Investment Funds

LV= Asset Management (LVAM), the fund management arm of mutual insurance and investment group LV=, and Lighthouse Group have agreed a distribution deal for four proposed OEIC sub-funds.

Baring Asset Management (Barings) believes that problems in credit markets will not derail the long-term secular growth story in China and Asia.

JOHCM UK Opportunities Fund, managed by John Wood, has been selected by the SWIP Multi Manager team for addition to the UK equity blend of the fund, which currently accounts for 50% of SWIP Multi Manager Select Boutique's total allocation.

Invesco Perpetual today announced the launch of the Invesco Perpetual European High Income Fund, a new fund providing a flexible combination of European equities and bonds.

Rod Marsden, Senior Fund Manager of the JOHCM Continental European Fund and JOHCM European Fund, shares his thoughts on the outlook for European equities: "The past year has been a difficult time for many parts of the market as we have seen from the looming downturn in industrial growth.

James Hay has added 17 Legal & General (L&G) funds to both its Wrap SIPP and Wrap offshore bond platform. The total number of funds now available on James Hay Wrap totals 1,359 funds from 57 different providers.

After a year of volatile investment performance in the marketplace, Engage Mutual is pleased to announce good returns for With Profits customers in its April bonus declaration.

Richard House, Threadneedle's Emerging Market Local Fund Manager, comments on the current market conditions and the fund's first quarter performance following launch:

Estrella Llorente, portfolio manager, Santander Asset Management UK, comments on the prospects for global emerging markets: "Higher inflation, concerns over the credit market and the slowing US economy are still impacting the Emerging markets this year.

Baring Asset Management (Barings) believes that secular growth in Asian markets will continue to be driven by domestic demand and asset reflation, and that Asian equities currently offer attractive valuations following the recent market correction.

As investors try to work out the best time to come back to the credit, Fatima Luis, manager of the F&C Strategic Bond Fund, said that monetary policy and new issuance shows this could be the right time to gain exposure to bonds.

Economists were taken by surprise this week when the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee failed to agree on whether interest rates should be further cut this month.

As more investors focus their attention on the very attractive investment opportunities emerging markets can offer, many companies in these markets have responded by polishing up their governance standards.

Roger Guy and Guillaume Rambourg, co managers of the Gartmore European Selected Opportunities Fund and the Gartmore SICAV Continental European Fund, single out Nestle's ability to pass on sharp rises in material costs to the consumers as one of the key reasons for Nestle's stellar performance.

They are often seen as evidence of a company's failing strategy and as an implicit demand for shareholders to find extra cash. One of the key downsides to this rights issue is that at least some of the proceeds will, in effect, enter RBS coffers and depart immediately.

A further seven JPMorgan Asset Management funds have been added to the Norwich Union Pensions Platform giving investors access to a wide range of investment vehicles to enhance their retirement portfolios.

Emerging markets is the investment area to which investors are most eager to gain exposure through a protected investment, according to research from Barclays Wealth.

Standard Life Investments, a leading investment house, announced that it has won the ‘Multi-Asset Manager of the Year' Award at the UK Pensions Awards 2008 held in London last night (Tuesday 22nd April).

Leigh Harrison, Threadneedle Head of UK Equities comments: "Royal Bank of Scotland's £12bn rights issue comes as little surprise having been widely expected by analysts for some months and trailed extensively in the media in the last few weeks.

Fidelity International is offering UK investors the opportunity to enter the truly emerging markets of the East with the launch this month of the Fidelity Funds Emerging Asia Fund.

James Hay, UK Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPP) provider, warns SIPP investors to check the cash rates they are currently getting on SIPPs.

Contract prices agreed for the sale of potassium chloride or potash have more than doubled in the last eight months.

The Gartmore Cautious Managed Fund is benefiting from a new bout of takeover activity. On Monday, shares in Titan Europe soared after the company's former parent, Titan International, announced that it is in preliminary discussions regarding a potential offer for the company.

The latest review of the New Star Balanced Portfolio by Standard & Poor's has resulted in a rating upgrade to ‘AA' for the fund. The S&P review and consequent adjustment recognised the consistent performance of the New Star Balanced Portfolio.

Invesco Perpetual announced that, subject to shareholder approval, it will merge both the Invesco Perpetual US Aggressive Fund and Invesco Perpetual US Smaller Companies Fund into the Invesco Perpetual US Equity Fund on 23 May 2008.