As competition heats up in the private banking arena, new kids on the block are finding it difficult to lure high-net-worth clients away from the big brands. Christine Senior looks at ways of attracting new customers, including diversification, niche offerings and a good old-fashioned service

The structured product arena has undergone a revolution, doing away with the traditional fixed income portfolio and replacing it with capital protection products that explore slightly more exotic offerings, says Elizabeth Cripps

Laurent Seyer, of Société Générale, assesses the differences between structured products and traditional forms of investment, and how they can complement one another

Across Europe providers have experienced increased demand for innovative new products as investors seek to shelter capital from market downturns, says Rupertus Rothenhäuser of DWS

Things are looking up for the lagging US economy, but can the new Federal Rserve chairman balance the needs of the housing market with the economy as a whole? Simon Hildrey reports