News

HSBC Global Asset Management (GAM) is to launch three low-cost portfolios, offering access to global equity and bond markets as well as alternative investments.

Protection provider Unum received a broadly positive reaction on Twitter to its upbeat adverts for income protection, aired last night, in stark contrast to the wave of criticism levelled at larger rival Aviva for its shock-tactic ads.

News that Greece will fail to meet deficit reduction targets pushed the FTSE 100 down 2.8% at open, dragging it below 5,000 points.

Nationals round-up: More coverage of trail commission, a negative analysis of the flailing absolute returns market and new criticism of whole of life policies.

Financial services will cut a further 8,000 jobs over the next three months, as the sector struggles under increasingly negative future prospects, according to a survey out today.

Defaqto and other ratings agencies have been attacked for "driving the wrong behaviour" by encouraging product complexity and being "in danger of misleading consumers".

Chancellor George Osborne will extend the council tax freeze for another year in a bid to help ease the financial burden on households, it will be announced today.

Andrew Tyrie, the chairman of the Commons Treasury select committee, has criticised the government's long-term economic policies as "inconsistent and incoherent" and said other key parts of strategy were contradictory, and at best irrelevant.

Chancellor George Osborne has signaled he is unlikely to cut taxes before the next election as the world economy faces a crisis "at least as serious" as the 2008 banking collapse.

Speculation is mounting the Bank of England may be close to cutting base rates to 0.25% and pumping at least £50bn more into the economy through quantitative easing.