USA

Analysts and portfolio managers at Lazard Asset Management say there are still good values to be found in share prices on both sides of the Atlantic, with some caveats.

Indications are the US economy next year will not slow as much as some may be predicting, insurer Legal & General says.

US economic growth will stall through the latter half of this year and into 2005 helping hand this November's presidential election to Kerry rather than Bush according to a forecast from ISIS Asset Management.

US interest rates are likely to go up by 0.25% when the Federal Open Market Committee - the equivalent of the UK's Monetary Policy Committee - next meets on 29 and 30 June, predicts Axa Investment Managers.

Financial intermediaries are more likely retain clients and gain new referrals thanks to good customer relations rather than the investment advice offered, suggests US experts on practice management.

Today marks the anniversary of the FSA's letters to heads of insurance companies, inviting them to apply for waivers on minimum solvency requirement rules and head off the threat of a complete UK stockmarket collapse.

FEDERAL RESERVE chairman Alan Greenspan has warned the country's politicians that unpopular steps must be taken to ensure the US economy does not suffer from a pending federal deficit crisis.

Standard & Poor's, the credit ratings agency, says a review of US Growth fund managers shows most are bullish about the prospects of growth stocks through this year despite a slowdown in earnings growth expectations.

When Swiss bank UBS stuck its neck out in the last quarter of 2003 to declare the Bear market was officially over, more than a few sniggers were heard around the City.