bob Doll.

Invesco Perpetual's Samantha Ho is ready to take profits on holdings in her Hong Kong & China fund in the coming months, expecting the region to see some short-term volatility.