Investments in pension funds and equities start to pay dividends again

PENSION fund and equity investors who took a hammering as share values plunged in 2002 have seen global markets rise by almost 10% since the beginning of the year.

Irish Life Investment Managers head of asset allocation Eugene Kiernan said there has been a huge range in returns, depending on which sectors investors were in.

The hot spots over the past eight months have been in technology, some of the consumer areas and in financials, according to Mr Kiernan.