Specialist

FIVE THINGS

Troubled property firm Brandeaux is to wind up six of its long-suspended property funds following calls from investors wanting to exit the vehicles.

Gold is on course to record its worst year for more than three decades following huge falls over 2013.

Two fifths of pension schemes are open to investing in alternative asset classes to reduce their portfolio risk, according to Aon Hewitt, increasing their need for advice in this area.

The yawning property gap across England and Wales has highlighted again as figures showed house prices surging nearly 9% in London while values are still on the slide in the North.

Investor group Little River Victims (LRV) has started proceedings against an Algarve-based golf resort developer after losing $3m of investments in US properties that were sold to them through their advisers.

The housebuilder Barratt Developments has said the recovery in the housing market is spreading.

WHAT'S HOT

Old Mutual's Richard Buxton has warned investors in the housebuilding sector the UK is far from experiencing a housing boom.

Wealth managers have been shifting assets out of fixed income and into property as the unloved sector comes back onto investors' radar.