Money Marketing
12 September 2007

  • FSA troubleshooter quits to join lawyer

    13 Sep 2007

    FSA legal adviser and troubleshooter Harvey Knight has left the regulator to head the financial services arm of law firm Bevan Brittan LLP. His role included advising the FSA on the Parliamentary Ombudsman inquiries into Equitable Life.

  • Review starts tests for generic advice

    13 Sep 2007

    The Thoresen review is to pilot generic financial advice in the North-west, London, Staffordshire and South Yorkshire from September 17. It will aim to provide non-regulated advice or guidance on tax and benefits, saving and retire-ment planning to 5,000 consumers on the phone, internet and face to face.

  • £4,000 up for grabs, marking Adviserzone's 10th birthday

    18 Sep 2007

    Standard Life's adviserzone is offering advisers to share in a £4,000 prize fund to mark its 10 year anniversary.

  • 100-fold increase of US sub prime impact on financial markets

    18 Sep 2007

    Alliance Trust says that the complicated chain of structured finance underpinning the $600bn US sub prime mortgage market means that the impact on financial markets could be up to 100 times the value of the original loans.

  • 8,000 advisers read JPMAM survival guide in first few weeks

    12 Sep 2007

    JPMorgan Asset Management’s IFA survival guide has been requested or downloaded by over 8000 advisers in the first few weeks of its launch.

  • A shaw thing

    13 Sep 2007

    Annie Shaw is a freelance financial journalist

  • A weather eye

    13 Sep 2007

    Will the clouds over the market disperse or are we in for a storm?

  • A&L moves to calm fears over sub-prime exposure

    13 Sep 2007

    Alliance & Leicester has sought to calm investor fears over its exposure to the US sub-prime crisis in an update on the London Stock Exchange.

  • A&L, Paragon and B&B deny FSA is investigating their funding

    17 Sep 2007

    Alliance & Leicester, Bradford & Bingley and Paragon have denied the FSA is leading an investigation into their solvency following Northern Rock's funding crisis. But a source close to the FSA says the regulator is worried by the situation and is asking all banks to prove their funding is secure.

  • A2O wants commission to stay as profits leap 40%

    13 Sep 2007

    Profits have soared by 40 per cent for IFA network Alpha to Omega.

  • ABI returning to days when the big firms dominated

    13 Sep 2007

    As we move closer to the time to respond to the retail distribution review and other discussion papers, it may well be worth setting out the ABI's position according to their submission to the original working parties.

  • Aegon bolsters team

    13 Sep 2007

    Aegon UK has appointed Feilim Mackle as director of individual business and Steve Clode as director of marketing and customer strategy.

  • AIC introduces VCT sector classification system

    14 Sep 2007

    The Association of Investment Companies is introducing a classification system for venture capital trusts which will create six new sub-sectors.

  • Aifa says RDR comes down to core issue of independence

    13 Sep 2007

    Aifa says there is a lack of logic behind the retail distribution review and reaffirmed its view that whole of market advice is an essential condition for independence.

  • Altmann compares victims of final salary pension schemes to NR customers

    18 Sep 2007

    Pension consultant Ros Altmann claims that while the government is promising Northern Rock customers that their savings are protected, victims of collapsed final salary protection schemes are still fighting for their money.

  • Amber Homeloans withdraws 95 per cent LTV near prime and self cert

    18 Sep 2007

    Amber Homeloans has announced that it will be withdrawing its 95 per cent loan to value near prime and self cert prime products at close of business this Wednesday.

  • AMI won't set notice period for repricing

    13 Sep 2007

    The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries says it will not put pressure on lenders to introduce a minimum notice period for product withdrawals, despite some lenders giving brokers only a few hours notice of repricing.

  • Annuity key to boosting trust

    13 Sep 2007

    Scottish Life's latest Beehive straw poll finds that 85 per cent of IFAs believe abolishing inheritance tax and compulsory annuitisation would help to restore the public's faith in pensions.

  • As safe as houses?

    13 Sep 2007

    From almost nowhere, a situation has developed in which the safer assets - money-market assets and fixed interest - appear to be the areas worst affected by the US sub-prime turmoil.

  • As the FSA learns lessons from Northern Rock, could it be a case of responsible funding to match the FSA’s focus on responsible lending?

    18 Sep 2007

    The biggest threat from the Northern Rock debacle must be to funding innovation and therefore overall innovation in the mortgage market.

  • Assureweb clinches deal for Bankhall quote system

    13 Sep 2007

    Assureweb has tied up with Bankhall in a deal that will see it power Bankhall Online's existing protection quote engine and new income protection service.

  • Away match with IFG for Barber

    13 Sep 2007

    Paul Barber has joined IFG Financial Services from AWD as Northern regional manager, bringing 600 personal clients, including 50 professional footballers.

  • Axa announces with-profits bonus rates

    12 Sep 2007

    Axa has announced new with-profits bonus rates for customers investing in the Axa Sun Life with-profits fund and the Sun Life Assurance Society with-profits fund.

  • Axa Framlington hands global fund to Tinker

    17 Sep 2007

    Axa Framlington has appointed Mark Tinker to manage the group’s £94m managed growth fund.

  • Axa takes over ICAS International

    13 Sep 2007

    Axa UK has bought ICAS International Holdings, a global provider of employee support and well-being services.

  • Balancing act

    13 Sep 2007

    Following claims that balance-sheet lenders face becoming overexposed amid the sub-prime turmoil, Tanya Powley reports that other commentators are confident that there will be little need to tighten criteria

  • Battle of the bonds

    13 Sep 2007

    Bringing bonds into the modern age raises a number of issues

  • Big in America

    13 Sep 2007

    Chris Salih reports on the reaction to PSigma's US large-cap launch

  • Black hole in advice universe universe

    13 Sep 2007

    Money Marketing editor John Lappin predicts a scenario in which IFAs - the dying stars of the financial advice cosmos - collapse under the weight of the RDR, leaving huge numbers of clients with nowhere to go

  • BlackRock claims open-ended easing cycle is key to increasing investor confidence

    18 Sep 2007

    The key to rebuilding shattered investor confidence would be for the Fed to indicate that the easing cycle could become open-ended if conditions in the credit markets do not stabilise, according to BlackRock.

  • Blemain Group announces product changes

    17 Sep 2007

    Blemain Group has announced changes to its product plans, including maximum LTV reductions, effective immediately.

  • Bond bid wins backing

    13 Sep 2007

    Cofunds' calls for the Government to allow investors to transfer funds between investment bonds without suffering a tax hit has received backing from several major platforms.

  • Bonham Carter comments on Northern Rock saga

    14 Sep 2007

    Jupiter Asset Management chief executive Edward Bonham believes that Northern Rock’s differing business model has made them more vulnerable in the wake of the recent market volatility.

  • Brits snap up foreign homes

    13 Sep 2007

    This autumn will see a surge in British residents buying overseas property, predicts Moneycorp.

  • Broker Talkback

    13 Sep 2007

    Do you agree with the FSA that any fall in the number of advisers caused by the retail distribution review will be made up by primary advisers?

  • Brown faces Brighton Northern Rock attack

    17 Sep 2007

    The LibDems wasted no time livening up a cold and dull Brighton morning with a stinging personal attack on Gordon Brown over the events at Northern Rock, suggesting it is a sign of worse to come.

  • Bulldog spirit

    13 Sep 2007

    Henderson Rowe dogs of the FTSETM 100 fund manager Giles Rowe overcame a flying phobia and an extreme fear of heights to raise money for children's charity Fly2Help.Rowe took to the cockpit of a Bulldog aerobatic plane for a day of aerial rolls, loop the loops and simulated dogfights at 10,000 feet over Kemble in Wiltshire with Ultimate High flying school.Rowe says: "I had hoped for the aerial equivalent of a VW Beetle or a Mini but apparently the Bulldog is the equivalent of a Ferrari."

  • Bupa revenue hits £2.1bn

    18 Sep 2007

    Bupa's revenue has increase 10 per cent to £2.1bn for the six months to June 30, 2007 compared to the same period last year.

  • Cameron supports BoE and FSA's action on Northern Rock but urges more transparency

    18 Sep 2007

    Conservative Party leader David Cameron says he fully supports the way the Bank of England and the FSA have handled the Northern Rock funding crisis but says there are important questions which need answering.

  • Carby confirmed as new Openwork CEO

    17 Sep 2007

    Foster Denovo's founding executive chairman Keith Carby has been appointed as new chief executive of Openwork, replacing Stephen Leaman from October 15. Carby began his financial services career with Hambro Life (later becoming Allied Dunbar) in 1981 where he progressed to sales director and then managing director. From Dunbar, he then co-founded J Rothschild Assurance in 1992, helping build the business to over 700 self-employed advisers generating over £450m in premium ...

  • Chancellor to chair private meeting with BoE and FSA over Northern Rock

    18 Sep 2007

    The Chancellor is chairing a meeting of representatives today from the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority to assess the current situation at Northern Rock. Bank of England Governor Mervyn King and an FSA representative will meet with Alastair Darling in a private meeting about the bank.A Treasury spokesperson says: “I can confirm that there will be a meeting but as it’s a private meeting we can’t give out any information or comment on what’s happening.”

  • Child and Edwards join Vertex board

    14 Sep 2007

    Vertex has appointed two divisional directors to sit on its main operating board to continue its focus on growth within the financial services sector.

  • Clerical error over non-indemnity

    13 Sep 2007

    The more that Clerical Medical tries to revive its profile in the IFA market, the more it seems to trip over its own shoelaces.

  • CML stresses lenders are only facing funding issues not lending quality problems

    14 Sep 2007

    In the light of Northern Rock’s move to get emergency funding from the Bank of England, the Council of Mortgage lenders has emphasised that the issue facing lenders is one of liquidity and funding, not lending quality.

  • Cofunds confident despite £11m loss

    13 Sep 2007

    Cofunds made a further loss of £11.5m last year but says its revenue is rising faster than its assets and costs are stable.

  • Credit crunch is "real opportunity" for long-term investors, says F&C

    13 Sep 2007

    F&C Investment Trust manager Jeremy Tigue says he has been increasing borrowings in the trust in order to hoover up cheap shares during the credit crunch.

  • Credit crunch jitters prompt financials to slump

    17 Sep 2007

  • Crosby Capital Partners to take on Forsyth funds

    18 Sep 2007

    Crosby Capital Partners is to take over the management of Forsyth Partners 39-strong fund of funds range, subject to regulatory approval.

  • Crunch points

    13 Sep 2007

    UK sub-prime lenders are battening down the hatches in the credit storm sweeping in from the US, reports Samantha Downes

  • Darling issues warning over current lending practices

    13 Sep 2007

    The Chancellor has attacked banks for allowing consumer debt to soar out of control by lending too freely.

  • DB Mortgages to reduce range of near prime products

    17 Sep 2007

    DB Mortgages is withdrawing its higher arrangment fee near prime +, near prime and super light products at the close of business today.

  • Depth of focus

    13 Sep 2007

    It is now a year since I reviewed a new fund from Rensburg that launched around the same time as the Skandia UK best ideas fund. The UK managers' focus trust is Rensburg's own version of a best ideas portfolio and, given the calibre of its UK desk, I was optimistic that it would perform well.

  • Diversity pays for MPC convertibles

    13 Sep 2007

    MPC Investors says its global convertibles fund has seen a lot of support from multi-managers, particularly since management groups have been launching multi-asset and total return portfolios.

  • Drake non-exec for delivery authority

    13 Sep 2007

    Ex-Pensions Commission commissioner Jeannie Drake has been appointed non-executive director of the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority.

  • Easier2Move links with MBL

    17 Sep 2007

    Online conveyancer Easier2Move, has integrated with mortgage sourcing system Mortgage Brain to offer their conveyancing services.

  • Euro role for Parnaby at Standard

    13 Sep 2007

    Standard Life managing director of sales Nathan Parnaby is moving across to head the insurer's European business.

  • Euro stars

    13 Sep 2007

    Almost half the Adviser Fund Index panellists believe that continental Europe will be the best-performing equity region over the next year.

  • F&C appoints new Euro head

    12 Sep 2007

    F&C has appointed Paras Anand to the new position of head of European equities with overall responsibility for F&C's continental and pan European equities teams.

  • F&C to join climate change parade

    17 Sep 2007

    F&C is following in the footsteps of Schroders and Jupiter with the launch of its own climate change vehicle.

  • Federal reserve

    13 Sep 2007

    Troubled conditions did remain last week, not that it was too difficult to forecast the continuation of volatility in markets. Sentiment is fragile and it is hard to see confidence being restored soon.

  • First UK victims shut by sub-prime crisis

    13 Sep 2007

    Three UK mortgage firms are closing as the fallout from the US sub-prime crash spreads.

  • Forsyth Partners Ltd goes into administration

    13 Sep 2007

    Forsyth Partners Ltd and Forsyth Partners (Europe) have both been placed under administration.

  • FSA fines mortgage firm and chief over selling failures

    13 Sep 2007

    The FSA has fined Hadenglen Home Finance and its chief executive Richard Hayes for failures in selling payment protection insurance and remortgages.

  • Funds of hedge funds could face mauling if bear emerges

    13 Sep 2007

    S&P Fund Services says the biggest risk to funds of hedge funds is if the recent volatility turns into a bear market.

  • Global domination

    13 Sep 2007

    Internationally diversified firms should emerge strongly from the turmoil

  • Goodbye Aifa says Towry, hello Reeve says Pos Sol

    14 Sep 2007

    The biggest splash in the distribution world this week was the scathing attack on Aifa made by Towry Law’s Andrew Fisher as he announced his firm would be quitting the trade body over its position on the RDR.

  • Government is sending out mixed messages to pensioners over Northern Rock

    18 Sep 2007

    The government is sending out mixed messages by bailing out Northern Rock but not offering guarantees to the 120,000 pensioners who lost money when their employers went bust.

  • Government pledges to guarantee all Northern Rock deposits

    17 Sep 2007

    The Government has pledged to guarantee all deposits held by Northern Rock customers in an attempt to stop the scenes of panic seen across the country since Friday.

  • Government unveils £500m scheme to accelerate house supply

    14 Sep 2007

    The Government has unveiled a £500m package of proposals to accelerate the building of homes by rewarding councils that speed up housing supply delivery and maximise the supply of building land in their areas.

  • Grandfathering plan is rejected

    13 Sep 2007

    IFAs have criticised calls from SimplyBiz chairman Ken Davy for advisers with three years' experience to be grandfathered into the professional financial planner category.

  • Highly charged

    13 Sep 2007

    Our panel consider the FSA probe into multi-manager charges and whether fund firms can justify performance fees

  • Hogg in sprint finish

    13 Sep 2007

    Aegon Asset Management fixed-interest fund manager Louise Hogg represented Great Britain at the World Triathlon Championships in Hamburg earlier this month.Hogg came 11th in the age 25 to 29 sprint event comprising a 750m swim, a 20km cycle and 5km run. She qualified for the team after coming fourth in her age group at the British Sprint Championships held in Motherwell in May. Hogg says: "It is a great honour to be able to represent your country on the world stage."

  • Home & Capital buys equity release firm Hinton & Wild

    13 Sep 2007

    Home & Capital has bought Ecclesiastical Life’s equity release advice business Hinton & Wild.

  • IFP gets record nominations for board

    17 Sep 2007

    The Institute of Financial Planning has received a record number of nominations for the board this year.

  • IFP supports Australian financial services roadshow

    13 Sep 2007

    Australian financial services information provider Dealers Group is to host a series of roadshows focusing on practice development for financial planners and IFA businesses.

  • Iimia and Miton set to merge

    13 Sep 2007

    Iimia Investment Group is planning to merge with fund of funds specialist MitonOptimal in an £18.6m deal.

  • Infinity Mortgages launches new packager Infocus Mortgage Company

    12 Sep 2007

    Infinity Mortgages has launched a new packaging company to the market under the name of Infocus Mortgage Company.

  • Irrational thinking

    13 Sep 2007

    The term "irrational complacency" was coined by a New York Times columnist in the run up to the summer's credit market turmoil.

  • It’s all good in the world of protection

    18 Sep 2007

    Amidst the doom and gloom surrounding the finance sector this week, the protection industry contributed some little rays of positivity.

  • James Hay adds BlackRock ML UK absolute alpha

    14 Sep 2007

    James Hay has added a fund from BlackRock Merrill Lynch to its wrap, bringing the total to 1,246 funds from 50 providers.

  • John Champion to leave Cheltenham & Gloucester at end of month

    13 Sep 2007

    Cheltenham & Gloucester has confirmed that intermediary sales director John Champion will be leaving at the end of the month after 20 years at the lender.

  • Jory on panel for Labour conference

    13 Sep 2007

    B&CE Benefit Schemes deputy chief executive John Jory will be a panel member of a pension debate at Labour's annual conference.

  • Kensington reduces adverse LTV to 75 per cent

    18 Sep 2007

    Kensington has reduced its maximum loan to value to 75 per cent on its adverse range.

  • Lawyer offers to help advisers in endowment mispricing case

    13 Sep 2007

    Advisers have been offered hope of recovering a percentage of endowment misselling payouts caused by the endowment mispricing scandal, with a law firm preparing to take on a surge of claims against providers.

  • Learning by experience

    13 Sep 2007

    My clients and I have benefited from the Cofunds' experience since October 2004.

  • Lenders tighten up on non-conforming loans

    13 Sep 2007

    Non-conforming lenders have continued to tighten their criteria as the three-month Libor rate hit a nine-year high of 6.88 per cent last week.

  • LibDem conference: Fierce attack on Brown and regulators over Northern Rock

    17 Sep 2007

    Blame for the problems facing Northern Rock rests with greedy executives, “lax and indulgent” regulation and a complacent Government, say the LibDems.

  • LibDem conference: Party votes to scrap higher rate pension tax relief

    18 Sep 2007

    The LibDem conference has backed the Party’s economic policies including plans to scrap higher rate pension tax relief and raise the IHT threshold.

  • Libor leap to bring sub-prime shock

    13 Sep 2007

    Sub-prime borrowers on variable-rate mortgages could face a massive payment hike after the spread between bank base rate and three-month Libor reached a 20-year high last week.

  • Lighthouse interims show 66 per cent profit increase

    17 Sep 2007

    Lighthouse Group is reporting a 66 per cent increase in pre-tax profits from £473,000 in 2006 to £786,000 this year.

  • Link Lending secures extra £50m warehouse facility

    12 Sep 2007

    Link Lending Limited has secured an additional £50m warehouse facility arranged by Deutsche Bank, in addition to its existing funding arrangements with Barclays Bank.

  • Lord Cobham retires at S&W

    13 Sep 2007

    Smith & Williamson deputy chairman Lord Cobham is retiring from full-time employment but will continue to work as an adviser for the firm. David Cobb becomes head of investment management and Geoff Windebank as finance director in a group reshuffle.

  • Lord Hunt to investigate the rise of claim-chasers

    13 Sep 2007

    FOS review to look at allegations of unfairness and why complaints can't be made by text

  • Luckraft for SJP income fund

    13 Sep 2007

    Axa Framlington's George Luckraft is to run an equity income fund for St.James's Place. The diversified income fund launches on October 1 and SJP is also launching a continental European fund, to be managed by SW Mitchell Capital, and a UK growth fund to be run by MPC investors.

  • 'Market conditions may prompt cut in base rate'

    13 Sep 2007

    Mortgage experts believe that the next move in the base rate could be down after the Bank of England's monetary policy committee held the rate at 5.75 per cent last week.

  • Marr says RDR fails to address key issues

    13 Sep 2007

    The retail distribution review is doing nothing to address the problems of millions of people in poor-performing closed funds or those getting poor annuity rates or the widening protection gap, says The Red House director Gareth Marr.

  • McPhail blogs on for pensions

    13 Sep 2007

    Hargreaves Lansdown head of pensions research Tom McPhail has set up a pension blog at tommcphail. blogspot.com

  • Morrisons stacks up for MacIver

    13 Sep 2007

    Prudential has lost three key members of its executive team over the past few weeks with insurance business director Angus MacIver the latest to announce his departure.

  • Mortgage brokers say UK mortgage market remains wholly sound

    14 Sep 2007

    The fundamental’s of the UK mortgage market remain wholly sound despite news that Northern Rock has had to request emergency funding from the Bank of England, says Robert Sterling managing director Kevin Duffy.

  • Mortgages plc to increase rates

    13 Sep 2007

    Merrill Lynch subsidiary Mortgages plc has announced that it will be increasing its rates again by between 0.05 per cent and 0.92 per cent with effect from September 19.

  • Mott bolsters financials focus

    12 Sep 2007

    PSigma income guru Bill Mott has raised the exposure to financials in his income fund to 35 per cent, claiming the sector now offers “outstandingly good value”.

  • MPs support chartered status

    13 Sep 2007

    Over 90 per cent of MPs believe advisers in the top tier proposed in the retail distribution review should be qualified to chartered status.

  • New director and head of Isle of Man Finance

    17 Sep 2007

    Isle of Man Finance has announced the appointment of John Spellman as director and Head of Isle of Man Finance.

  • New senior pensions consultant at BDO

    13 Sep 2007

    BDO Stoy Hayward Investment Management has announced the appointment of Robert Kingston as a senior pensions consultant, to be based in the Midlands.

  • No load on T Bailey best ideas

    13 Sep 2007

    T Bailey is waiving the initial charge on its forthcoming UK best ideas fund until the end of the year.

  • Northern Rock and Alliance & Leicester shares rebound strongly

    18 Sep 2007

    The share prices of Northern Rock and Alliance & Leicester have rebounded strongly this morning in continued heavy trading.

  • Northern Rock broker reaction - Monday morning

    17 Sep 2007

    Mortgage brokers are standing behind Northern Rock’s products and say they will continue to advise clients to take out a Northern Rock mortgage if it’s the right deal for them.

  • Northern Rock chairman attempts to reassure customers

    18 Sep 2007

    Northern Rock chief executive Adam Applegarth last night issued a statement to customers, through newspapers and its website, offering its reassurance over their investments.

  • Northern Rock credit ratings hold after fall

    18 Sep 2007

    Global credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings says its downgrading of Northern Rock will not impact upon the ratings assigned to the Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities issued from Northern Rock’s Granite master trust.

  • Northern Rock encouraged by intermediary support

    17 Sep 2007

    Northern Rock sales director Mark Robson claims the company has received “overwhelmingly positive” feedback from its key intermediary contacts following assurances that the company remains fully operational.

  • Northern Rock moves to reassure savers queuing outside branches

    17 Sep 2007

    Northern Rock has tried to reassure its customers that their savings are safe while thousands of savers continue to queue at branches to withdraw their savings from the troubled bank.

  • Northern Rock says eight out of ten calls are to reinvest money in the bank

    18 Sep 2007

    Northern Rock says that its call centres are getting just 9 per cent of the calls they had yesterday in the first sign that the Government's pledge to guarantee all deposits held by Northern Rock customers has helped to allay the scenes of panic seen across the country since Friday.

  • Northern Rock shares plummet as it seeks Bank of England emergency funding

    14 Sep 2007

    Northern Rock has issued a stock exchange announcement following the news that it has asked the Bank of England to provide it with emergency funding.

  • Northern-no-need-to-panic-Rock

    14 Sep 2007

    The focus is once again back onto the UK’s third biggest mortgage lender - in terms of gross mortgage lending - Northern Rock.

  • NS&I's savings products boom

    18 Sep 2007

    National Savings and Investments saw new funds in its savings products more than double over the weekend, following claims that all money invested with it is “100 per cent secure”.

  • NU in protection distribution deal with the Post Office

    13 Sep 2007

    Norwich Union has announced a major distribution deal with Post Office Financial Services which will make Post Office branded NU protection products available for its customers.

  • Nutt admits going defensive too early

    13 Sep 2007

    Jupiter income trust manager Tony Nutt says the fund's performance suffered after he went defensive too early.

  • Nutt gives warning that this crunch is worse than LTCM

    13 Sep 2007

    Jupiter income guru Tony Nutt says the current credit crunch is far worse than the 1998 liquidity crisis.

  • Only 100 responses to RDR

    13 Sep 2007

    The head of the FSA's retail distribution review Amanda Bowe says the regulator has received only around 100 responses to the discussion paper so far.

  • Open minded

    13 Sep 2007

    We need to shake up open market option rules to end consumer apathy

  • Origo announces timeline for delivery of mortgage standards

    12 Sep 2007

    Origo has announced its mortgage governance group has approved projects to deliver standards for full mortgage application, mortgage tracking, and product data by the middle of next year.

  • Out of Context

    12 Sep 2007

    "I'm more than happy to ambush you all."

  • Out on a limb

    13 Sep 2007

    Hargreaves Lansdown's Tom McPhail has a rather unusual hobby which resulted in a broken arm last week.

  • Outcry as FSA fights to keep Lautro 12 secret

    13 Sep 2007

    Advisers have slammed the FSA's decision to appeal against the Information Commissioner's ruling to name the Lautro 12.

  • Pearl hit for six by role reversal

    12 Sep 2007

    As the Twenty20 Cricket World Cup kicks off this week, Resolution and Friends Provident pulled off a masterstroke of their own by hitting potential rivals Pearl for six as they continue to fend off those bidding to derail the creation of Friends Financial plc.

  • Pensions cannot escape the RDR

    13 Sep 2007

    As MM's regulation reporter was living the dream in Ibiza last week it fell to me to attend Osney Media's financial services distribution summit.

  • Plan to succeed

    13 Sep 2007

    Some say that any change is an illusion and that the Groundhog Day effect is more common than we realise.

  • Polar picks senior tech trust chief

    13 Sep 2007

    Polar Capital has bolstered its technology team with the appointment of Nick Evans as a senior fund manager.

  • Pos Sol conference: 112 Pos Sol partners take advantage of retention scheme

    13 Sep 2007

    Positive Solutions announced today that 112 partners are expected to take advantage of the firm’s 0 per cent retention scheme introduced last year.

  • Pos Sol conference: Aifa attacks timing of FSA’s RDR research

    14 Sep 2007

    Aifa has attacked the FSA for spending its resources on retail distribution review market research now and not before the discussion paper was published.

  • Pos Sol conference: Bullish Reeve says firm will beat banks and transform industry

    13 Sep 2007

    Incoming Positive Solutions chief executive Jim Reeve gave a bullish speech at the firm’s annual forum suggesting the banc assurance model will fail to serve the mass affluent market while Pos Sol will “transform this industry”.

  • Private Health buys medical cover book

    13 Sep 2007

    The Private Health Partnership has bought the medical insurance portfolio of Home Counties Healthcare.

  • Protection plea

    13 Sep 2007

    Some advisers believe that the protection business will be brought under the constricts of the retail distribution review and are calling for pure protection to be ringfenced. Helen Pow reports

  • Protection price cuts set to peter out after impetus from cash boost

    13 Sep 2007

    The recent spate of price cuts in the protection industry is due to a technical issue and will "fizzle out" in the next couple of months, claims Legal & General.

  • Protection providers should spend ten times more educating consumers says Baigrie

    13 Sep 2007

    The protection gap will only close if providers commit at least ten times more turnover to educating consumers about their products according to Lifesearch managing director Tom Baigrie.

  • PSigma set to tap into European income

    13 Sep 2007

    PSigma is to launch a European income fund under the management 2CG founders Charles Glasse and Chris Garsten.

  • 'RDR breaches human rights'

    13 Sep 2007

    Solicitors for Independent Financial Advice says the FSA's proposal to create a professional tier of IFAs as part of its retail distribution review could potentially be a breach of human rights.

  • 'RDR should be more radical'

    13 Sep 2007

    The retail distribution review should be more radical and aggressive, says Beachcroft Regulatory Consulting managing director Richard Hobbs.

  • Reaction from queues outside Rock

    17 Sep 2007

    Northern Rock branches have been inundated today with customers withdrawing their savings and closing accounts.

  • Recession or no recession?

    13 Sep 2007

    Economic outlook Kevin Telfer, fixed-income product specialist at Aegon Asset Management, analyses whether the problems caused by the US sub-prime mortgage crisis will spark a slump and points to the investment areas which should produce good returns whatever the outcome

  • Resolution new business rises 20 per cent

    18 Sep 2007

    Resolution announced that new business profits grew 20 per cent to £30m compared to the second half of 2006 in its interim results released today.

  • Resolution set for two Euro funds

    13 Sep 2007

    Resolution Asset Management is setting up two funds for its restructured European equities desk. Jon Fearon will manage the international pan-European fund while Ian Ormiston will run European smaller companies.

  • Riders on the storm

    13 Sep 2007

    How to build shock absorbers into an investment portfolio

  • Rising property prices in Europe are no longer a given, says Aberdeen

    12 Sep 2007

    Aberdeen Property Investors believes that the recent credit crunch will hasten the end of the current period of indiscriminate yield compression in Europe.

  • Role reversal for Friends merger

    13 Sep 2007

    Friends Provident and Resolution have changed the terms of their proposed merger for a second time in a bid to prevent rivals scuppering the deal.

  • Royal Liver plans new look for with-profits

    13 Sep 2007

    Royal Liver is to launch a new-style with-profits investment product in the new year.

  • Searle could join Knight at new lender

    13 Sep 2007

    Mortgage guru Stephen Knight is expected to set up a new lender in 2008/09 with former GMAC-RFC managing director of operations Barry Searle believed to join his previous boss in the new venture.

  • Shock treatment

    13 Sep 2007

    There is good news and bad news for the housing market. The good news is that – for the time being at least – it looks as though interest rates are not going to climb any higher although, admittedly, rates could still go up if the liquidity crisis continues and the rate at which banks borrow money remains high. The bad news is that, despite the good news, affordability has reached new lows.

  • Sipp sirens

    13 Sep 2007

    Helen Monks assesses the massive shift in business since A-Day to self-invested personal pensions

  • Skandia hits road on IHT and trust planning

    12 Sep 2007

    Skandia is hitting the road to educate advisers on tax and financial planning with a free roadshow is says should also "clear the fog" around the Finance Act 2006.

  • SLI sees record first half profits

    18 Sep 2007

    Standard Life Investments has recorded its strongest first half sales figures with profits before tax up 43 per cent to £40m.

  • SMEs reveal concerns over insufficient pension contributions

    17 Sep 2007

    Nearly a fifth of employees do not pay in to their pension, but almost a third of employers contribute over 6 per cent of salary

  • Some offshore bank accounts failing to pass on full ECB rate rise

    13 Sep 2007

    The gap between the average returns on Euro offshore savings accounts and the European Central Bank rate has widened to 0.70 per cent, according to Investec Bank.

  • Stand out from the crowd

    13 Sep 2007

    Robust portfolio planning requires more than a broad fund choice

  • Standard Life launches European Equity Ethical fund

    12 Sep 2007

    Standard Life Investments is to launch a European Equity Ethical Fund which will be available to investors from September 24.

  • Steve burnett

    13 Sep 2007

    Royal Liver's chief executive likes to hit the heights in the Highlands when he is not busy taking the company back to the high ground of life and pension business with a tough modernisation programme which he believes puts the firm on course for continued success and he explains why the Royal marriage never made it to the altar. Interview by Will Henley

  • Stick your neck out

    13 Sep 2007

    As our recent survey of cross-party MPs shows, over 90 per cent of backbenchers think financial advisers should be qualified to chartered status.

  • SWIP sets off musical chairs across multi-manager offerings

    13 Sep 2007

    SWIP has poached Cazenove’s five strong multi-manager team as it bids to widen its investment offering.

  • Tax expert in move to Pru

    13 Sep 2007

    Prudential has appointed Scottish Life International technical manager Gerry Brown as tax and trust manager with responsibility for its onshore and offshore inheritance tax planning products.

  • Thames goes boutique shopping

    13 Sep 2007

    Thames River has unveiled the details of Gary Potter and Robert Burdett's five multi-manager funds.

  • The authorised version

    13 Sep 2007

    Probably one of the most contentious areas in relation to the retail distribution review is its effect on the number of advisers who will be able to class themselves as IFAs and, in turn, the effect that this may have on genuine independent advice for the mass market.

  • The conflict conundrum

    13 Sep 2007

    Financial advice Jan Regnart, chief executive and David Baker, legal director, of wealth management company Wealthtime ask whether IFAs can ever really justify recommending Sipp and wrap firms in which they have a financial interest

  • The real rate of return from 'high-interest' accounts

    13 Sep 2007

    Banks are currently offering accounts, where, in return for a monthly saving of £250, there is supposedly a yield of 8 per cent.

  • The transfer deadline

    13 Sep 2007

    Richard Leeson, head of international investment at Prudential, sets out in detail the changes in tax treatment involving trust transfers for IHT planning

  • Thinc buys Kent adviser to extend regional reach

    13 Sep 2007

    Thinc Group has bought Maidstone IFA Cameron Scott in a move aimed at bolstering its presence in the South-east.

  • Threadneedle goes for more dynamic look

    13 Sep 2007

    Threadneedle has revamped its branding as part of a drive to build a more dynamic corporate identity.

  • Threesixty annual conference in Dublin to focus on the RDR

    12 Sep 2007

    Threesixty has announced it is holding its inaugural national conference in Dublin on September 20 and 21, which will focus heavily on the Retail Distribution Review.

  • Through a glass darkly

    13 Sep 2007

    Money Marketing would love to tell its readers that some clear choices are arising for advisers from the RDR but they are not yet.

  • TMW launches point of sale offers from Monday

    13 Sep 2007

    The Mortgage Works will be launching an online point of sale offer facility from September 17.

  • Top up the toolbox

    13 Sep 2007

    For many years, it has been accepted industry practice for life companies to provide specialist technical resources to advisers. There could now be serious implications, with the High Court ordering Scottish Equitable to compensate a client because its repre-sentative was present at the time when advice was given.

  • Towergate gains chartered status

    13 Sep 2007

    Towergate has become the biggest independent broker to gain chartered status and has become a flagship partner of the Chartered Insurance Institute.

  • Towry chief says FSA should not restrict platform choice

    13 Sep 2007

    The FSA should not have a role in whether advisers should use more than one platform or wrap provider, says Towry Law Group chief executive Andrew Fisher.

  • Towry Law quits Aifa in RDR row

    13 Sep 2007

    Towry Law is tearing up its Aifa membership, saying it is fundamentally opposed to the organisation's views on the future of the industry and can no longer support it.

  • Trap door

    13 Sep 2007

    New rules are being proposed to deal with the issue of insurance contracts and disclosure

  • 'UK facing protection crisis'

    13 Sep 2007

    Consumer advocate Mick McAteer fears the UK could be thrust into a protection crisis on a similar scale to the pension crisis in three to four years.

  • US Fed must act now to avoid a recession, says ABN AMRO

    13 Sep 2007

    ABN AMRO Bank’s chief economist Joost van Leenders claims there’s no longer any question of whether the US Federal Reserve will cut rates, but rather by how much.

  • Vaughan to run UK smaller firms fund

    13 Sep 2007

    Dan Vaughan is taking over as head of UK smaller companies at Threadneedle after the departure of Bill Barker to Pictet Asset Management.

  • VIEW POINTS

    13 Sep 2007

    FundsNetwork head of sales and marketing Rob Fisher

  • Wanless report questions future of healthcare

    12 Sep 2007

    A major report into the NHS has questioned the long-term viability of the healthcare service.

  • Wastcoat steps back in Fidelity restructure

    13 Sep 2007

    Fidelity managing director Richard Wastcoat is stepping down at the end of this month.

  • We need a review of misregulation

    13 Sep 2007

    It seems that the Financial Ombudsman Service continues to fine advisers for shortfalls that are caused by regulatory-imposed projections, that is, that were imposed on the adviser and the provider by the regulator.

  • Wild at heart

    13 Sep 2007

    Cut! The FSA is in danger of producing a turkey with its script for the RDR

  • Zurich and HSBC grow hybrids

    13 Sep 2007

    Zurich and HSBC have both brought out hybrid criticalillness insurance products.

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