Global

The Federal Reserve has opted to leave monetary policy unchanged and continue with Operation Twist at least until the new year, amid signs the world's largest economy has been expanding.

The German central bank told me in no uncertain terms last week it was not printing Deutsche Marks, despite growing speculation - and a number of sources - pointing to the contrary.

Shares tumbled across Europe yesterday and in the US overnight after ratings agency Moody's disclosed fresh concerns over the European sovereign debt crisis and reiterated it would review the ratings of all 27 EU nations in the first quarter of next year....

Skerritts' head of investments Andrew Merricks asks if there are any ‘safe' investments out there as the eurozone hurtles towards a messy denouement.

Standard & Poor's has said it may downgrade the European Union's AAA rating and make further cuts to eurozone banks' credit ratings if a review of eurozone countries prompts mass sovereign downgrades.

Economic growth in the UK will be subdued and output will fail to reach 2008 levels until 2013, according to the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR).

With more companies open to the idea of paying dividends, Elliot Farley, co-manager of the T. Bailey Growth fund, says emerging markets are no longer just about capital growth.

Pressure was building on David Cameron last night as senior backbench Tory MPs called for the Prime Minister to approve a referendum on a new euro treaty and to wring "clear gains" from a European summit scheduled for Friday.

Ratings agency Standard and Poor's (S&P) said France and Germany are among 15 nations that have been put on "credit watch" due to fears over the impact of the debt crisis.

Investec has launched a multi-asset fund for Philip Saunders and John Stopford which aims to provide a one-stop-shop solution for investors wanting emerging markets exposure.