Europe

Several new appointments have been made to strengthen the European business team of Standard Life Investments. Dirk Tiemann will be based in Frankfurt as the new investment director for semi-institutional (wholesale) sales in Germany and Austria.

Fear of a sudden market correction is causing pension fund managers in Europe to cut equity allocations as trustees and corporate sponsors remain focussed on managing volatility in pension plan funding positions.

The incoming governor of the Bank of England (BoE) has warned Europe must change tack and introduce significant reforms to avoid a Japanese-style lost decade.

AllianzGI has added a 'high convinction' European equity fund to its Luxembourg-based SICAV.

PROTECTION

Prolonged low inflation has sent commodities allocations among fund managers to a four-year low, according to a new survey.

Investor complacency and a "feeding frenzy" for yield represent the biggest current threats to investors, according to David Coombs, head of multi-manager investments at Rathbones.

The decision by the European Central Bank (ECB) to cut interest rates is a "positive step" but more pro-growth polices are needed, according to the chief investment officer of Close Brothers Asset Management.

Marcus Brookes, head of multi-manager at Cazenove, is backing Europe over the US despite the region's problems.

F&C's co-head of multi-manager Gary Potter - a self confessed bear on Japan for many years - said the country is turning around for the first time in two decades.