Investment Funds

HSBC has launched a new fund that offers upside exposure to growth in emerging markets, along with the peace of mind of full capital protection.

Resolution Asset Management's UK Focus fund manager Ralph Brook-Fox says he will maintain a predominantly blue-chip bias until British consumers acknowledge the extent of the credit crisis and tighten their belts.

Many top selling IMA Cautious Managed and Balanced Managed funds do not adequately describe their true risk profiles and their names may be misleading to investors, HSBC Investments warns.

Trevor Greetham, manager of the £39 million Fidelity Multi-Asset Strategic Fund, remains overweight in commodities, bonds and cash amid the continued uncertainty on world markets.

On the face of it, the predicaments for the European Central Bank (ECB) and Bank of England (BoE) look similar: both have to keep a careful watch on rising inflation, while at the same time the underlying economies are slowing.

iShares, the Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) arm of Barclays Global Investors and Europe's largest provider of ETFs, has announced the iShares JPMorgan $ Emerging Market Bond fund has raised over $200 million in assets since its launch in February this year, reflecting the continued demand from investors for emerging market exposure.

US sub-adviser Marsico Capital Management has welcomed Congressional plans to throw a mortgage lifeline to distressed borrowers, a move intended to help stabilise the beleaguered US housing market, says Cory Gilchrist, manager of Gartmore's US Opportunities Fund and the Gartmore SICAV US Opportunities Fund.

Gartmore continues to hold a significantly overweight exposure to the mining sector (relative to its benchmark) in its UK Growth and UK Focus Funds, with Kazakhmys, Rio Tinto, Vedanta Resources and Xstrata among the UK investment team's most favoured stocks.

As the global spotlight focuses on China's human rights record, the crackdown in Tibet, high inflation and increasing social unrest, Mike Hanbury-Williams, manager of the F&C Pacific Growth and F&C Asia Dynamic funds, believes that the long-term growth story remains intact despite short term challenges in controlling food prices.

Consensus earnings forecasts might be underestimating the negative impact of the Euro's strength against Sterling and the Dollar, according to Peter Jarvis, manager of the F&C European Dynamic Fund.

Today's widely anticipated 25 basis point cut in Bank of England base rates further confirms the rapidly deteriorating macro-economic outlook for the UK, says Ted Scott, manager of the F&C UK Growth & Income Fund.

James Hay has added the Legal & General (L&G) Dynamic Bond Trust and International Index Trust to both its Wrap & SIPP fund platforms.

Standard Life Investments, one of the largest property investors in Europe, today announced that it has signed an agreement with Nordea, one of the Nordic and Baltic regions largest financial groups, to distribute its Global REIT Focus Fund across the Nordic and Baltic Sea region.

Independent financial advisers and multi-managers are turning to alternative asset classes to provide their investors with strong and more consistent returns according to EEA Fund Management.

Paul Niven, Head of Asset Allocation at F&C Investments, comments: "With estimates of the impact of the credit crisis seemingly rising by the day the IMF, in its twice yearly Global Financial Stability Report, has now topped the league with the conclusion that the carnage will cost close to $1 trillion on a mark to market basis (based on mid March pricing).

Skipton Financial Services has reported an amazing shift towards aggressive ISA funds through its execution-only fund supermarket in the 2007/2008 tax year.

Oil prices have proved resilient against the credit crunch, hedge funds unwinding and fears of an economic slowdown, observes Steve Thornber, Global Equity Manager at Threadneedle.

The upward trend of ethical consumerism will continue to be a key long term driver of growth, according to Charlie Thomas, manager of the Jupiter Ecology Fund.

Rebecca Chesworth, Threadneedle UK Equity Investment Specialist comments: "The last three months have seen the worst quarterly return for UK Equities for almost six years.

The Virgin Climate Change Fund has achieved an ‘A’ (New) rating from Standard & Poor’s, the world’s foremost provider of independent fund management ratings.

Standard Life Investments, one of the largest property investors in Europe, has made its first acquisition in Italy. Purchased on behalf of its European Property Growth Fund (EPGF), it brings to 12 the number of European countries in which SLI has direct commercial property interests.

Despite stable growth and low interest rates in emerging markets, Baring Asset Management (Barings) believes that equities are still lagging and valuations remain attractive, particularly in Asia.

Friends Provident International (FPI) has announced the launch of a further 13 new fund links, which takes the total number on the FPIL mirror funds platform to more than 180.

Leading investment house, Standard Life Investments’ UK Equity Growth Fund has been awarded an OBSR ‘A’ Rating.

Mexico has been one of the best performing markets year to date – up 9.9% in US$ terms - despite the economy's exposure to the slowdown in the US.

With the Government's Child Trust Fund initiative reaching its third anniversary since inception, it seems that giving money away is still no easy task.

This week's rally in stock prices has been seen by some as a sign that most of 'the dirty laundry' from the credit crunch has now been 'put out to air', but according to Jeremy Tigue, manager of the Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust

The introduction of new pension legislation in Mexico under the System of Retirement Savings Act is expected to encourage investment in the country’s equity market.

“Volatility remains the prevailing theme for Europe’s equity markets”, say Roger Guy and Guillaume Rambourg, Managers of the Gartmore European Selected Opportunities Fund and the Gartmore SICAV Continental European Fund.