We all know what 2008 brought us, but no more so than some of the UK's top fund managers who had to guide their client's money through the storm.

Andrew Pitts, award-winning editor of Money Observer magazine, brought four stars of the investment world together to debate what 2009 may have in store for investors.

See Part 1: Here

See Part : Here

We all know what 2008 brought us, but no more so than some of the UK's top fund managers who had to guide their client's money through the storm.

Andrew Pitts, award-winning editor of Money Observer magazine, brought four stars of the investment world together to debate what 2009 may have in store for investors.

See Part 1: Here

We all know what 2008 brought us, but no more so than some of the UK's top fund managers who had to guide their client's money through the storm.

Andrew Pitts, award-winning editor of Money Observer magazine, brought four stars of the investment world together to debate what 2009 may have in store for investors.

Adrian Frost is one of the more successful managers in the income sector.

But with many bank shares not paying dividends and the general battering of financials, where are the bargains now?

Money Observer editor Andrew Pitts went to ask him…

Research: Frost’s Funds

When the financial crisis finally abates investors will once again warm to money-making themes and climate change is about as big as they get.
But where there's a popular theme there's also a bandwagon on which plenty of funds are happy to hitch a ride.
Money Observer editor Andrew Pitts quizzes John Shakeshaft, chairman of Ludgate Environmental Fund, on what sets his investment company apart.

Templeton's Dr Mark Mobius needs very little introduction. You are better off listening to him than us.

So, here is Money Observer editor Andrew Pitts talking to one of the world’s formost authorities on investing in emerging markets.

Mark Twain famously said that a mine is a hole in the ground with a liar at the top. It follows then, that if you want to invest in mining you should get someone who knows what they are doing to do it for you.

Almost no one on, or indeed in, the earth is as good at that as Graham Birch, manager of the hugely successful BlackRock World Mining Investment Trust.

It also follows that if you really want to get to the bottom of it then get another expert to ask him. So here is Andrew Pitts, the multiple award winning editor of Money Observer magazine.

Research: BRWM.L

The Money Observer Awards have just been dished out to fund managers who have outperformed in a difficult year for the markets and managers.

Here, the magazine's editor spills the beans on what separates the good fund managers from the simply ordinary and what the top investors are telling him.

For the record, here are the winners of the awards. Full details are published in the June issue of Money Observer, available now at all good newsagents.

GROUP AWARDS
Money Observer 2008 Premier Group award
M&G Investments

Money Observer 2008 UK Funds Group award
Threadneedle Investments

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS – UK FOCUSED

Best UK Growth fund
Winner: Aegon UK Equity
Highly commended: SWIP UK Advantage

Best UK Income Growth fund
Winner: Invesco Perpetual High Income
Highly commended: Threadneedle UK Equity Inc

Best UK Smaller/Mid Cap fund
Winner: Old Mutual UK Select Mid Cap
Highly commended: Standard Life UK Smaller Companies

Best Mixed Asset fund
Winner: McInroy & Wood Income
Highly commended: Margetts Select Strategy

Best Fixed Interest fund
Winner: Ballie Gifford High Yield
Highly commended: Newton International Bond

Best Property fund
Winner: SWIP Property

Best Ethical fund
Winner: Aegon Ethical Equity
Highly commended: Aberdeen Ethical World

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS – GLOBAL AND REGIONAL

Best Global Growth fund
Winner: Neptune Global Equity
Highly commended: M&G Global Basics

Best Asia Pacific fund
Winner: First State Asia Pacific
Highly commended: Threadneedle Asia

Best European fund
Winner: SVM Continental Europe
Highly commended: JPMorgan European Dynamic

Best American fund
Winner: Martin Currie North America
Highly commended: Legg Mason US Smaller Companies

Best Emerging Markets fund
Winner: Baillie Gifford Emerging Markets Growth
Highly commended: JPMorgan Emerging Europe