SVM Asset Management Limited has received approval from the FSA to launch its SVM UK Absolute Alpha Fund, with a launch period that will run from Wednesday 11 March to 7 April 2009. The fund will close to new investment when it reaches £200million in assets, in order to enable SVM to maintain the investment strategy and flexibility which has worked for SVM's Saltire fund over the market cycle.

Argonaut Capital has launched its European Absolute Return Fund, managed by founding partner Barry Norris. The fund will aim to achieve positive returns regardless of market conditions, and Norris will be supported by Oliver Russ, manager of top-quartile Argonaut European Income Fund, valued at £320million.

The Kotak India Income Fund is to be launched by wholly owned subsidiary of India's Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd, Kotak Mahindra (UK) Ltd. The fund will be denominated in US Dollars, and will invest in Indian Government Securities and Corporate Bonds. Open to institutional investors, private banks and family offices in the UK, Europe, Middle and Far East, the fund aims to generate returns though strategic allocation to domestic Income funds, with exposure to Indian Government Securities and Corporate Bonds.

db x-trackers has listed three new exchange traded funds (ETFs) on the London Stock Exchange, and has cross listed two existing ETFs. The new products provide investors with exposure to the Asian and European markets, and are linked to the MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan, MSCI AX Asia ex Japan, Dow Jones STOXX 600, CAC 40 Short and DJ Euro STOXX 50 indices.

Catalyst Investment Group has launched its ARM Guaranteed Income fund. The fund is designed to provide a secure annual return for investors of 7.05 per cent within a nine-year investment vehicle, and carries no stock or bond market exposure. Commerzbank AG will guarantee the income paid to the fund, allowing assurance on income to be made possible.

Northern Trust's asset management arm, Northern Trust Global Investments (NTGI) has become the first investment manager to launch triple-A rated offshore government liquidity funds in three currencies. The funds have been launched in US Dollar, Sterling and Euro.

HEXAM Capital has launched its UK-domiciled Ignis HEXAM Global Emerging Markets Fund, which will mirror the Dublin-domiciled Ignis International HEXAM Global Emerging Markets Fund. The fund opened to investment today (11 February 2009) and onshore authorisation will make the fund more widely available on fund platforms and so more accessible for UK investors. Bryan Collings will lead manage the fund, which aims to achieve long-term capital growth through a concentrated portfolio of 30 to 50 stocks, and is not constrained by index weightings.

Zurich has launched its Guaranteed Capital Account 22 (GCA 22), the latest in its series of Guaranteed Capital Accounts. It will run for five and a half years and offers intermediaries and their clients the potential to benefit from growth in the FTSE 100 index while protecting their clients' original capital investment.

Standard Life Investments has launched a Strategic Bond Fund, available to retail investors with immediate effect. Investors have the flexibility to invest across the fixed income spectrum, including government bonds, investment grade credit, high yield and index-linked bonds, both in the UK and overseas.

A new capital protected investment plan has been launched by Cater Allen, combining a 12-month fixed rate savings element with a six-year FTSE 100 linked investment element. Both these allow for 100 per cent capital protection at maturity, and the potential of early maturity possibilities in years four and five, with growth of 30 and 40 per cent respectively.

International Asset Management is to launch the IAM Trading Fund, which aims to capture opportunities in the CTAs strategy in a diversified manner. On 30 January, the fund will be launched with more than US$100million in assets.

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