Balanced Management

F&C Asset Management has reported £7.2bn of net outflows for 2011, during a tough year for the group as activist investor Edward Bramson seeks to turnaround the firm's fortunes.

Simon Ellis, managing director of Legal & General Investments, explains why index funds should not be viewed as the poorer relation of their active cousins and why investors are no longer using them to just tap into developed market growth.

GOOD SHAPE?

Neil Michael, executive director of investment strategies at London & Capital, explains the tools that can be used to predict volatility and de-risk portfolios.

MAM Funds is introducing a non-trail commission share class across its fund range ahead of the Retail Distribution Review.

M&G tops both retail sales lists as investors seek out bond funds, while BlackRock's active and passive vehicles also prove popular.

INCOME

Net retail sales slumped nearly 40% last year to their lowest level in three years, according the IMA's annual figures.

Here's a New Year puzzle for you. Funds A and B have an AMC 1.5%, but fund A's trading costs are lower. So which is better value for money? Which is better value?

Steve Gibson, portfolio manager of the Fidelity Multi Manager Balanced fund, explains how he is preparing his portfolio for a tough year ahead for investment returns.