Mark Barnett's £489.25m Perpetual Income & Growth Investment Trust (PIGIT) is to issue B shares allowing distributions to avoid income tax charges.

Barings is to launch a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) fund to tap into the region's growing economies.

Former 3i Group chief executive Brian Larcombe has joined the board of Investment Week's publisher Incisive Media as a non-executive director.

Threadneedle head of UK equities Leigh Harrison remains cautious in his long-term view of UK equities despite recent improvements in growth.

Evercore Pan Asset Capital Management has launched two new portfolios investing primarily in exchange traded funds.

London & Capital has launched a range of risk-graded portfolios available exclusively through Novia.

Baring Asset Management has appointed Roberto Lampl to the newly created role of head of Latin America equity.

J O Hambro Capital Management has recruited Emery Brewer and Ivo St. Kovachev to launch its Global Emerging Markets fund.

J.P. Morgan Asset Management is to launch the JPMorgan Brazil Investment Trust in a bid to tap into the country's rising economic growth.

Aegon's UK Equity Absolute Return launch will have a conservative investment strategy with a VaR of just 5%.