Investment Funds

Prudential has launched two new Target Return funds, designed to provide inflation-beating returns (CPI plus four per cent and six per cent respectively) over the medium-term by investing in a wide range of asset classes.

F&C Investments, the London-listed global asset manager with over US$ 200 billion under management, is poised to further extend its footprint by establishing a distribution and business development presence in Asia with the opening of a Hong Kong office.

Tim Steer, manager of the New Star UK Alpha Fund, comments on Bradford & Bingley and why successful UK equity managers should have a global focus: "Some well known market commentators may have been telling us that the worst of the credit crunch is over and things are looking up for financials, but this does not apply to all financial stocks.

While sentiment amongst ISA investors at the end of the tax year was extremely cautious, the beginning of the new tax year and the apparent return of stability to the markets is starting to spark renewed investor confidence according to Barclays Stockbrokers Funds Market.

Ariel Bezalel, manager of the newly-launched Jupiter Strategic Bond Fund will focus on investment grade bonds issued by large European/US banks, with about a third of the portfolio held in financials.

New Star is delighted to announce that the New Star Indian Equity Fund will be launched on 9 June and will have a three-week fixed price offer period that will run to 12.00 noon on 27 June.

Scarborough Holdings Ltd has reshaped its far eastern interests after taking a significant stake within one of China’s most active property development companies.

Close Investments (UK) Limited, announces the reduction of the initial charge on their Close Escalator Fund range to 3% across all four funds.

Legal & General's Dynamic Bond Trust, which launched 30 April 2007, is celebrating a successful first year. Over that period, the Trust performed extremely well within the Other Bond sector, by being 7th percentile since launch (source Lipper 30/04/08).

Five top performing M&G equity funds have been added to Winterthur's Tailored Selection range of funds, and will be available across Winterthur's entire product range of products.

Four Threadneedle funds have been added to Winterthur's Tailored Selection range of Funds, and will be available across Winterthur's entire range of products.

Barclays Wealth has split its Defined Returns Plan into two distinct investments and introduced a four-year capital protected option as part of its drive to enhance clarity and product choice in the IFA market.

Skipton Financial Services' newly revamped website - sfsinvestdirect.co.uk - makes it easier than ever for investors to buy and manage their investment products online, by helping them make informed choices.

Threadneedle has increased its estimates for UK inflation and interest rates, pointing to difficult times for the domestic economy.

Jonathan Waghorn and Mark Lacey, portfolio managers and energy specialists at Investec Asset Management, comment on the outlook for oil prices following recent record highs.

New survey research published today suggests that despite an upsurge in ethical and green investment in recent years, the public has an appetite for 'responsible' investment that is still far from being saturated.

Despite oil prices rising above $135 a barrel for the first time this morning, Jeremy Tigue, manager of the Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust, believes the impact that these high prices have had on the economy has so far been limited.

While banks and financial institutions may well have turned a corner post the bursting of the credit bubble, the global economy and companies exposed to it have yet to feel its full effect.

Roger Guy and Guillaume Rambourg, co managers of the Gartmore European Selected Opportunities Fund and the Gartmore SICAV Continental European Fund, target Spanish bank Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) as a good investment candidate.

Now may be the time for investors to boost their exposure to UK small cap stocks, says Resolution Asset Management's David Clark.

As the international community continues focusing on China's emergency response to this week's devastating earthquake, analysts try to evaluate the potential economic impact of the catastrophe.

Current market conditions provide attractive opportunities in European stocks that can withstand the global headwinds, according to Peter Jarvis, manager of the Foreign & Colonial Eurotrust.

Following yesterday's quarterly inflation report by the Bank of England, Ted Scott, manager of the F&C UK Growth & Income Fund is not surprised by the UK central bank's forecast inflation figure of 3.7% for this year.

Links to F&C's Lifestyle fund range have been established on all of Standard Life's products. These include Standard Life's Onshore and Offshore Investment Bonds, individual and group pension plans and its Fundzone platform.

Karl Bergqwist and Simon Surtees, Gartmore's co-heads of fixed income and managers of the Gartmore Corporate Bond Fund and Gartmore High Yield Corporate Bond Fund believe the worst may be over for the financials sector and have been adding to their positions in the bonds of a number of banks and other financial institutions.

Resolution Asset Management's head of Asia Pacific Andrea McNee believes shifting towards a value style would be a mistake in current market conditions.

Having been a little over $20 at the outbreak of the second Gulf War in 2003 and just over $50 at the start of 2007, the price of a barrel of oil broke through $100 at the end of February and has carried on rising since.

The Galaxy Portfolio which comprises over 1 million sq ft of assets across the main user sectors has been sold by Legal & General Property to Canada Life.

Despite significant improvements among a number of leading Japanese companies, the system of governance in most listed companies in Japan is failing to meet the needs of shareholders, according to a White Paper on corporate governance practices in Japan published by the Asian Corporate Governance Association (ACGA).