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Insight to launch credit and farmland funds

Story by: James Kenny and Hugo Greenhalgh, Investment Adviser

Insight Investment is expanding its investment capabilities with the launch of the Absolute Insight Credit fund and the Insight Global Farmland fund.

• Time published: 00:01
• Date published: 15.09.2008
• Published in: Investments

iShares pushes investor education

More must be done to educate investors about exchange-traded funds in the face of surging popularity for the vehicles, according to ETF provider iShares.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

ETF turnover up, says Deutsche Bank

Exchange-based European equity ETF turnover in Europe rose by 4.8 per cent on the previous week, with total monthly-average daily turnover of just €860m (£687.5m), according to Deutsche Bank’s latest ETF report.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

BGI appoints Deborah Fuhr as head of ETF team

Major ETF provider Barclays Global Investors has appointed Deborah Fuhr as managing director and global head of ETF research and implementation strategy.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Thames River hikes US equity weighting

The multi-manager team at Thames River Capital has built its highest US equity weighting in 10 years as the currency appreciates and uncertainty in financials decreases.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Aberdeen alters exposure to favour North America

Head of global strategy Mike Turner announces shift away from emerging markets as conditions change

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Dawnay Day Quantum changes name for 'new beginning'

Dawnay Day Quantum has attempted to shrug off its old identity by changing its name to Quantum Asset Management following the management buyout of the firm.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

IMA warns on weak advice about structured products

The Investment Management Association has warned financial advisers that the claims made by many structured products providers cannot be taken at face value.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Aviva rolls out Asia-Pacific property fund

Commercial property fund 'helps diversity' due to low correlation with UK market

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Credit Suisse favours overseas debt

Overseas and investment-grade debt is providing attractive opportunities as sterling weakens, according to Aidan Kearney, co-head of multi-manager at Credit Suisse

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Bear Stearns Private Equity undergoes name change after EGM

Bear Stearns Private Equity, a private equity business listed in London, will be renamed JPMorgan Private Equity following an extraordinary general meeting held on 5 September.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Nucleus hits 2000 mark with 11 fund additions

Nucleus has added 11 funds to its platform, taking the total number of funds available - provided by 120 asset managers - to more than 2000.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Thinc, PIFC and SBJ Benefit Consultants to rebrand

Thinc, PIFC and SBJ Benefit Consultants have announced they will rebrand as Bluefin from January 2009. The recently merged companies said the rebranding would be phased in gradually, with the new identity coming into use at the beginning of next year.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

FSA sanctions former manager for market abuse

The Financial Services Authority has sanctioned former hedge fund manager Steven Harrison for market abuse.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Multi-asset stance raises Cazenove value

The multi-asset stance of the £186m Cazenove Multi-Manager Diversity portfolio has helped it to the top of the Cautious Managed over three years, according to Cazenove Capital Management.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

New Star trust hit by bad year for markets

New investment policy will be propsed to shareholders at company's AGM

• Date published: 15.09.2008

BlackRock trust board looks for 20% share issue

The board of BlackRock Investment Management's Greater European investment trust has decided to implement a tender offer for the company.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

US buyout could signal turning point, claims F&C's Tigue

Head of global equities says scale of bailout removes huge amount of systematic risk from world financial system

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Gartmore ready to roll out absolute return vehicle

First of series of products will be run in similar fashion to its European equity long/short hedge fund

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Jupiter rolls out FoFs under Merlin Funds Sicav banner

Jupiter Asset Management has opened the doors to an international fund of funds under the Jupiter Merlin Funds Sicav banner.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Research shows managers facing problems with Ucits III

Fund managers complain of limitations in creating distribution alliances abroad and constraints on using shorting

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Lincoln says Far East commodities still a play

The commodities play is not yet dead, at least not in the Far East, according to Nigel Bliss, senior portfolio manager of the Lincoln Far East trust at Mondrian Investment Partners.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Majedie AM blames fund's underperformance on resource stock dip

Firm blames holdings in natural resources as portfolio is ranked 291st out of 320 in UK All Companies sector over one year

• Date published: 15.09.2008

OBSR appoints Peter Toogood to management team

Old Broad Street Research has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Peter Toogood as director of investment services.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

AIC calls for accounting principle revisions

The AIC has asked the International Accounting Standards Committee Foundation to revise its governance and meet investors' financial reporting requirements.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Resolution set for £1bn float

Founder Clive Cowdery refuses to kill off Friends Provident rumours

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Report reveals shoots of investor optimism

IMA survey shows a third of retail investors feel crunch has created new opportunities

• Date published: 15.09.2008

UK and US crown new financial index

The World Economic Forum has put the US and the UK at the top of its new Financial Development index despite concerns about their instability and costliness to businesses.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Stuart Dyer to take role at Close

Close Investments has appointed Stuart Dyer as head of distribution as the company prepares for the imminent departure of Roland Kitson, who has resigned from the company.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Investec predicts rise in gold price

Fundamentals should push the gold price higher, although it is currently struggling to stabilise above $800, according to Investec Asset Management.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Pictet upbeat over timber fund

New fund will sit alongside specialist funds and will invest companies that own or manage forest and timberland

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Schroders flexes its muscles with Nurs

Novel scheme helps multi-manager team to buy into an open-ended traded life portfolio

• Date published: 15.09.2008

FSSC roadshow offers risk-management events

The Financial Services Skills Council is running free risk-management roadshows for advisers and other financial professionals from 16 October.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Barings hires new Asia marketing chief

Baring Asset Management has appointed Stanley Yip as head of Asia ex Japan within its marketing and communications team.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Mike Phillips steps down as Midas chairman

Mike Phillips, chairman of Midas Capital, has stepped down from the company, with Simon Edwards taking over his role.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Credit Suisse says US slowdown to continue

The nationalisation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will not halt the US slowdown, according to Bob Parker, vice president at Credit Suisse Asset Management.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

IFA reaction: Retail Distribution Review

According to a recent Standard Life survey, one in six IFAs will quit the profession if the FSA approves all the proposals in the Retail Distribution Review. Imran Khan asked leading advisers their views on the plans for reform

• Date published: 15.09.2008

City of London loses 18.3 per cent

The City of London investment trust lost 18.3 per cent over the year to the end of June, worse than the 14 per cent loss of the FTSE All-Share index, according to its final results.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Raiffeisen sees inflation fears receding

Inflation fears are receding throughout central and eastern Europe, although major economic indicators point to a slowdown in growth, according to Raiffeisen Capital Management's latest CEE report.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Axa restructures fixed income team

Theo Zamek takes over top job as division divides into interest rate and credit teams

• Date published: 15.09.2008

IMA calls for more consultation over disclosures

Responding to the FSA's "Transparency as a Regulatory Tool" discussion paper, the IMA has called for further consultation and analysis before the FSA publicly discloses firm-specific information.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Old Mutual chief executive resigns

Julian Roberts to replace Jim Sutcliffe who stepped down after group's US insurance business took a hit

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Crunch could see TLP surge

The credit crunch has created a window of opportunity to buy traded life policies that offer investors returns of approximately 10 per cent a year, according to boutique fund manager Managing Partners.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Industry and goverment eye up sector challenges

A new working group set up to help the government and industry see eye-to-eye on the challenges facing the professional services sector held its inaugural meeting last week.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Efama report records net outflows for Ucits

£47bn Q2 losses put down to fall in confidence in absolute return vehicles

• Date published: 15.09.2008

European Commission predicts UK recession this year

EC report estimates UK economic output to shrink by 0.2% in third and fourth quarters

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Opec move will maintain oil prices

Opec’s decision last week to cut production by half a million barrels will help to underpin oil prices and maintain them at around $100 a barrel, according to Angus McPhail, global oil and natural resources analyst at Alliance Trust.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Royal London goes full circle

Royal London is to call its combined international businesses Royal London 360° when the merged Isle of Man operation launches in 2009.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

BlackRock manager upbeat over Latin American sector

Despite recent falls in the S&P Latin America 40 index, Will Landers, manager of the £288m BlackRock Latin American investment trust, is keeping faith with the sector.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Pioneer poaches Brian Stack from Long Trail

Twenty-one year mid-cap industry veteran will manage $312m Growth Opportunities fund

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Exchanges index drops as August volatility bites

Continued volatility in financial markets saw the FTSE/Mondo Visione Exchanges index, which aims to reflect market sentiment and is a key indicator of exchanges’ performance, fall by 9.9 per cent in August. Year-to-date, the index has decreased by 50.3 per cent.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Ethical investors suffer as funds hit hard

Investors sticking to their ethical principles have been hard hit in the last year, according to the latest Investment Life & Pensions Moneyfacts survey.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

GAM aims for Europe with long/short fund

Fund will contain diversified portfolio of 100-150 long and up to 150 short positions

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Skandia to put heat on rivals by scrapping Selestia Investment margins

Skandia is planning to scrap the margin it makes from its Selestia Investment Solutions platform in a shake up of its pricing structure.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

HSBC plunges into Middle East and Africa market

Latest Sicav range fund to focus on capitalisations greater than $100m

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Novia picks FinQS for TCF

Bill Vasilieff’s wealth management start-up Novia Financial announced that it has chosen FinQS to provide tools for Treating Customers Fairly.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Fears over London's leading status raised

Consultants call for reform of tax rules as firms quit for Ireland and Switzerland

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Fidelity says crisis requires central banks to cut rates

The global economy faces falling inflation and below-trend economic growth, prompting a move to gilts and defensive stocks, according to Trevor Greetham, director of asset allocation at Fidelity International.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

The Exchange to offer TCF consultancy service

Financial services technology firm The Exchange is rolling out a Treating Customers Fairly Acid Test Consultancy service for financial adviser firms ahead of December legislation.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Chrysalis's Drummond steps down as chairman

Chrysalis VCT announced that Robert Drummond has stepped down as chairman to play a part-time executive role in the self-managed VCT's investment management company.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Rab Capital offers investors reduced fees

Rab Capital warned investors last week that it would liquidate its $900m (£512m) Special Situations hedge fund unless investors agreed not to pull money from the fund.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Sassoon leaves Financial Action Task Force

HMS Treasury announced that Sir James Sassoon relinquished his remaining responsibilities on 12 September following a successful year as the president of the Financial Action Task Force

• Date published: 15.09.2008

BNY Mellon hires Evers to lead Iberia team

Sasha Evers has been hired by BNY Mellon to lead a newly created Iberia team as managing director.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Merchant launches structured note

Merchant Securities has launched a structured note with a built-in “hindsight” feature.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Gartmore recommends investment-grade bonds

For investors wary of fixed income assets in such volatile market conditions, investment-grade bonds represent something of a “sweet spot”, according to Simon Surtees and Karl Bergqwist, co-heads of fixed income at Gartmore.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

European Parliament compromises over hedge funds

New proposals call for private equity and hedge funds to disclose investment strategies

• Date published: 15.09.2008

IMA 'missed the point' over structured products, claims Blue Sky

Structured investment boutique Blue Sky Asset Management has hit back at the IMA, claiming that the association’s recent criticism of structured products and structured-product providers “missed the point”.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

FSSC wins funding for training senior-level women

The Financial Services Skills Council has won funding for a new training programme designed to help senior women in financial services to maximise their career potential.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Abbey launches Guaranteed Capital Plus Issue 4

Abbey has launched the latest tranche of its range of guaranteed investment products linked to the FTSE100 index.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Royal London Japan manager shifts into value

David Varley, manager of the £166m Royal London Japan Growth trust, has embarked on a major shift of his portfolio out of more defensive stocks into distressed sectors such as construction.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Privalto launches Oeics aimed at IFAs

Stabiliser and Stabiliser Plus both offer capital protection through absolute-return strategy

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Report shows UK business confidence worst in six years

Lloyds TSB survey finds some optimism from falling pound

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Credit crunch taking toll on nation's health

The credit crunch is taking a dramatic toll on the UK’s diet and fitness and could have serious long-term health implications for the country, according to a study by Friends Provident and the Blood Pressure Association.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Jupiter wins three Sauren Golden awards for skilful management

Jupiter Asset Management has won three Sauren Golden awards.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

ifs launches financial services diploma

The ifs School of Finance has joined forces with Education Development International to offer a unique diploma for the financial services industry.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Index changes could leave passive investors adrift, claims Morgan Stanley

Changes to the MSCI Barra World Small Cap index could leave passive and benchmarked investors more than 50 per cent underweight at a time when global small caps represent the most undervalued sector, according to Morgan Stanley Investment Management.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Lincoln launches discounted gift bond

Lincoln Financial Group has launched a new discounted gift bond designed to lower risk for investors when it comes to inheritance tax.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Schroders to shift away from its equity focus

Schroder Investment Management is looking to consolidate its fixed income, multi-asset and alternative ranges as part of a strategic shift away from its historical focus on equity, according to the firm's vice chairman.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Arc to launch bricks-and-mortar structured product

Arc Income & Capital is gearing up to launch a second bricks-and-mortar structured product following the launch of its first plan in June.

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Davies urges UK to become more European

Former FSA chairman says EU must align financial regulations, but rules out single body

• Date published: 15.09.2008

Retail investors optimistic despite credit crunch

Retail investors remain upbeat and are looking for new opportunities in the market despite the impact of the credit crunch, a new report by the Investment Management Association (IMA) has found.

• Date published: 10.09.2008

AIC calls for revision of IASB governance

The Association of Investment Companies (AIC) has asked the International Accounting Standards Committee (IASC) Foundation to revise its governance and meet investors' financial reporting requirements.

• Date published: 09.09.2008