FTSE 100

Hargreaves Lansdown is planning a push into the asset management arena which could see it hire external fund teams and market its services to advisory businesses in future.

Where did the smart money go in September?

Investors are "in the teeth" of a severe sell-off - but one which may be over relatively quickly, according to equity income manager Neil Woodford.

The FTSE has opened 1% higher as it begins to recover from its worst one-day fall in 16 months on 15 October.

The FTSE 100 was in the red once again today following losses around the globe overnight, with Hargreaves Lansdown and luxury goods retailers Burberry and Mulberry both taking a tumble on slowdown fears.

Shares in the largest Scottish companies - in particular the banks - helped power the FTSE 100 higher this morning after the results of the Scottish referendum revealed the country had voted to remain part of the UK.

Total pension liabilities of FTSE 100 companies have risen from £515bn to £557bn in the last 12 months - an increase of £42bn, according to data.

Executive pay has grown from 60 times that of the average worker to almost 180 times since the 1990s, according to a report.

Neil Woodford is considering opening talks with his former firm Invesco Perpetual about a private multi-billion pound deal to bring across his old stakes in the country's largest stocks, and avoid creating havoc in their share prices.

Shares in Lloyds Banking group fell more than 5% this morning after the government sold another 7.8% of its stake in the bank last night.