The FTSE 100 is on course for its worst day in four months as nervous investors begin August in cautious mode.

Assets on AXA Wealth's Elevate platform rose 31% to £8.4bn in the first half of the year, as the wider business approached break-even point.

Investors predicting historically-low interest rates will rise after the end of quantitative easing are misguided, M&G's fixed income desk have said.

The FTSE 100 opened down slightly in early trading, with a host of financial stocks leading the fallers.

US GDP growth has risen more than expected in Q2, according to initial estimates, with the contraction in the first quarter less bad than had been feared.

Jupiter has reported an 18% fall in its profits in the first half of 2014, with the sale of its private client business increasing costs but also boosting dividend prospects.

Discretionary fund managers are facing growing pressure to standardise managed portfolio fees as the FCA considers warning advisers against using any service where costs are not clear.

Transact has appointed Goldman Sachs to broker a full sale of the business, with senior staff open to an exit if a takeover is agreed, Investment Week understands.

Jon Taylor, head of the former Co-op life insurance business, is to replace Hugo Thorman as managing director of platform Ascentric.

Jonathan Pines, manager of the top performing Hermes Asia ex-Japan Equity fund, explains why unloved Korea is his fund's biggest overweight.