The FTSE 100 dived 1.52% or 80.94 points to 5,260.99 with banks dragging on the index after Moody's warned UK lenders are at risk of Greek contagion.

This year could see a resurgence in the issuance of zero dividend preference shares (ZDPs) following the success of recent issues, F&C says.

Investors rank the NHS as the most important issue when deciding how to vote tomorrow, according to a survey from DWS Investments.

Investec Structured Products has raised £3.8m for its first VCT launch.

The Pacific Assets Trust has dropped F&C as its manager, handing the mandate to Angus Tulloch's First State Asia Pacific/Global Emerging Markets team.

The FTSE 100 plunged 1.95% this afternoon as miners continued to weigh on the index following Australian plans to levy a 40% tax. The index fell 108.4 points to 5,444.89.

Miners fell sharply this morning on news the Australian Government plans to introduce a new 40% tax on resource projects from July 2012.

Royal London's Kevin Lilley is confident in the strength of the euro despite the ongoing troubles in some eurozone countries.

Allianz Global Investors is to launch a Brazil fund, the UK's first actively-managed onshore Oeic focused on the country.

F&C's Jeremy Tigue has moved his short-term borrowings from sterling into yen to benefit from an anticipated strengthening of the pound.