Alliance Trust

Fund closures and mergers in the UK have soared to a record high in the past six months as groups cull smaller or underperforming funds amid pressure on margins.

Alliance Trust Investments is to close its North American and European equity funds, as the group completes the second stage of a strategic review.

An overhaul of Alliance Trust's top ten holdings has seen it swap Lloyds for Barclays and step up its gearing in Q1.

Platforms have predicted the swift death of the rebate model following confirmation that HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) will apply income tax to both unit and cash rebates.

Alliance Trust chief executive Katherine Garrett-Cox has outlined three roadblocks which could hinder economic growth in 2013 and derail soaring global equity markets.

Alliance Trust has reported its strongest yearly start for 20 years as markets soared at the start of 2013, but said the equity rally is unlikely to continue at the current pace.

THE BIQ QUESTION

THE BIQ QUESTION

Alliance Trust Savings (ATS) has boosted its intermediary sales team from one to eight members as part of a push into the advised market.

CONTRARIAN