Active Managed

Frank Potaczek of Close Brothers Asset Management looks at how passive investing has evolved and asks whether active index tracking is the future.

Net retail sales slumped nearly 40% last year to their lowest level in three years, according the IMA's annual figures.

Here's a New Year puzzle for you. Funds A and B have an AMC 1.5%, but fund A's trading costs are lower. So which is better value for money? Which is better value?

First State's Martin Lau has beaten stars including Invesco Perpetual's Neil Woodford and Neptune's Robin Geffen to see his Greater China Growth fund ranked the most consistent performer over the three years to the end of 2011.

Equity funds experienced their highest ever outflows of retail money in November as investors pulled out their cash in droves amid the ongoing eurozone crisis.

Fund launches reached a decade low last year as groups held back new products in the face of market volatility.

Ian Henderson is to step down as manager of the £2bn JPM Natural Resources fund in January 2012, to be replaced by Neil Gregson.

An asset manager best known for winning a Sunday Times fantasy fund manager competition before establishing his own investment business has outperformed every one of his peers over the last three months, as markets suffered.

Investors can expect substantial returns if market movements in the second half of the year resemble the first, says Philip Saunders, manager, Investec Global Strategic Managed fund.

Maria Merricks investigates the introduction of low-cost actively managed funds.