The Fund Management Activities industry looks after £4.98 trillion in FUM. It includes independent fund managers and those owned by banks, insurance companies and pension funds. It also covers alternative asset managers such as hedge funds and private equity vehicles.
The industry is expected to return to weak growth in 2012-13, after revenue declined by 1.0% in 2011-12. However, the bleak economic outlook at home and abroad and continuing volatility in financial markets will constrain gains over the year. Read the full report on IBIS.

The industry has endured a turbulent and transformative five years. The global financial crisis and ongoing European debt crisis have battered financial markets for much of the period, hammering assets returns. At the same time, deteriorating economic conditions and increasing investor uncertainty have weighed on voluntary contributions. Against this volatile backdrop, the government has finally introduced long awaited pension reform. This is expected to transform the industry during the next five years, beginning with the introduction of automatic enrolment in October 2012. Read the full report on IBIS

Although the industry was expected to have grown significantly in the last few years, Key Note expects that future growth will be comparatively subdued. This is largely due to reduced economic activity, with recent news that the UK has entered recession again.
Read the full report here.

In times where consumers are more value-conscious than ever, the overriding perception that organic produce is overpriced has undoubtedly been at the heart of its demise. But the question marks surrounding what the organic label stands for are also a major barrier. This indicates that greater transparency is needed to clearly communicate to shoppers the tangible benefits of going down an organic route. This should help to restore consumer faith in the virtues of the organic label and help to justify higher price points.
Read the full report in Mintel.