Equity

The resolution of the Iran hostage crisis helped boost the US stock market and may have helped avoid a recession, according to BlackRock Merrill Lynch.

Homeowners are taking cash out of their homes to boost their retirement income at the quickest rate since 2004, suggests new figures.

Aegon Asset Management is building on its experience of investing in stocks with an ethical stance with the launch of the first retail ethical cautious managed fund.

Equity investments in China are set to deliver solid returns in the next 12 months despite a strong 2006, suggests several investment houses.

BRITAIN'S BIGGEST PRIVATE equity groups face new scrutiny from the City regulator as it attempts to come to grips with the possible risks to the stability of the financial system posed by the industry's growth, reports The Financial Times .

Tenet Group has today confirmed Standard Life is its newest shareholder in the IFA network group while its existing shareholders have also increased their positions.

VCT Electra and private equity investor Fleming Family & Partners have taken a controlling stake in financial services directory Find for an undisclosed sum.

A large number of people selling their homes are trading down in order to release some of the equity locked into their property, suggests property website assertahome.com.

The FTSE 100 index turned a winning morning into a losing afternoon closing down 2.20 points at 4,470.60 after stock markets in the US opened down on more fighting in Iraq.