Equity markets

Mining stocks led a drop in the FTSE 100 today as falling commodity prices weighed on shares.

Major indices across Europe have opened lower this morning, reversing gains made yesterday as the IMF cut Chinese growth forecasts.

Carmignac Gestion has hired Vincent Steenman from Zadig Asset Management to take over management of its Market Neutral fund from Maxime Carmignac.

Bob Doll has joined Nuveen Asset Management as chief equity strategist and senior portfolio manager in a surprise move following his retirement from BlackRock in the summer.

MARKETS

Shares in Barclays led the FTSE 100 leader board today as investors reacted to an upgrade from Goldman Sachs.

The S&P 500 has opened down 1.4% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average has shed 200 points in the first trading session after President Obama's election victory.

France is set to slide into recession imminently, sparking changes in government as soon as next Spring, according to Carmignac Gestion founder Edouard Carmignac.

AstraZeneca has named Pascal Soriot, Roche's chief operating officer of pharmaceuticals, as its new chief executive officer.

Academic research has found companies recognised as sector or market leaders represent "dismayingly unattractive" prospects for investors over the next decade.