US small and mid cap equities remain attractively valued on an historical basis, despite sharp gains since March, says T. Rowe Price's David Wagner.

F&C's Gareth Morgan says Russian President Dmitry Medvedev may have underestimated the country's recovery, with the manager predicting GDP growth in excess of 5% next year.

Early trading saw the FTSE 100 fall after reaching a 12-month high on Monday.

Royal London Asset Management is converting its range of unit trusts to Oeics over a phased period ending in April 2010.

Legg Mason has launched a Global Absolute Return fund managed by its hedge fund specialist affiliate Permal.

Threadneedle is closing its UK Money Securities fund after it experienced huge losses and redemptions since the start of the credit crunch in summer 2007.

Threadneedle CIO, Sarah Arkle, has raised financials to an overweight in her global sector views, and is optimistic on a continued rally in equities.

T. Rowe Price is launching a Luxembourg-domiciled Global Fixed Income Absolute Return fund.

OBSR has suspended the A rating of the Gartmore UK focus fund after the company announced plans to hand over its management to Leigh Himsworth, who joined as head of equities on Monday.

The £60m F&C US Smaller Companies investment trust beat its benchmark by nearly 20% over the year to 30 June.