Specialist

The First Group has launched a unique Chanel Island-listed Shariah compliant five year property fund, with an aim to return 17-20pc per annum.

The number of pensions savers relying on the value of their home to fund their retirement has plummeted in light of falling property prices, according to research commissioned by Barings.

The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) is to publish a global best practices guide for fund of hedge fund managers.

Schroders is to add to its commodities fund range with the launch of Agricultural Land investment trust, which opens to investors in September.

The 'NICE' (non-inflationary, continuous expansion) global economy has been replaced by a 'VILE' period (volatile inflation and lower earnings), according to HSBC Private Bank.

The natural resources team at BlackRock remains bullish on the energy sector, despite the ongoing turmoil in the markets.

Friends Provident has cleared the queue of applications for surrenders, changes to withdrawals and switches or transfers out of its property funds following a cash-raising drive.

New Star's Guy de Blonay says he continues to favour defensive stocks, particular those with no sub-prime structured products, diversified income streams, strong franchises and exposure to emerging markets.

Skandia has unveiled details of what it believes is that UK's first multi-asset alternative investment fund of funds.

Now is "an exciting time" to be investing in the biotech sector, because of the wave of innovation in the pipeline and the historically low P/E ratios available, according to Geoff Hsu of OrbiMed Advisors, the manager of the £70m London-listed Biotech...