Economics / Markets

Tyneside-based Moneygate Group has purchased a minority stake in and formed a partnership with a high net worth financial planning firm Group Rapport.

FIVE THINGS

Gold has suffered the longest run of monthly falls since 1997 after the metal declined for the fifth month in a row in February.

Consumers are waking up to the follies of making knee-jerk investment calls as they become aware of opportunities missed and the returns they could have achieved in the four years since the 2008 financial crisis, according to one adviser.

Brussels is to curb bankers' bonuses from next year in a major blow to the City and the government.

The global economic recovery will slow this year unless the US averts $85bn (£56bn) in spending cuts that start today, the International Monetary Fund has said.

Lloyds Banking Group has narrowed its losses for 2012 to £570m, from £3.5bn the previous year.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has posted a pre-tax loss of £2.2bn in the fourth quarter, taking full year 2012 losses to £5.2bn, but despite the results the bank said the government is much closer to selling its stake.

FIXED INCOME

UK GDP contracted 0.3% in the last quarter of 2012, according the second reading of the data.