Money Marketing
13 June 2007

  • Bupa sells hospitals for £1.44bn

    18 Jun 2007

    Bupa announced today it will sell its 25 UK hospitals to European private equity firm Cinven for £1.44bn.

  • Lighthouse service matches client risk

    14 Jun 2007

    Lighthouse has set up a client risk matching initiative for its advisers, using a psychometric fact-find developed by Distribution Technology. It is designed to allocate clients' assets and will link directly to the underlying funds offered through F&C Asset Management's lifestyle fund of funds.

  • Osborne calls for Treasury shake-up

    14 Jun 2007

    Conservative Shadow Chancellor George Osborne has called for a radical reshaping of the Treasury's powers and responsibilities to reposition it as the evaluator of Government policy rather than the "principal source".

  • Retention failings see HBOS share fall

    14 Jun 2007

    HBOS has admitted that some aspects of its experimental mortgage retention strategy introduced last year have failed to deliver, leading to an expected drop in net lending share to less than 10 per cent for the first half of this year.

  • 130/30 Vision

    14 Jun 2007

    The long and short of it is that Ucits III has opened the way for a new type of investment using pseudo-hedge fund techniques, says Chelsea Financial Services managing director Darius McDermott.

  • A shaw thing

    14 Jun 2007

    Sam Shaw is a reporter on Money Marketing

  • Abbey steps into 100% market

    14 Jun 2007

    Brokers welcome Abbey's move into the 100 per cent mortgage market but do not feel its rates are aggressive enough.

  • ABI review of life and pension fund sectors

    14 Jun 2007

    The Association of British Insurers is reviewing its life and pension fund sectors, which categorise over 6,000 unit-linked life and pension funds, to enable advisers and consumers to compare similar funds on a like-for-like basis. The review is at the consultation stage and the ABI wants comments from the industry.

  • Adviser jailed for conning elderly clients

    14 Jun 2007

    An IFA has been jailed for 18 months after a court heard he tricked elderly women out of more than £60,000.

  • Advisers see gloomier outlook on retirement

    14 Jun 2007

    Aegon says IFAs have valuable perspective on client needs that should influence future legislative change.

  • Aegon boosts online applications for protection

    15 Jun 2007

    Aegon Scottish Equitable has enhanced its online protection application process enabling advisers to get cover for clients immediately if the application is submitted online.

  • Aifa launches fee seminars

    19 Jun 2007

    Aifa has announced plans for a program of seminars to assist IFAs with the development of a fee-based business model, to be led by FP Advance managing director Brett Davidson. Aifa and FP Advance say the seminars follow requests from members who wish to further develop their existing fee charging structures, transfer to a fee-based model or find out more about operating wrap-based models.

  • Alert on power of attorney

    14 Jun 2007

    Advisers should act quickly to protect family clients before the rules on enduring power of attorney change from October 15, warns Shropshire IFA Pi Financial Dixon Sutcliffe & Co.

  • All pension eyes on Westminster

    14 Jun 2007

    The world of pensions tried its best to take over Westminster village this week with a number of interesting developments that could have massive implications for the industry.

  • Amateur dramatics

    14 Jun 2007

    Is the stage set for a tragedy for many smaller buy-to-let investors who are finding their hoped-for profits soaked up by rising interest rates? By Nicole Blackmore.

  • Aviva chief to work for charity in Africa

    14 Jun 2007

    Aviva chief executive Richard Harvey will spend a year in Malawi and Kenya with the sustainable development charity Concern Universal when he quits his job next month and will work with his wife Kay Harvey in rural communities on a range of projects.

  • Axa Framlington to loosen restraints on Luckraft fund

    18 Jun 2007

    Axa Framlington is believed to be lifting the entry restrictions on George Luckraft's £1.1bn equity income fund more than two years after deciding to soft close the vehicle.

  • Back to basics

    14 Jun 2007

    Generic advice needs to concentrate on teaching financial skills rather than product recommendations.

  • Bankhall sees fee transition

    14 Jun 2007

    Bankhall says it is is seeing growing interest among advisers to move to a fee and renewal income model.

  • Banks rule as the regulator stays quiet

    14 Jun 2007

    I refer the speech by Dr Thomas Huertas, director wholesale firms division, at the Institute of Economic Affairs' 10th anniversary conference recently.

  • Barclays leads bank raid for top-end IFA business

    14 Jun 2007

    Barclays has issued a stark warning to independent advisers that bancassurers are now a severe threat to their businesses and has declared "we are coming" for IFA clients.

  • Baring Asset Management - Russia Fund

    13 Jun 2007

    Baring Asset ManagementRussia Fund

  • Baring calls for shift to fully funded schemes

    14 Jun 2007

    Baring Asset Management is proposing the creation of a fully funded public sector pensions system to cover civil servants, the NHS, teachers and the armed forces.

  • Basket work

    14 Jun 2007

    Before selecting Ascentric, I scoured the market to see what was around but I was really waiting for clarity from the FSA as to its position on wraps.

  • Bennett named as new group CEO for A&L

    13 Jun 2007

    Alliance & Leicester has appointed group finance director David Bennett as group chief executive, effective from July 27.

  • BlackRock appoints international chief

    14 Jun 2007

    BlackRock has appointed Martin McGovern from Barclays as director of international marketing responsible for implementing the group's brand strategy across the international business in areas such as advertising, brand research and regional marketing co-ordination.

  • Bond ambition

    14 Jun 2007

    Platforms are helping to bring much needed transparency to offshore bonds.

  • Borrowers in a fix

    14 Jun 2007

    Tanya Powley writes on the dilemmas facing homeowners coming off attractive two-year fixed rates.

  • Boulger questions shock report on affordability

    14 Jun 2007

    John Charcol senior technical director Ray Boulger has attacked a Government report warning that house prices will be 10 times average incomes by 2026.

  • Bright Grey boosts presence on Assureweb

    13 Jun 2007

    Bright Grey has enhanced its presence on Assureweb to enable multi benefit quotes.

  • Broker Talkback

    14 Jun 2007

    Do you agree with the Government's plans to abolish contracting out?

  • Brokers warned over fraudulent BTL applications

    14 Jun 2007

    Mortgage brokers are at serious risk from claims arising out of buy-to-let transactions, warns Fishburns Solicitors partner Harriet Quiney.

  • Brolly good show

    14 Jun 2007

    Many advisers will have been kept fully occupied over recent weeks staying up to date with all the new products and variations to existing products that have been announced.

  • Brown to publicly advertise external MPC appointments

    14 Jun 2007

    Gordon Brown has announced plans to make Monetary Policy Committee appointments more transparent by openly advertising the positions of the four external members when they become vacant.

  • CFM joining Close Investments brand

    14 Jun 2007

    Close Brothers is continuing to align its investment management businesses by bringing Close Fund Management under the Close Investments brand.

  • CI industry still failing to gain consumer trust

    18 Jun 2007

    Any consumer trust gained over the past year by the critical illness industry has been undermined by bad claims publicity and unhelpful comments from the ombudsman according to Defaqto.

  • CII college scheme aims to bring new blood to mortgages

    14 Jun 2007

    The Chartered Insurance Institute is forming a partnership with further education colleges in a bid to encourage young people to become mortgage advisers.

  • Clerical Medical introduces new pension commission model

    19 Jun 2007

    Clerical Medical is introducing a new pension commission model designed to improve persistency rates among advisers.

  • Commerce Centre in aim to sign up 4,000

    14 Jun 2007

    Thinc subsidiary The Commerce Centre is to offer its non-regulated business services to the whole of the market.

  • 'Commission advisers will move to the banks'

    14 Jun 2007

    Advisers unwilling to move to a business basis that is less reliant on provider commission will be forced out of the industry or end up as salaried bancassurer advisers, says FP Advance managing director Brett Davidson.

  • Concern grows for borrowers in a packed mortgage week

    15 Jun 2007

    A flat-out week in mortgages started off with a jolt when Bank of England governor Mervyn King announced on Monday that further increases in interest rates were likely in order to control inflation.

  • Contagion contained

    14 Jun 2007

    Equity markets Simon Hildrey says the recent Chinese stockmarket falls have not spread to other markets so far but volatility is expected to increase.

  • Court case opens up disclosure issues

    14 Jun 2007

    Protection and health insurance providers may have to disclose commission paid to advisers following a Court of Appeal case.

  • CSAM announces change at European equity helm

    13 Jun 2007

    Credit Suisse head of European equities Jeff Currington is to leave the firm to persue other opportunities.

  • Culture of change

    14 Jun 2007

    Corporate governance is an important yardstick for assessing emerging market companies.

  • Davenham sets up Glasgow office

    14 Jun 2007

    Asset-based lender Davenham Group is continuing its national expansion with the opening of a new office in central Glasgow. Property specialist Jack Dinwoodie is the first appointment to the branch.

  • DWP response is good news for GPPs says Boulding

    14 Jun 2007

    Legal & General pensions policy director Adrian Boulding says he is "hugely encouraged" by the Government's commitment to solving the issues around group personal pensions in relation to personal accounts.

  • Edeus and Deutsche in £500m fund deal

    14 Jun 2007

    Edeus has set up a deal with Deutsche Bank which gives the firm access to £500m via a Deutsche Bank warehouse funding line, allowing diversification of its funding base and an increase in liquidity.

  • Edeus’ Bolton blasts Portman and defends model

    13 Jun 2007

    Edeus chief executive Michael Bolton has blasted Portman/Nationwide for its “irresponsible” sub-prime remarks and defended the ability of lenders to use securitisation.

  • Eq Life policyholders given fresh hope from Europe

    18 Jun 2007

    Hopes grew last week that victims of the collapse of Equitable Life could finally receive compensation from the UK Government after a leading MEP involved in the critical European Parliament report suggested the European Commission may step in.

  • 'Europe is the best hope of overturning Asp tax charge'

    14 Jun 2007

    The European Union could be the best route to end the 82 per cent death charge on alternatively secured pensions, according to Hornbuckle Mitchell.

  • European Commission could force Government to compensate Eq Life victims

    15 Jun 2007

    The European Commission could force the Government to compensate up to £4bn to the victims of the collapse of Equitable Life, according to the MEP who wrote the recent critical European Parliament report.

  • FIB? Let's tell it like it is

    14 Jun 2007

    How can we gain public trust when product names can be so misleading?

  • Fidelity says Government has "ducked" major personal accounts decision

    14 Jun 2007

    Fidelity International says the Government has ducked a complicated but critical decision about the charging structure for personal accounts by deferring it to the new delivery authority.

  • Firms link to help advisers analyse with-profits plans

    14 Jun 2007

    Aegon Scottish Equitable, Towers Perrin Tillinghast and Cazalet Consulting have teamed up to offer a with-profits analyser tool to help advisers establish whether their clients' WP bonds are still suitable investments.

  • Fisher calls on adviser clean up to rid industry of commission "bribery"

    19 Jun 2007

    Towry Law is calling on the FSA to force financial advisers into radical change to protect consumers, accusing much of the £3.2bn paid out in intitial commissions of being bribery from providers to attract new business.

  • FSA backing banks for the mass market

    14 Jun 2007

    Advisers are baffled by an FSA invitation to banks to come up with a mass market advice proposition that does not use current commission models.

  • FSA ban over illegal insurance sales

    14 Jun 2007

    The FSA has banned David William King from all regulated activities for operating illegally by writing insurance in the UK without authorisation.

  • FSA loses sight of issues with bank plan

    14 Jun 2007

    The FSA is inviting banks to devise a fee-based solution to serving the mass market.

  • FSA review may force advisers down 'professional' or 'sales' route

    18 Jun 2007

    Advisers could be split into two camps entitled ‘professional’ and ‘simple’ in as little as two years if the FSA implements proposals under consideration by the retail distribution review.

  • FSCP calls for commission ban

    18 Jun 2007

    The Financial Services Consumer Panel has called for a ban on commission payments to advisers but also warned that sales bias must be eradicated.

  • Fund firms are urged to offer fair share of charges

    14 Jun 2007

    Winterthur Life and Selestia have hit out at fund management charges and say investment groups are taking too big a share of cake, with distributors, advisers and investors deserving more.

  • Fund firms get weather warning

    14 Jun 2007

    UK asset managers have failed to adapt to the prospect of climate change, according to research from public relations group the Headland Consultancy.

  • Guidance needed from FSA after menu

    14 Jun 2007

    Like most other industry colleagues, I have read with interest some of the assorted coverage of the FSA's forced U-turn on the payment menu and IDD and I have been surprised at the number of what appear to be quite inaccurate observations on the subject.

  • Hip power

    14 Jun 2007

    Former Thinc Destini board director David Collett meets Money Marketing 15 months after his departure from the group to talk about his ambitions for the home information pack market which he believes will transform prospects for advisers and his analysis of the terms of the Axa takeover. Interview by Sam Shaw.

  • HMRC sends out 200,000 warning letters over unpaid offshore taxes

    13 Jun 2007

    HM Revenue & Customs is sending out 200,000 warning letters to people over unpaid taxes in their offshore accounts.

  • Holloway moves to non-reviewable rates

    14 Jun 2007

    Holloway Friendly Society is introducing non-reviewable rates on its classic plus income protection plan.

  • HSBC Investments International - Foundation Hong Kong Growth Fund

    13 Jun 2007

    HSBC Investments InternationalFoundation Hong Kong Growth Fund

  • If you want to be Kosher disclose your commission

    19 Jun 2007

    This week in protection the Wilson v Hurstanger court of appeal case has been stirring the waters.

  • IFA criticises complaint deadline after £42k fine

    14 Jun 2007

    Kilminster Financial Management chairman Malcolm Kilminster has hit out at the four-week deadline for firms to resolve complaints after it was fined £42,000 by the FSA this week, partly for late payments.

  • IMA announces fears EU passport proposals for investment funds

    19 Jun 2007

    The IMA has rounded on the European Commission's decision to propose a "partial passport" within its Exposure Draft, calling it both unjustified and illogical.

  • Industry tax contributes equivalent of 36 hospitals or 600 academies a year

    15 Jun 2007

    The financial service industry pumps enough into the UK economy each year to build 36 new hospitals or 600 city academies, according to reach from the British Bankers’ Association.

  • Insinger proceeds with caution

    14 Jun 2007

    Insinger de Beaufort says it will maintain the defensive position of its multi-manager income fund despite some of its peers in the Investment Management Association's cautious managed sector having higher exposure to equities and high-yield bonds.

  • Insurance Helpline link-up aims to boost diabetic cover

    14 Jun 2007

    Specialist broker Insurance Helpline has teamed up with pharmaceutical giant Abbott Diabetes Care to help people with pre-existing diabetic conditions get cover.

  • Insurers failing to explain critical changes

    14 Jun 2007

    Advisers say very few providers have contacted them to explain the Association of British Insurers' new critical-illness insurance definitions and how they affect their products.

  • Insurers must publish data on gender pricing

    14 Jun 2007

    New EU rules will force insurers to publish data to justify charging men and women different premiums on products such as annuities and critical-illness insurance.

  • Invesco Perpetual - UK Strategic Income Fund

    18 Jun 2007

    Invesco PerpetualUK Strategic Income Fund

  • Invesco Perpetual launches US equity benchmark fund

    14 Jun 2007

    Invesco Perpetual has announced the launch of a US equity benchmark plus fund.

  • Jam tomorrow

    14 Jun 2007

    It is a commonly held assumption that choice is a good thing but is it? Research carried out by Columbia and Stanford universities claims that people are now suffering from choice overload.

  • James Hay adds four trackers to wrap

    14 Jun 2007

    James Hay has added four equity tracker funds from State Street global advisers to its wrap platform - Japan, North America, Europe ex UK and Asia Pacific ex Japan. The wrap now has a total of 1,133 funds available.

  • JP Morgan launches JPM flexible bond fund

    13 Jun 2007

    JPMorgan Asset Management has launched a JPM Flexible Bond Fund which it claims has the flexibility to maximise returns during all market environments.

  • Jupiter adds Gunn to its armoury

    14 Jun 2007

    Jupiter is hunting for new talent to bolster its fund management teams.

  • Jupiter and TA Associates complete MBO

    19 Jun 2007

    Jupiter and TA Associates have completed the management buyout of Jupiter Group from Commerzbank AG for £740m.

  • Lawson expects DWP action to avoid new RU64 debacle

    14 Jun 2007

    Standard Life believes the Government will ask for FSA help in avoiding a repeat of RU64 in the run-up to the 2012 introduction of personal accounts.

  • LibDems accuse Government of personal account “sell out”

    14 Jun 2007

    The LibDems have attacked the Government’s decision to cut the personal account contribution cap to £3,600 accusing it of “selling out” to the industry.

  • LibDems unveil tax reform plans

    19 Jun 2007

    The LibDems are calling for a major reform of the tax system including the scrapping of capital gains tax taper relief and raising the IHT threshold.

  • Liquid refreshment

    14 Jun 2007

    Some months ago, I raised liquidity within the portfolios that represent my family's modest wealth with the understanding - and agreement even - of my stockbroker. Four years of steadily rising markets seemed reason enough to indulge in a little profit-taking. Yet last week my broker was on the phone to warn me that my portfolio looked vulnerable in the context of a market that was continuing its upward trend. I was, he surmised, being left behind.

  • Lloyds TSB paves way for sale of Abbey Life

    15 Jun 2007

    Lloyds TSB has kicked off the process of its sale of closed life insurance business Abbey Life and is expected to fetch more than £1bn.

  • Long look at short concept

    14 Jun 2007

    "Short extension" strategies, or 130/30 funds, are a relatively new concept for the British investment market. They have existed in America for the last few years, with groups such as State Street, Mellon and Barclays Global Investors cited as the main players.

  • Lucky seven from Skipton

    14 Jun 2007

    Skipton Building SocietySeven-Year Fixed Rate

  • Manual dexterity

    14 Jun 2007

    Welcome comments on overall remuneration packages appear in HMRC's updated business income manual.

  • Master mind

    14 Jun 2007

    Unlike nearly all other fund management companies, Unicorn does not have a marketing and sales department. Advisers go straight to the fund managers.

  • McPhail mauls 'third-way' pension products

    14 Jun 2007

    Hargreaves Lansdown's head of pensions research Tom McPhail has criticised many "third-way" retirement products, saying he sees no point in them and questioning their prospects in the UK.

  • Merricks receives a CBE

    18 Jun 2007

    Financial Ombudsman Service chief ombudsman Walter Merricks has been awarded a CBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list.

  • Meteor Asset Management - Prima Growth Plan 2

    15 Jun 2007

    Meteor Asset ManagementPrima Growth Plan 2

  • Minister welcomes plan for ombudsman merger

    14 Jun 2007

    Pensions minister James Purnell has welcomed the Thornton review findings, including calls for the Financial Ombudsman Service and Pensions Ombudsman to merge.

  • Mortgage costs to force down prices

    14 Jun 2007

    Advisers predict house prices will fall following research which shows that first-time buyers and homemovers are paying the highest mortgage costs in 15 years.

  • Nick Kirwan to take over from Richard Walsh as head of protection at ABI

    13 Jun 2007

    ABI head of health and protection insurance Richard Walsh will leave the ABI at the end of June with ABI Protection Committee chairman Nick Kirwan taking his place.

  • Nicola Horlick

    14 Jun 2007

    Bramdean Asset Management's chief executive has been on the road around the UK giving advisers details of her new venture into alternative investment and its aim to open up private equity and hedge funds to the mass affluent. She also has plans to set up a wealth management service for women in the Middle East. Interview by Gregor Watt.

  • Octopus extends reach in small-cap arena

    14 Jun 2007

    Octopus Investments plans to build on its small-cap expertise with a series of Oeics.

  • Openwork in restructured enterprise licence

    14 Jun 2007

    Focus Solutions has signed a restructured enterprise licence agreement with existing client Openwork.

  • OPM builds foundations on New Star property fund

    14 Jun 2007

    OPM Fund Management has launched a multi-manager property fund, with the New Star international property fund as its biggest holding.

  • Out of Context

    14 Jun 2007

    "You've got to see us dressed up, He's the Batman to my Robin."

  • Pensions Regulator issues landmark ruling to Sea Containers

    19 Jun 2007

    The Pensions Regulator has ordered Sea Containers to inject at least £90m into its pensions funds or face court action in a landmark move.

  • Personal accounts contribution cap reduced to 3,600

    14 Jun 2007

    The Department for Work and Pensions has reduced the maximum contribution cap on personal accounts from 5,000 to 3,600 in its feedback to the White Paper consultation.

  • Personal Touch adds online training tool

    14 Jun 2007

    Personal Touch Financial Services has designed an online tool to help new and existing members improve their knowledge of FSA principles and regulation.

  • Peter Hales joins Skipton board

    15 Jun 2007

    Peter Hales has joined the board of Skipton Building Society as a non-executive director.

  • Pink Home Loans - Mortgage Trust 2 Year BBR Tracker

    14 Jun 2007

    Pink Home LoansMortgage Trust 2 Year BBR Tracker

  • Pink Home Loans - Mortgage Trust Select Stepped Fixed Rate Buy To Let

    14 Jun 2007

    Pink Home LoansMortgage Trust Select Stepped Fixed Rate Buy To Let

  • Pointon York helps IFAs on corporate Sipp sales

    14 Jun 2007

    Pointon York Sipp Solutions is running a series of sales training workshops for advisers who are looking for company pension scheme alternatives but are unsure where to start.

  • Poor Ken...

    14 Jun 2007

    Poor Ken Davy. Having been granted the honour of meeting the Queen as ambassador for Huddersfield, Ken and his wife Jennifer missed out on the photo opportunity. It seems the paparazzi had been asked to leave before the greeting and Ken did not think to take his camera as he would be too busy practicing his curtsy. Oh no, that's just the laydees.

  • Poor take-up has softened Lifetime blow, claims Tenet

    14 Jun 2007

    Tenet says its business would have been hit a lot harder by Lifetime's restructure if take-up of the platform had been stronger.

  • Power failure at FOS

    14 Jun 2007

    Two recent High Court cases highlight the £100,000 straitjacket restricting ombudsman decisions, says independent compliance consultant Adam Samuel.

  • PPI providers still putting prices up

    19 Jun 2007

    Many payment protection insurance providers have increased their prices over the past year despite the product being under investigation by the Office of Fair Trading.

  • PPI sets out plans for trivial reform

    14 Jun 2007

    Pension personal accounts are in need of reform if they are to prevent some high-risk groups from missing out on a good rate of return, says the Pensions Policy Institute.

  • Practice makes perfect

    14 Jun 2007

    What will the future IFA business model look like?

  • Premier Fund Managers - Premier Protected Property Plan - Limited Editions No 36

    18 Jun 2007

    Premier Fund ManagersPremier Protected Property Plan - Limited Editions No 36

  • Prime motivator

    14 Jun 2007

    Ihave spent the last couple of months, following my transition back to a lending environment after 10 years in distribution, having a close look at the market and its trends. My overriding impression is that we are on the verge of another period of significant change in the industry, the key words for which must be integration or perhaps fusion.

  • Protection moving online

    14 Jun 2007

    The vast majority of protection policies are now written online, according to Royal Liver.

  • Providers muddying the waters in PPI market

    14 Jun 2007

    If the consumer watchdog Which? can get mixed up with the level of refund available from a cancelled single-premium protection policy, what chance does the man in the street have?

  • Pru Asian fund head wants new challenge

    14 Jun 2007

    Head of Prudential's Asian fund management business Ajay Srinivasan has quit the business in search of a new challenge. Prudential has appointed consultant Alan Wren in the interim to run the business while it searches for a replacement.

  • Pru extends discount concept

    14 Jun 2007

    Prudential is to extend the concept of discounted premiums for healthy living to its flexible protection product.

  • Put your warehouse in order

    14 Jun 2007

    Smaller companies fund managers will have the ability to reduce their transaction costs following a relaxation in rules included in the FSA's conduct of business rules concerning investment business.

  • Reita signs up three new members

    13 Jun 2007

    Reita has signed up Derwent London, Jones Lang LaSalle Corporate Finance and Primary Health Properties as members of Reita, the educational and awareness campaign behind the reita.org website.

  • Re-registration row rumbles on

    14 Jun 2007

    James Phillipps says Helm Godfrey's clash with Selestia highlights the lack of progress that has been made in the industry on the issue of re-registering assets across platforms.

  • Rics finds legal loophole in Hip rules

    15 Jun 2007

    The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors has discovered a legal loophole in the Government’s Home Information Pack which means sellers could avoid buying a pack.

  • Row over fund pricing will run and run

    13 Jun 2007

    Everyone knows that some tough talking often goes on between fund managers and distributors whether supermarkets, wraps or fund link providers.

  • S&P highlights shortcomings of absolute return funds

    19 Jun 2007

    Standard & Poor's Fund Services has cast a shadow on the performance of absolute return vehicles by claiming that none of them met their own investment objectives in 2006.

  • Scarborough Building Society - Flexible Five Year Fix

    15 Jun 2007

    Scarborough Building SocietyFlexible Five Year Fix

  • Second opinion in the Dr Phizackerley case

    14 Jun 2007

    Many national newspapers picked up on the recent special commissioner's decision in the Phizackerley case but we believe some conclusions reached may be misleading.

  • Sesame announces protection seminars

    15 Jun 2007

    Sesame will conduct a series of technical protection seminars with an aim to help advisers write protection business more efficiently and profitably.

  • Shoes shine

    14 Jun 2007

    I thought this would be an opportune time to write about an American fund. The market has had a very good couple of months as measured by the Dow Jones index.

  • SimplyBiz launches share schemes for members

    13 Jun 2007

    SimplyBiz is starting two companies to create a share ownership scheme for members.

  • SimplyBiz sets up share scheme for members

    14 Jun 2007

    SimplyBiz is starting two companies to create a share ownership scheme for members.

  • Single signals

    14 Jun 2007

    Many partners are being left high and dry without a joint-life annuity.

  • Sipp survey reveals business recycling

    14 Jun 2007

    Sipps will be the core part of most advisers' business over the next five years, according to a survey by CWC Research.

  • Skandia chief in misselling alert over property in wrap

    14 Jun 2007

    Skandia UK business unit chief executive Brett Williams believes platforms including residential property holdings within their portfolio valuations could encourage misselling.

  • Split decisions

    14 Jun 2007

    This week, I am returning to a subject which I addressed some years ago, since when there have been significant and important developments about which I believe financial advisers must be aware. The subject is pensions and divorce.

  • Standard adds fund diversity to platform

    14 Jun 2007

    Standard Life is increasing its exposure to the alternative arena with the addition of eight funds to its life and pension platform.

  • Standard leads financial education initiative for kids

    18 Jun 2007

    Standard Life is sponsoring a financial capability project called On the Money, aimed at helping children become financially responsibly adults.

  • Standard Life adds 52 funds to FundZone

    15 Jun 2007

    Standard Life has expanded its mutual funds platform FundZone by adding another 52 funds.

  • Tale of two clients

    14 Jun 2007

    The contrasting fortunes of Caroline and Gerald illustrate the value of financial advice.

  • TCF failings now feature in 40 per cent of FSA fines

    13 Jun 2007

    Treating Customers Fairly breaches now feature in 40 per cent of all fines imposed by the FSA, compared to 11 per cent in the previous year.

  • That sinking feeling

    14 Jun 2007

    Among the many tasks that are part of my new job, there is that of answering questions raised by users in our forums.

  • The down side

    14 Jun 2007

    Our panel of experts consider Anthony Bolton's warning of a downturn and their next move on Fidelity special sits.

  • The heat is on for Milburn

    14 Jun 2007

    Royal Liver's IFA market manager Andy Milburn was testing his new outdoor heater and all was going well until, all the kindling had all gone and he had drank a few beers so he shoved a log in.The whole thing went up in flames, as did poor Andy's shirt, prompting his wife to pour a pint of lager over his head.

  • They giveth and they taketh away

    14 Jun 2007

    It was a bad week for Kilminster Financial Management as the IFA firm was stung with a £42,000 fine from the FSA for not treating customers fairly by failing to pay claims promptly.

  • Threadneedle looks at 130/30 launches

    14 Jun 2007

    Threadneedle is looking to launch two funds by the end of the third quarter as it takes up the 130/30 trend but has not yet decided on the asset classes it will select.

  • Uinsure recruits Stevens

    14 Jun 2007

    Former HBOS General Insurance deputy chief executive Simon Stevens is to head Uinsure, the general insurance proposition set up by ex-Bankhall joint chief executive Simon Taylor.

  • Upsetting the `a la carte

    14 Jun 2007

    Why should a potential client pick a financial adviser and a firm to provide them with financial advice opposed to a competitor?

  • Varying quality

    14 Jun 2007

    If you are interested in variable annuities, look at the new Lincoln product. There are three US products of this type competing for attention in the UK market, with Lincoln following Hartford and Met Life. Of the three, Lincoln's plan may be most appealing.

  • Victims' victory could be overturned by MPs

    14 Jun 2007

    Pension victims who lost their savings when company schemes collapsed won a victory in the House of Lords last week but the amendment may still be defeated in the Commons.

  • Warriors take funds of hedge funds by storm

    14 Jun 2007

    Thames River Capital attributes the strong performance of its Warrior funds of hedge funds to their focus on up and coming hedge funds.

  • Widows' brand kicks in early

    14 Jun 2007

    Scottish Widows is certainly getting its brand recognition in early.The City of Edinburgh Council's festival of football saw Widows' sponsorship of the programme.Around 3,000 children take part every year in the programme.The sponsorship deal will run for two years and helps fund new equipment such as footballs, bibs and helping with organisational costs. Luckily, the children do not have to play in the Widows' cloak or their accident insurance premiums might go through the roof.

  • Will investors warm to climate funds?

    14 Jun 2007

    Chris Salih says new green funds from Jupiter and Schroders may have too many grey areas for ethically sensitive investors.

  • Women more worried than men about retirement, says Pru

    19 Jun 2007

    More than 14 per cent of workers in the UK believe they will never have enough money to retire and 20 per cent expect to have to sell their home to help fund their retirement, says Prudential.

  • Wrap to bring separation

    14 Jun 2007

    The development of wrap will see the death of provider involvement with top-end advisers, according to Mazars.

  • Wraps will hinder not help, says Harrison

    15 Jun 2007

    All wrap is doing is making things worse for IFAs, says True Potential managing partner David Harrison.

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