Frank Gannon provides insight on the potential for a pickup in capital spending by businesses.

S&P Capital IQ is pleased to release the Global Sovereign Debt Credit Risk Report (formerly CMA) for 1st Quarter 2013. The paper focuses on changes in the risk profile of sovereign debt issuers, with the intention to identify key trends and drivers of change.

How rates rise matters as much as when. The prospect of higher interest rates looms larger. Yet any rise in rates could well be gradual instead of quick and might not occur the same way for all maturities.

The European representatives have achieved a political agreement on a €10bnCypriot bailout package, in order to reach 100% debt/GDP by 2020 - in line with the IMF requirement of putting Cyprus back on a sustainable track.

Japan's current account deficit: A sign of deeper issues.

Legg Mason’s managers provide this guide on the prospects for 2013.

There is little doubt that we are experiencing the greatest monetary experiment in recent memory. Monetary policy is super easy. More than 70% of the G20 economies have central bank interest rate targets of 2%. This policy has provided a floor to the downside risks but has not fostered a

Monetary and fiscal policy appears to be turning from austerity to stimulus in an attempt to accelerate the tepid pace of recovery. Low embedded growth expectations, high returns on capital, and solid return of capital all support current equity valuations that are not demanding.

This white paper contains some fascinating insights on the US energy sector in general and energy-related partnerships in particular.

In this paper, Schroders’ Multi-Asset Investments and Global Strategic Solutions teams look at how investors can obtain sustainable income in the low economic growth, low interest rate environment that is expected to persist for years to come.