USA

Global investor confidence is accelerating this month as investors begin looking "more favourably" on risky assets, according to the State Street Investor Confidence Index.

North American investors have led a ‘dramatic and unprecedented' decline in investor confidence to a record low, according to State Street Global Markets.

A Bill supported by Senator Barack Obama, designed to prevent tax evasion and target offshore secrecy jurisdictions, has been slammed as ‘anti-competitive' and ‘draconian'.

The US Senate has voted to back a $700bn financial bail-out plan by a large majority.

Wachovia, the fourth-largest bank in the US, has been taken over by Citigroup as part of a Government-backed rescue deal.

George Bush has pleaded with American voters to back his administration's plan to provide $700bn to bail-out the financial system.

European investors are more optimistic than the rest of the world where confidence remains "subdued", according to State Street Global Markets.

Investors should pay more attention to overlapping economic and political developments which could affect financial markets, urges Standard Life Investments (SLI.)

Several high profile multi-managers are shifting portfolios towards the US at the expense of European weightings in a reversal of recent years.

Significant opportunities are emerging for green investors in the US, according to Charlie Thomas, manager of the Jupiter Ecology fund.