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Distributors and manufacturers have described some clear-cut patterns which emerged during 2004 and 2005. Both have talked about a strong investor appetite for structured products, a keen interest in hedge funds and absolute return concepts, a gradual move to liability-led investing, and a growing awareness of risk limitation and capital preservation issues.

Using data gathered from the European Fund Buyer Survey, Bella Caridade-Ferreira and Diana Mackay of FERI Fund Market Information explain the reasons behind the funds industry’s current revitalisation

Yuri Bender talks to Burkhard Varnholt about a gradual move away from capital guaranteed structures

— Borutta: “hedge funds are a normal staple”

While there are several new-style products, including hedge funds, which have emerged as a key part of private clients’ needs, a careful balance must be maintained. Client advisers need to determine a customer’s risk profile, philosophy and lifestyle choices so that a suitable portfolio can be constructed, according to Hansjoerg Borutta of Investment Solutions, the UBS Wealth Management unit in Zurich responsible for product selection.

Clients need plenty of encouragement to venture into unfamiliar territory, writes Yuri Bender

— Brock: “not sufficient to be a well known company”

Roxane McMeeken follows the German bank’s steps towards final acceptance of open architecture

The Santander spin-off is spreading its tentacles from Spain into Italy and the UK, reports Paula Garrido

Emerging market and total return products are becoming fashionable in Italy, writes Elisa Trovato

Roxane McMeeken studies how strategies and products are being designed and adapted to satisfy the current nature of client demand

Less conventional long-only investment products have a big part to play in today’s new-look portfolios