gilts

Yields on UK government debt were trading at an all-time low on Wednesday amid fresh panic in Europe, which sent equity markets reeling.

The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has moved to relax rules governing some UK pension schemes as low gilt yields are leaving hundreds underfunded.

FIVE THINGS

John Walbaum puts forward a different approach to helping retirees attain a decent income.

The government's use of quantitative easing (QE) has given pension funds a boost, Bank of England (BoE) economist David Miles has claimed.

The Bank of England's decision today to pump an extra £50bn into the UK economy is likely to drive annuity rates down further, insurers have warned.

National Savings and Investments (NS&I) will reduce the interest rate on its direct saver accounts by 0.25% from today.

International investors are buying record amounts of UK government bonds as the Bank of England's £75bn QE programme spurs demand, with the yield on the ten-year gilt hitting a new record low.

Markets have struggled to gain further ground after the European Central Bank announced it had lent almost €500bn to banks in a three-year liquidity operation.

We look at key themes and events that have impacted investment over the past year.