investment

The FTSE 100 has closed up 39.4 points to end at 6,044.10, with miners again providing much of the lift with Antofagasta and Rio Tinto, both in the top 10 risers.

Grant Thornton Corporate Finance is predicting a slower year of activity on the Alternative Investment Market, following another record-breaking year last year.

Evidence suggests there is more interest in stockmarket-invested Isas this year, as sales are currently up by more than half on this time last year while SWIP research suggests 15% of the population will take out an investment Isa before April 5.

Fidelity International has reported record levels of online ISA sales through its investment supermarket Fidelity FundsNetwork.

UK Real Estate Investment Trusts will have to pay an "entry charge" worth 2% of the market value of their investment properties before they are allowed to proceed under the Reit regime set to take effect 1 January 2007, announced by HMRC today.

People fall into one of four types of saver categories, influenced by the habits their parents taught them as children, claims new research from Scottish Widows.

The FTSE 100 closed up 14.5 points, or 0.24%, to 5,965.1, as miners dominated trading through the afternoon, keeping the FTSE out of trouble as Hanson gave back much of its earlier gains.

A shift towards defined contribution (DC) pension schemes, and the growing use of hedge funds is creating a vicious circle of short-termism which is harming the economy, claims the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

Many small investors are holding onto shares based on emotional rather than rational reasons claims Axa.

The FTSE 100 has fallen 11 points or 0.19% to close down at 5,833 after the European Central Bank signalled it may keep raising rates following today's 25bp increase, prompting concern economic growth may slow.