FTSE 100 Finish: 7,050. This is an approximate increase of eight per cent on the current level. The FTSE 100 increased by ten per cent in 2013.

Top Share: Our top pick for 2014 is Barclays, the much unloved bank. Next year should see its turnaround continue as the rights issue earlier this year means its capital shortfall has been dealt with.

The shares continue to offer a dividend unlike some of its sector peers and there is talk of it increasing its pay-out ratio in order to reward its shareholders.

Top Regional Share: Electrocomponents, based in Oxford, is our steady pick for next year.

Sales growth has been good in 2013. Demand for the electronic parts it supplies is likely to continue as the global recovery continues to take hold while a strong e-commerce strategy will help its aim of globalisation and increased market share.

A more speculative play would be Velocys (previously Oxford Catalysts), which provides innovative technology for the manufacture of better fuels through gas to liquid technology.

Velocys’ technology converts waste gas into liquid hydrocarbons (such as valuable oil) and it has the advantage of being able to be used on a small scale.

With the fracking boom in the United States causing gas supplies to be plentiful and cheap, the Velocys process could achieve critical mass provided launch customers can validate the technology on a commercial basis.

Top Sector Banks. We rate the banking sector as one that will outperform next year as hopefully many of the scandals that have depressed sentiment will, by then, be history while valuations look cheap.

Top Country Our top country pick is India. It has taken a beating this year with the rupee being the worst hit emerging market currency in the quantitative easing tapering wave.

Political uncertainty and inflation are weighing on the economy but with elections next May, that could be removed.

India should see the benefit of global growth picking up in 2014, so although we may not yet have reached the bottom of the market it could be in sight, with an upturn next year.