Standard Life is the latest in the financial services sector to announce major redundancies with 500 jobs to go across the organisation in the next 15 months.

Whilst there may have been hires at the top end of the banking ladder as investment banks have started to hire again, in general the financial services sector is continuing to witness the mass cull predicted post credit crisis.

It is hard to have too much sympathy for US bank Lehman Brothers, even if strictly speaking they were 'let down' by the Fed and the SEC.

Former Lehman Brothers head Dick Fuld is painting a picture of the Wall Street investment bank as a 'victim' but for many that may prove very difficult to take seriously.

French supermarket giant Carrefour is putting the bulk of its Asian business up for sale with as many as 10 interested parties believed to be putting together bids – including Tesco.

Given we are told constantly of the growth prospects of the Asian market it might seem strange that Carrefour should be planning such an exit strategy.

Every investor wants good returns on their stock market investment but what defines a good investment fund?

Firstly it is important that a fund clearly sets out its objectives – there should be no ambiguity, as Simon Lewis, chartered financial planner at Partridge Muir & Warren explains.

The Pensions Regulator has been asked to provide judgement on the funding of the main EMI pension scheme – a decision that might spell the end for EMI as a business.

The Pensions Regulator is becoming involved because the trustees and the company cannot agree on levels of pension funding and EMI will be seen as a test case with regard to how much extra cash should be pumped into a company scheme to clear its deficit.

Emerging market fund managers could soon be investing in blue chip stocks listed in the developed world.

This might seem a contradiction in terms but managers are seeing compelling valuations amongst large cap names listed on the major exchanges but with large business interests in the emerging markets.

With the developed world offering anaemic growth over the coming years, now could be the time to look at investing in Africa - assuming you get decent reward for the risk you take on.