Economics / Markets

An austerity Budget full of tax hikes coupled with "dumbed down" pension provision will put the services of professional financial planners in high demand, says the president of the Personal Finance Society (PFS).

As the deadline approaches for subscriptions into Anthony Bolton's much-anticipated Fidelity China Special Situations investment trust, IFAonline and Investment Week bring you more than 20 of the legendary stock picker's favourite investment quotes.

Drug companies led the Dow Jones higher on Monday, up 37.72 points (0.35%) to 10779.70, after US lawmakers gave the final approval to sweeping healthcare reforms on Sunday.

Greece's economy is expected to contract at a higher-than-expected rate this year, says the country's central bank.

The FTSE opened down 0.44% at 5,625.38 despite gains by medical stocks after President Obama's landmark healthcare reforms were passed in the US.

The FTSE opened at 5,674.63, up 32.01 points (0.57%), on the back of positive employment figures from both the UK and US yesterday.

Lloyds Banking Group is expecting to make a profit in 2010 after making losses of £6.3bn last year.

Bank and building society lending to UK businesses fell at the sharpest pace for over 10 years in January, according to Bank of England figures released today.

Ghana is as long as 75/1 with some bookmakers to win this summer's World Cup, but the IMF predicts the west African nation will walk away with a world title of a different kind in 2010.

UK Government borrowing was lower than expected in February at £12.4bn.