Fixed Income

Standard Life Investments has soft-launched a more aggressive version of its £20bn Global Absolute Return Strategies (GARS) fund and will roll it out widely in the next few months, Investment Week understands.

What has caused investors to revisit absolute return funds?

Hargreaves Lansdown received over 600 individual deals on fund prices before it decided which funds would make it onto its new Wealth 150 + list, Investment Week can reveal.

F&C Asset Management has warned it faces "signicant" short term headwinds following the loss of its strategic partnerships, as it urged shareholders to approve a £700m takeover deal.

Investors have a decision to make: stick with the expensive developed world or take a risk on cheaper emerging markets.

Stronger economic growth will ensure corporate bonds and equities remain firmly on investors’ radars this year

While investors should be wary of the market’s ability to absorb future outflows, certain funds remain worthy of strong consideration.

Profits at Prudential UK fell flat last year, barely upticking from the year before, as the rush to sell onshore investment bonds subsided following the introduction of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR).

Maintaining risk profiles in changing market conditions

Invesco Perpetual's Mark Barnett has taken over Neil Woodford's £8.4bn Income and £13.1bn High Income funds with immediate effect, ahead of his original end-April start date.