FEATURES:
Investment trusts have a lot to offer. Find out how to use them in our special features, which include more than 20 investment trust ideas to suit every investor's needs:
■ Have it all with investment trusts - Can the oldest form of collective investment hold its own in a fast-changing funds industry?
■ The professional picks - Four professional investors recommend investment trusts for income, growth, wealth preservation and diversification.
■ Around the world in 8 trusts - Algy Hall reveals the investment trusts to use to capture returns from around the globe.
■ Saving with investment trust schemes - Investment trust schemes work for medium-term savers with small amounts to invest, but when used for children have competition from Junior Isas
■ Nokia's last throw of the dice - The launch of Windows 8 could benefit a host of technology companies.
SEVEN DAYS:
■ All you need to know about investing in the past seven days: what's rising, what's falling and what's making the headlines.
NEWS:
■ Chip makers looking hot - Strong third-quarter figures for Arm and CSR, although Arm sparks more share price excitement.
■ Apple ambition shrinks - Apple launches iPad mini and sees its share price fall.
■ BP closes in on Rosneft deal - BP's board has given the green light to a deal with Rosneft.
■ Mulberry disappoints - A grim trading update from designer handbag maker Mulberry hit the shares hard.
■ Turnaround plan revealed for Argos - Home Retail used half-year results to announce a turnaround plan for its struggling Argos operation.
■ Defence cutbacks start claiming victims - New defence contracts are hard to come by and the prospect of much worse to come next year is causing disquiet in the ranks.
■ Fiscal cliff threat to shares - Unless politicians act, a fiscal tightening in the new year could plunge the US economy into recession.
■ Regulator will have new powers to ban products - The Financial Conduct Authority will be able to ban the sale of 'unsuitable' products without consultation.
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK:
■ The dark side of jobs growth - Corporate profits, and share prices, are unlikely to rise much unless labour productivity bounces back.
■ Next week's economics: Oct 29-Nov 2 - Weak overseas demand is offsetting the stimulus from the Funding for Lending Scheme, next week's numbers could show.
COMMENT:
Our columnists offer in-depth analysis and investment ideas:
■ The Editor - We're fine with funds: We're big fans of self-directed investing, but there are plenty of decent funds out there that mean you don't have to do everything yourself.
■ No free lunch - Magic carpets this way: How to improve corporate reporting.
■ Mr Bearbull - When mergers go flat: The possible deal between drinks makers AG Barr and Britvic tells us a sad truth about most tie-ups.
■ Simon Thompson - A winning performance: Our companies editor has been blown away by the performance of an East London housebuilder.
Simon has also written the following articles exclusively online this week:
■ Trading buy: Communisis shares to fly - Our companies editor sees potential for a very sharp re-rating in the shares of small-cap marketing services provider Communisis.
■ Tech that and rally - Our companies editor sees scope for a sharp and imminent re-rating in the shares of a semiconductor company.
■ The smarter option - Our companies editor shows how to use traded options in a smart way to profit from the rise in equity market volatility even if the market falls.
■ Chris Dillow - The power of Halloween: Halloween is usually a good buy signal, especially for stocks sensitive to investors' sentiment. Also see, Headwinds and tailwinds for ethical investors - there are good reasons to think the odds are against ethical investors - but they have some things going for them.
■ Property Matters - Under the hammer: Judging by the auction room, economic weakness is not denting small shop investments at all.
■ Your views: Security concerns - A reader is concerned at the security of his investments, and whether he's being taken for a ride by spread betting companies.
YOUR MONEY:
Financial planning, tax and investment wisdom:
■ Reader portfolio - Beware naïve diversification: Our reader has achieved something like a global tracker fund, because he is taking market risk but little fund manager risk.
■ Financial planning - 1.5m entrepreneurs will be pensionless: Self employed workers risk an impoverished retirement, but it needn't be that way.
■ SmartMoney Self-employed should save 15 per cent of salary.
SHARE TIPS OF THE WEEK:
■ This iconic firm and economic bellwether is reporting record results and things are set to get even better.
■ The economic backdrop is terrible for this recruiter. Fee income is falling, the dividend has been cut and there's a hefty debt pile.
■ Try to see through the turbulence - because there's much more to this company than a mine, and yet the rating seems pathetically low.
■ These shares are trading 42 per cent below their underlying book value, and that discount looks unwarranted to us.
FUND TIP OF THE WEEK:
■ This gem of a fund has proved it can make money through thick and thin, and those skills have left it ahead of hundreds of its peers.
BROKERS' VIEWS:
■ Ashmore
SHARE TIP UPDATES:
■ Aggreko
■ Bunzl
■ Devro
■ Spectris
FUNDS:
■ Fund news - Global managers favour European equities.
■ How much? - The Majedie Global Growth Investment Trust is the sixth-worst performing fund in its sector, yet it comes with the highest charges, according to data provider Morningstar.
■ Top 100 funds update: British Empire Securities & General Trust.
■ ETFs - Should you follow China or Hong Kong? A China ETF may track Hong Kong shares, so you need to check what the indices hold and which you want to be exposed to.
SHARES:
The lowdown on the latest company results:
■ Avacta
■ Booker
■ Directors' dealings - Notable transactions at Wilmington, plus a table of all boardroom share trades.
■ Week ahead: A summary of key company announcements expected in the coming week.
TAKEOVERS:
■ Download this week's takeover tables as a PDF.
TRADING:
■ Trading news - Remember, remember returns in November.
■ Trading ideas - Chart-driven calls on FTSE 250, Nasdaq 100, Cotton and Wm Morrison.
■ The Trader - Nearing oversold: The Trader considers where the lows of the current sell-off may occur and thinks they may be close.
