Economics / Markets

SCOTTISH Widows Investment Partnership has two fund launches planned for the first quarter of 2007, and has revealed a high alpha fixed income product could be on the cards.

COFUNDS announced it had reached £10bn in assets as it carries out tests on a new offshore bond product and investment trust links to be launched next year.

PRUDENTIAL International has appointed fund of funds manager and stock broker Williams de Broë as discretionary fund manager in its offshore Prudence Portfolio Bond 2.

SEVEN Investment Management plans to launch an ethical fund in the New Year.

The FTSE 100 has ended the day down 42.3 points, or 0.68%, to 6,160.3, as DSG International revealed disappointing figures.

The FTSE 100 is up 16.8 points, or 0.27%, to 6,219.4, with miners giving a strong performance in early trading.

THE International Biotechnology trust has revealed it is considering increasing its size through a C Share issue as part of the company's investment strategy.

A QUARTER of IFAs are still not properly informed about UK REITs, raising concerns they will be ill-equipped when the products are introduced in the UK in January.

BARCLAYS Capital, the investment banking division of Barclays Bank, has launched a note linked to GAM's flagship fund of hedge funds, GAM Diversity.

STANDARD Life Investments' (SLI) gross fund sales have broken £1bn in nine months, the company said.