Regions

DUBAI - The Dubai International Financial Centre has appointed Lynton Jones chairman of its proposed Dubai Regional Financial Exchange.

GLOBAL - Two major international consulting firms have sought to distance themselves from other investment consultants in the industry by speaking out against the conflicts of interest involved when consultants offer manager-of-manager services.

GLOBAL - Another fund manager is to offer asset allocation consulting services, fuelling the fierce debate over the increasingly blurred lines between consultants and fund management houses.

UK/ASIA - ISIS has strengthened its Asian team with the appointment of Mike Kerley as director, Pacific Basin equities.

EUROPE - A major row has broken out in the Nordic region following Goldman Sachs Asset Management's (GSAM) decision to offer strategic asset allocation services.

GLOBAL - Global ratings agency Standard & Poor's has made its credit ratings publicly available on its website, www.standardandpoors.com.

GLOBAL - Investors cut allocations to hedge funds by 14% to US$1.2bn (£764m/e1.1bn) between April and June, new figures show.

EUROPE - Rising unemployment, the strong euro and the prospect of further interest rate cuts could all weigh on investor confidence in Europe in 2003, despite recent positive signs.

UK/EU - Pension schemes in the UK are backing an EU initiative which aims to make European corporate governance "a model for the rest of the world".

ISRAEL - The Israeli Finance Ministry to publish tender for new pension funds by April 2004, according to Globes Online.