Focus on equities while dividends still uncertain

Credit Suisse and Hendersons are maintaining overweight positions in equities, in anticipation of a more positive stock market performance in 2003. While bonds have been the better performers and less volatile products in the short term, managers believe equities will be a more formidable bet for long-term investment. The Credit Suisse UK Strategic Growth Portfolio, in its active managed sector, showed a 54.2% equity weighting last June, and had ramped that to 57.5% by December. Robert Burdett, co-head of multi-manager at Credit Suisse, says: 'We have started to see a positive rall...