INVESTMENT

U.S. stock index futures rose on Wednesday as solid earnings from technology giant Apple along with financials Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo eased growth concerns.

Hedge funds pulled in $9.5 billion during the second quarter with nervous investors preferring to send their money to the biggest and best established managers, according to industry tracker Hedge Fund Research Inc on Tuesday.

U.S. stocks rose for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, led by gains in shares of Goldman Sachs and strength in beaten-down homebuilders and raw materials companies.

Goldman Sachs could turn out to be a mere mortal after all.

Goldman Sachs could turn out to be a mere mortal after all.

Global assets under management rebounded last year as markets rallied, but investor jitters about future returns will force managers to review the way they do business, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Jason Ader, a former hot-shot casino industry analyst turned wealthy hedge fund manager, is rolling the dice, hoping to become a community banker in Las Vegas.

Gold held above $1,180 an ounce in Europe on Tuesday as lower prices tempted some buyers back to the market after prices slipped to two-month lows in the previous session, but the technical picture remained weak. Gold has been pressured by concerns over deflationary signals from the United States and other economies, analysts said, while a recovery in appetite for assets seen as higher risk has also deflected some investment from the precious metal.

Emerging markets were in high demand in mid July, with bond fund inflows at a record, as investors chose dynamic developing economies over lagging advanced markets, EPFR Global said on Tuesday. Emerging market equity funds tracked by EPFR posted combined inflows of more than $3 billion for the week ended July 14, while emerging market bond funds took in $745 million, bringing their year-to-date inflows to an all-time high of $18.5 billion.

Futures for the S&P 500, Dow Jones and Nasdaq were down 0.2 to 0.3 percent at 900 GMT (5 a.m. EDT), pointing to a lower open on Wall Street on Tuesday.

Asian stocks broadly rose on Tuesday as a firm performance on Wall Street and optimism over corporate earnings offset increasing worries about the U.S. economy.

(Corrects to say in paragraph 5 to say yen near 7-month high, not 7-week)

Asian stocks rose on Tuesday, looking past weak revenue growth at top U.S. firms and more weak U.S. economic data, as shares of resource firms and banks clawed back some of their recent losses. The Japanese yen hovered near its recent 7-week high against the dollar, amid growing talk of intervention as traders wondered if Tokyo could stomach further yen gains.

The AUD has opened fairly unchanged this morning currently trading around USD0.8690.

Stocks rose on Monday, spurred by optimism ahead of earnings from key technology companies and after Dow component Boeing announced strong orders.

U.S. asset managers are expected to post strong quarterly results compared with last year's dismal showings, but still face challenges from erratic stock markets that have encouraged many retail investors to focus on less risky products.

Onex Corp and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board are considering a $4.5 billion takeover bid for UK car parts maker Tomkins Plc as the weak British pound encourages two more North American investors to snap up assets.

Private equity firms TPG and Carlyle won a bidding war for Australian hospital owner Healthscope Ltd , agreeing to pay $1.73 billion in the country's largest buyout deal since 2007.

The president and founder the world's second largest hedge fund is a big believer in the controversial idea of radical truth and credits the practice it with giving his firm a competitive advantage.

Emerging markets and low-cost carriers are driving a rebound in commercial aviation -- where opportunities now outweigh the risks as economies recover, the head of the world's top engine firm said.

It was a quarter that left investment banking businesses, the once-vaunted profit engines of Wall Street, sputtering.