Money Marketing
15 March 2006

  • 40% Failure rate in first Hip exam

    16 Mar 2006

    The future of Hips has been thrown into question after 40 per cent of trainee home inspectors failed to pass the examinations necessary to become qualified.The Awarding Body for the Built Environment says out of the first tranche of 500 trainees, 200 people failed the exam. The ODPM estimates it will need between 5,000 to 7,000 home inspectors by June 2007.John Charcol senior tech-nical director Ray Boulger says this is further indication that Hips will not be implemented by ...

  • 70% Of SimplyBiz firms joined from networks

    16 Mar 2006

    SimplyBiz has revealed that more than 70 per cent of its member firms have joined from networks.The Huddersfield-based IFA support service provider says its annual turnover has now more than 150m three years since launch and it is providing services to 2,300 advisers and over 1,200 member firms.It says that many advisers requesting its services are disillusioned network members looking at moving their business model from being appointed representatives of networks to direct ...

  • 70% Want Government to increase Isa tax limits

    16 Mar 2006

    Seven out of 10 people want the Government to extend its commitment to Isas beyond 2010 to encourage more people to save, acc- ording to research by Intelligent Finance.The Isa tax threshold is presently 3,000 for mini cash Isas and 7,000 for maxi Isas but there is public support for the limits to be increased. Seventy per cent of respondents in the survey support harmonising the tax threshold at 7,000 or increasing the level to at least 10, 000.Sixty-eight per cent of respondents ...

  • A quiet revolution

    16 Mar 2006

    The reaction to depolarisation has surprised and puzzled me. Some have called it a damp squib and its introduction seems to have been met with general apathy - a reaction that I believe grossly underestimates the far-reaching consequences that this restructuring of the industry will ultimately have.

  • A select system

    16 Mar 2006

    Delivering and maintaining scaleable e-commerce to a large number of advisers has been a major challenge that many organisations have tried to address in recent years.

  • Abbey - Capital Guaranteed Japanese Equity Bond

    17 Mar 2006

    AbbeyCapital Guaranteed Japanese Equity Bond

  • Abbey - Capital Guaranteed UK Equity Bond

    17 Mar 2006

    AbbeyCapital Guaranteed UK Equity Bond

  • Abbey/Knight Frank - Capital Guaranteed Residential Property Bond

    17 Mar 2006

    Abbey/Knight FrankCapital Guaranteed Residential Property Bond

  • Aegon non-pension sales boost

    16 Mar 2006

    Aegon UK's operating earn- ings increased by 32 per cent last year, fuelled by an increase in non-pension business and strong results in the fourth quarter.Underlying operating earnings were 144m compared with 98m in 2004.Reported annual earnings rose to 111m from 109m due to an exceptional charge of 33.5m relating to the acceleration of an incentive scheme in Positive Solutions.Non-pension business inc-reased to 32 per cent from 24 per cent.Chief executive Otto Thoresen ...

  • Age no barrier to Esprithealth

    17 Mar 2006

    Standard Life HealthcareEspritHealth

  • Aifa warning on claim chasers

    17 Mar 2006

    The Association of Independent Financial Advisers claims it is essential to curb the activities of claim management firms.

  • Alliance star shines on BRIC

    17 Mar 2006

    Allianz Global InvestorsAllianz RCM Bric Stars Fund

  • Alliance Trusts propose merger

    21 Mar 2006

  • Arctic explorers

    16 Mar 2006

    Interpretation of the settlement provisions is entering new territory in the Jones v Garnett case

  • Barclays gets into the FTSE crowd

    16 Mar 2006

    Barclays FTSE Super Tracker - Issue H3

  • Base line could move in spring

    16 Mar 2006

    The Bank of England's monetary policy committee has held base rate at 4.5 per cent for the eighth month running.Alliance & Leicester head of intermediary mortgages Mehrdad Yousefi claims that it might be too soon for rates to be cut.He says: "Clearer evidence of the underlying strength of household spending and wage settlements is req- uired before the Bank of England is confident that any change in direction of interest rates will not have a detrimental impact on inflation ...

  • BBB case shows urgency of FSCS reform

    16 Mar 2006

    The threat of a major call on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme is stalking the industry as Berkeley Berry Birch is wound up.

  • BBB placed into administration after court petition

    21 Mar 2006

    Berkeley Berry Birch has been placed into administration after a successful petition by the groups pension scheme trustees to the Royal Courts of Justice this morning.

  • Best Isas to invest in

    16 Mar 2006

    I often get asked by IFAs what Isa I recommend. My first choice is Robin Geffen's Neptune global equity which has outperformed the S&P Global 100 Index by 115 percentage points - being up more than 166 per cent over three years to February 1 2006.

  • Bonus of contention

    16 Mar 2006

    How can an employee minimise tax on a 700000 bonus from their employer?

  • Brand stand

    16 Mar 2006

    How do firms develop a distinctive look? Giles Kidd-May a consultant representing Girardot

  • Britannic adds second Argonaut

    16 Mar 2006

    Britannic Asset ManagementArgonaut European Income Fund

  • Brokers warned on Dubai property

    16 Mar 2006

    Brokers are being warned to think carefully before helping borrowers secure mortgages on properties in Dubai.Despite a boom in the overseas mortgage market in recent years, experts believe Dubai could become a problem area for homeowners.Concerns centre on the fact that foreigners cannot yet own freeholds, which puts question marks over the long-term future of property ownership, despite assurances from the Dubai government that new legislation will shortly be in place.Another ...

  • Brown may respond to Turner in Budget

    21 Mar 2006

    The financial services industry could get a response from Gordon Brown to the Turner Report in this weeks Budget, according to Cicero Consulting director Iain Anderson.

  • Bupa testing healthy lifestyle PMI

    16 Mar 2006

    Bupa is piloting a private medical insurance product for individuals that is expected to follow the trend set by Prudential's PruHealth product which cuts premiums for healthy lifestyles.The Client Choice scheme is being tested with a single intermediary network and could be extended to the wider market if successful.The programme is believed to follow the model which was established by PruHealth in 2004, which rewards clients' healthy lifestyle choices with reduced premiums. ...

  • Cable has his wires crossed

    16 Mar 2006

    I was disappointed to read LibDem Treasury spokesman Vincent Cable's article in the Daily Telegraph, headlined, Forget Prudence, we are drowning in debt. I was disappointed because Mr Cable is a politician I generally respect. An oil economist by background, his is usually a considered, approach. Unfortunately, he demonstrates limited understanding of how the mortgage industry works in a regulated environment. His letter starts with a generalised critique of UK personal over-indebtedness, ...

  • Cards on the table

    16 Mar 2006

    I am not a happy bunny, with the equivalent of Play Your Cards Right being used to set the costs for the national pension savings scheme.

  • 'Chemistry sets could blow up pension pots'

    16 Mar 2006

    Seven Investment Management director Justin Urquhart Stewart has attacked portfolio planning tools offered by wrap firms, saying they give advisers a false sense of regulatory security.The warning comes after Lifetime became the latest firm to launch a stochastic modelling portfolio planning tool on its wrap platform.Urquhart Stewart's says the investment analysis tool may give a good "occasional snapshot" of a client's portfolio but believes advisers could be tempted to use ...

  • Cheshire plays with the big boys

    17 Mar 2006

    Cheshire Building SocietyThree-Year Discount

  • CII brings in the big guns

    16 Mar 2006

    The Chartered Insurance Institute has brought in the big guns from the life and pension industry for its faculty in a bid to improve standards of professionalism in the sector.The faculty of life and pensions is chaired by CII president Peter Hales and has a board of providers and distributors to help shape the strategy of the faculty and ensure that the CII's qualifications are tailored to the needs of the industry.More than 1,000 members have already signed up since the announcement ...

  • Civil service

    16 Mar 2006

    IFS head of faculty financial regulation Mark Roberts says those who can keep in step with changes in the civil partnership marketplace will see their business grow

  • CML calls for stamp duty reform

    21 Mar 2006

    The Council of Mortgage Lenders has called on the Chancellor to create a reformed stamp duty system in tomorrows Budget.

  • Compliance expert urges FSA raid on big adviser

    16 Mar 2006

    I would like to see the regulator look at a company's outsourcing from every angle '

  • Confusion at Revenue Sipp property stance

    16 Mar 2006

    There is confusion over whether the Revenue will intro- duce a degree of leniency on the completion of commercial property purchases in the run-up to A-Day.IPS business development manager Steve Hart believes the Revenue has come to a verbal agreement with banks and building societies that will ease concerns about potential lending bottlenecks building up before A-Day, although banks and building societies deny this.Before A-Day, Sipp investors can borrow a maximum of 75 per ...

  • Consultant defends his sales tactics

    16 Mar 2006

    Independent training cons- ultant Clive Holmes says his training cannot be blamed for misselling at BIA and it was the network's failure to monitor their members' activities that caused the crisis.He has defended his strat- egy, saying it was an efficient and intelligent solution for certain clients, and blames BIA members for selling to unsuitable clients and also passing on misinformation about his sales techniques to other colleagues who did not attend his seminars. He is deeply ...

  • Correspondent's week

    16 Mar 2006

    This week by The Independent personal finance editor David Prosser

  • Coventry fills market gap

    16 Mar 2006

    Coventry Building SocietySelf Cert 5.10% Fixed to 31 05 08

  • Critical issues

    16 Mar 2006

    A joint industry effort is needed to revive the critical-illness proposition

  • Defining moments

    16 Mar 2006

    Guaranteed insurability Changes to policy definitions are a potential pitfall when looking to increase the sum assured on a policy and Nicola York says protection advisers could find themselves facing ombudsman claims if they fail to establish the basis on which any additional covers is written

  • 'Don't make decisions on discount deals'

    16 Mar 2006

    Investors and advisers sho- uld be wary of basing their investment decisions solely on which companies are off- ering the most tempting Isa season discounts, warns Baillie Gifford.The firm says that many Isa ads promoting discounts during the run-up to the end of the tax year could divert attention away from the overall cost of the underlying product and could cost investors more than the discount in charges over the life of the investment.Baillie Gifford says its investment ...

  • DWP backs pension credits for carers

    15 Mar 2006

    In its first statement of intent on pension reform the DWP has proposed weekly pension credits for people whose careers are interrupted through acting as a carer or raising children. The plans reject Turners suggestion for a universal pension based on residency.

  • Educating retail

    16 Mar 2006

    JP Morgan is a famous name in the wholesale and institutional markets but, Philip Scott reports, it is now determined to make a major move into the retail sector with distribution through IFAs

  • Eras fires out franchise arrows to release sales

    16 Mar 2006

    The Equity Release Advisory Service is planning to set up a franchise network to help advisers into the market.Intermediaries will be able to sell the company's prod- ucts and will get all of the procuration fee.Eras head Stuart Wilson says: "Advisers can play around with current networks or can come to an established brand as we get everything done in terms of compliance. We hope this will give the market some momentum."A lot of people are still scared of the FSA and professional ...

  • Estate agents in the dark over Hips

    15 Mar 2006

    Conveyancer Easier2move has revealed that thousands of estate agents do not know what Home Information Packs are. With just over fifteen months to go until Hips are implemented, one in five estate agents have no idea what the sellers packs are.

  • Explore the market

    16 Mar 2006

    Afew years ago, a client requested that we send them some company information as they had an immediate vacancy they were seeking to fill. We had to post it too as they did not have email. The letter then got lost but it did eventually arrive on the client's desk some three months later. They called to tell us this and also to inform us that they were still looking and as they had not managed to fill the role. At the time, we had so many vacancies registered, not enough candidates to ...

  • Ex-staff and advisers set to lose hundreds of thousands

    16 Mar 2006

    Hundreds of thousands of pounds of private money inves-ted in Berkeley Berry Birch by former staff and advisers of the firm is thought to have gone up in smoke.Many advisers say they were convinced at the time that they ought to invest in the firm, anti-cipating share price increases of up to 10 times the existing value - around 85p at the time.Two or three years ago, chairman Cliff Lockyer is said to have encouraged many of his advisers to invest their per- sonal funds into ...

  • F&C backs Doel's Darwinian approach

    17 Mar 2006

    F&C Asset ManagementUK Opportunities Fund

  • Fidelity FOF charges forward

    16 Mar 2006

    Fidelity InternationalFidelity MultiManager Equity Income Portfolio

  • Fidelity looks further afield for property

    16 Mar 2006

    Fidelity InternationalGlobal Property Fund

  • Fidelity looks further afield for property

    16 Mar 2006

    Fidelity InternationalGlobal Property Fund

  • Figuring out the fund statistics

    16 Mar 2006

    Fund statistics show that investors are returning to equity investments in their droves but there have been some significant changes in the market shares of key providers in the run-in to this year's Isa season.

  • 'Firms must value in-force business'

    16 Mar 2006

    Standard Life chief executive Trevor Matthews believes that the life and pension industry must start to value in-force business and stop relying on new business.Matthews told Money Marketing Live in Glasgow last week that he is astonished at how little regard there is in the industry for existing business.He said the UK needs to catch up with Canada, the US and Australia, where the emphasis has shifted away from churning and recycling new business to maintaining long-term relationships.He ...

  • Flight tells Tories to turn to small business

    16 Mar 2006

    The Tories should not waste time with big business but spend all its energy supporting small businesses such as IFAs, says ex-MP Howard Flight.Speaking at a Social Market Foundation event examining the Tories' role in the business sector, the former Tory vice-chairman said when he was canvassing for support among big business for deregulation he was stonewalled by corporate institutions not wanting to antagonise the Government.Flight, who has long championed the cause of IFAs ...

  • Focus on Offshore

    21 Mar 2006

    Key industry players have been rewarded for their outstanding performance at the LifeSearch annual protection awards with Royal Liver picking up the double whammy of most improved provider and best initiative being described as a breath of fresh air.

  • FOS crackdown on definition of execution-only

    16 Mar 2006

    The Financial Ombudsman Service is warning IFAs that it is applying a strict definition of execution-only and, in many cases, clients who received mailshots about precipice bonds have grounds for a misselling claim.It says that even sales where advisers have rebated half the trail commission may not be execution-only and so claims cannot be defended on this basis. It is also warning that there is no such thing as limited advice, except on stakeholder products.FOS says it has ...

  • Franklin embarks on voyage of discovery

    17 Mar 2006

    Franklin Templeton InvestmentsFranklin Mutual Global Discovery Fund

  • FSA brings in wholesale staff T&C waiver

    16 Mar 2006

    The FSA says its rules on training and competence will not apply from next year to individuals who deal only with wholesale or non-private employers.It says its is part of a move towards a more principle-based approach to regulation with the training and competence sourcebook still requiring firms to ensure their employees are competent.This year, the FSA will also conduct a wider review of its T&C regime which will take account of the impact of the European Union's markets ...

  • FSA says BIA was reckless

    16 Mar 2006

    Regulator started whole-of-life business probe in 2003

  • FSA sets out four options for reforms of FSCS

    21 Mar 2006

    The FSA has outlined its four options for the future funding of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme which will see the scheme split into five classes.There are 12 separate groups under the present scheme but an FSA discussion paper proposes a simplification of this into five broad classes: life and pensions; securities, mutual funds and derivatives; deposits; general insurance and mortgages.From this there will be four options; Option A involving the classes standing alone ...

  • Government to bring forward FAS review

    16 Mar 2006

    The Government is set to bring forward its review into funding of the Financial Assistance Scheme to show it is listening to concerns in the aftermath of Ann Abrahams damning Parliamentary Ombudsman report.A review of the 400m scheme, set up to help those whose occupational pensions wound-up before the PPF was set-up, was expected in next years spending review but will now take place within months.An announcement could be made alongside the Governments Spring white paper. Work ...

  • Ground floor entrance from Britannic

    16 Mar 2006

    Britannic Asset ManagementCartesian UK Opportunities Fund

  • Guy Beech joins Cofunds board

    17 Mar 2006

    Threadneedle head of distribution Guy Beech is joining the board of Cofunds as a non-executive director.

  • Heartwood hires former Barings CIO as chairman

    16 Mar 2006

    Former Barings Asset Management chief investment officer John Heskett has joined Heartwood as chairman.

  • Heir cuts on web with will-writing

    16 Mar 2006

    Moneyextra.com has teamed up with will-writer EPS to offer a will service on its website.The service will cost from 80, with EPS able to administer estates on death.EPS points out that the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, which monitors attitudes to inheritance, says that 55 per cent of the population have not made a will and that around a quarter of these are owner-occupiers, suggesting that a huge amount of wealth is going to the taxman.Moneyextra's senior editor Robin Aml?ays: ...

  • Henderson appoints North England sales director

    21 Mar 2006

    Henderson has appointed Frank O'Donnel as associate sales director for the North of England and Scotland.

  • Hip to be square

    16 Mar 2006

    An ex-punk-cum-Hip-provider endorses change in the homebuying process

  • Hips timetable is revealed

    16 Mar 2006

    The Government has finally published a timetable for the implementation of Hips which are still set to be launched on June 1, 2007.

  • Hips under fire

    16 Mar 2006

    The Tories have slammed the Government's planned introduction of home information packs, claiming the majority of people do not support their introduction.Shadow Secretary for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Caroline Spelman points to research from the National Association of Estate Agents, which claims that 39 per cent of homeowners believe Hips should be free of charge. The Government says packs will cost between 600 and 1,000.The Conservatives also claim more help ...

  • IFA admits to 150k thefts from clients

    16 Mar 2006

    An IFA has admitted that he stole 150,000 from clients.County Durham sole trader David Hodgson appeared before Gateshead magistrates to plead guilty to more than 20 deception charges last week.Prosecutor Neil Taylor said Hodgson, as an IFA, told clients to write cheques to him on the understanding that he would then invest the money on behalf of clients.Taylor said: "The defendant has pocketed the money and given false details to each person investing money. He then provided ...

  • IFA firms facing staff shortages

    16 Mar 2006

    IFA firms may be facing a rec-ruitment shortage as consultancies find it difficult to place staff, with some applications taking months to fill.Consultants have reported that the number of suitable applicants is down in the first two months of the year, during what should be one of the busiest times of year.The shortage of candidates has been attributed to long-term factors such as the dec-line of direct salesforces. But they say the growth of the fin-ancial services sector ...

  • IFACare membership plunges

    16 Mar 2006

    IFACare, the not-for-profit organisation for long-term care advisers has lost more than two-thirds of its members in the past 12 months.It is understood that the network has seen its membership fall from 294 last year to fewer than 100 at the start of this year. The firm was unable to confirm numbers but says it is reviewing its position and will make formal recommendations regarding its future by the end of March.Formed in 1996, IFACare successfully lobbied for the regulation ...

  • IFAP eyes up potential new clients for advisers

    16 Mar 2006

    IFA Promotion has created an advertising campaign that it says will refresh its brand and increase its reach to consumers in search of an IFA.The online campaign will introduce animated characters that will appear on several personal finance websites.The Eye Team, as they are known, will begin to appear on the money sections of AOL UK, Yahoo.co.uk, Guardian Unlimited, Telegraph.co.uk and Times Online, as well as Money Net.IFAP says in 2005 it put 530,000 consumers in touch ...

  • IFAs ready for A-Day

    16 Mar 2006

    Eighty-five per cent of IFAs say they are are prepared for A-Day, according to research by Money Marketing.The survey, conducted with George Street Research, also found 74 per cent of IFAs do not see the national pension savings scheme as a threat, with only 18 per cent believing it will affect them in a negative way.Fifty-four per cent do not think mortgage regulation, which took place in October 2004, has been worthwhile and only 28 per cent believe it has been cost-effective.Eighty-one ...

  • In with the sell crowd

    16 Mar 2006

    It looks like the bad apples are back flogging plans based on commission levels

  • Insight aims absolute return funds at pension investors

    16 Mar 2006

    Insight Investments predicts that large sums of Sipp money will head into funds of funds after A-Day.

  • Investment houses bank on mortgages

    16 Mar 2006

    Guy Anker looks at the effect these new entrants are having on the market

  • Investment trusts will stay on index

    16 Mar 2006

    A threat to the future of investment trusts has been lifted following a decision by the FTSE group to continue including trusts in the all-share index.The committee's decision is in part due to lobbying by the Association of Investment Trust Companies which argued that changes to the status quo would have resulted only in significant costs and risks with no practical benefits.AITC director general Daniel Godfrey says he is grateful that the committee has listened to the members' ...

  • Investment View: Baby boomers bubbling under

    16 Mar 2006

    The latest Barclays Capital equity/gilt study has provoked comment as it highlights the expensive nature of UK Government securities. A bubble has been created at the long end of the gilt market as a consequence of a severe imbalance between supply and demand. This, in turn, is a result of some well intentioned pension fund accounting and regulatory changes.

  • Ipswich borders on average

    16 Mar 2006

    Ipswich Building SocietyTwo Year Fixed Rate

  • Is the watchdog a robber baron?

    16 Mar 2006

    Speech by Lord Chief Justice could have implications for IFAs over Magna Carta rights

  • Isis Equity Partners - Baronsmead Aim VCT

    17 Mar 2006

    Isis Equity partnersBaronsmead Aim VCT

  • JOHCM's Vinke fills Euro gap

    20 Mar 2006

    JO Hambro Capital Managements new continental select values fund aims for growth by investing in European companies excluding the UK. The performance of the fund will be measured against the FTSE Eurofirst 300 EX UK Total Return Index., but it will not be bound by benchmark weightings. The only constraint is a maximum stock exposure of 10 per cent.

  • Kensington Mortgages - Extra Choices Two-Year Discount Medium

    17 Mar 2006

    Kensington MortgagesExtra Choices Two-Year Discount Medium

  • Key wants 40 staff for equity-release drive

    16 Mar 2006

    Key Retirement Solutions is aiming to recruit 40 new staff. The firm says it wants to take on new staff to add to its 90 staff due to the phenomenal growth in the equity-release market in the last few years.Key believes the market will expand significantly in future. and the majority of the new roles roles are for IFAs.UK managing director Colin Taylor says: "Our investment supports our commitment and belief in the equity-release market. We are proud of our strong focus ...

  • Kleinwort blends in

    16 Mar 2006

    Kleinwort BensonProtected Linked Deposit I

  • L&G explores new territory

    20 Mar 2006

    Legal & GeneralUK Property Unit Trust

  • Larpent Newton & Co - London Business Angels EIS tracker Fund II

    17 Mar 2006

    Larpent Newton & CoLondon Business Angels EIS Tracker Fund II

  • Leading question

    16 Mar 2006

    The Treasury select committee wants to interview FSA chief executive John Tiner about his views on the NPSS, Adair Turner's scheme for increasing pension savings without the need for FSA scrutiny. May we suggest a first question from the MPs as follows.

  • Leeds Building Society -Light Impaired Base Rate Tracker

    17 Mar 2006

    Leeds Building SocietyLight Impaired Base Rate Tracker

  • Leeds hangs its coat on extended tie in

    16 Mar 2006

    Leeds Building SocietyTwo Year Fixed Rate With Extended Lock In

  • Legal & General - UK Property Unit Trust

    17 Mar 2006

    Legal & GeneralUK Property Unit Trust

  • Leigh Harrison

    16 Mar 2006

    Threadneedle Investment's head of UK retail is related to polar explorer Ernest Shackleton and he has his own enthusiasm for outdoor pursuits as a keen rock-climber and he aims to scale the heights with investment fund performance to plant the firm's flag firmly at the peak. Interview by Philip Scott

  • Limelight Investment Management - Limelight VCT

    20 Mar 2006

    Limelight Investment ManagementLimelight VCT

  • Liontrust roars with new fund

    16 Mar 2006

    Liontrust Investment FundsFirst Opportunities Fund

  • Long term fix from Woolwich

    16 Mar 2006

    WoolwichOpenplan 10 Year Flexible Fixed Rate

  • Long-term benefits

    16 Mar 2006

    Pension funds' appetite for long-dated securities is bringing five-year and 10-year fixed-rate mortgage bargains says Andersen Charnley mortgage specialist Steve Smith (right) but the opportunity could be short-lived looks at the importance of brand building

  • Looking for clues as Treasury and DWP grapple on pensions

    16 Mar 2006

    The industry is awaiting possible clues on the Treasury's intentions regarding pension reform in next week's Budget after the DWP firmly backed the Turner Commission.Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton told a national newspaper last week that Lord Turner's NPSS model was the front-runner over any industry alternatives in the Government's eyes.Hutton also suggested going further than the Pension Commission in certain areas, such as raising the state pension age five years ...

  • Lost for words

    16 Mar 2006

    An admirably coiffed and rapidly growing (in gut if not reputation) hack from a downmarket rival chose to follow in the footsteps of The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Whitney Houston and even the great Will Young, singing Ain't No Moun-tain High Enough at Lansons' karaoke event last week.His range and pitch was judged almost as impressive as his level of creativity in adapting most of the verses to words of his own choosing and in adding a hint of grunge to the periodical screaming of ...

  • MGM shows off best of breed

    17 Mar 2006

    MGM AssuranceInvestment Portfolio Bond

  • Midas moves on to Fidelity platform

    16 Mar 2006

    Midas Capital is making its CF Midas balanced income and balanced growth funds available to investment advisers through Fidelity's FundsNetwork platform.

  • 'Momentous day' as chartered financial planners get awards

    16 Mar 2006

    The Chartered Insurance Institute held its first graduation ceremony for chartered financial planners in London's Guildhall earlier this month.Over 600 financial advisers have been awarded chartered status, with more than 200 individuals turning up to the ceremony to collect their awards in person.Speaking at the ceremony, FSA small firms division director Stephen Bland said the new title, introduced last Dec-ember, would help to improve the overall perception of financial services ...

  • Morgan Stanley expands Sicav access

    17 Mar 2006

    Morgan Stanley Investment Management has made a further 26 Sicav funds available to UK investors through the creation of distributor share classes.

  • Morgan Stanley Investment Management

    17 Mar 2006

    Morgan Stanley Investment ManagementSicav American Franchise Fund

  • Morgan Stanley Investment Management - Sicav Asian Property Fund

    17 Mar 2006

    Morgan Stanley investment ManagementSicav Asian Property Fund

  • Morgan Stanley Investment Management - Sicav European Systematic Fund

    17 Mar 2006

    MORGAN STANLEY INVESTMENT MANAGEMENTSicav European Systematic Fund

  • Morgan Stanley Investment Management - Sicav Global Brands

    17 Mar 2006

    Morgan Stanley Investment ManagementSicav Global Brands

  • Morgan Stanley Investment Management - Sicav Latin American Equity Fund

    17 Mar 2006

    Morgan Stanley Investment ManagementSicav Latin American Equity Fund

  • Mortgage View: Prime the pumps

    16 Mar 2006

    Diversification seems to be this year's buzzword. With lenders such as Alliance & Leicester planning to move into sub-prime, near-prime, self-cert and buy to let later this year, the message seems to be that it is necessary to have a finger in every pie. Is this really the case or is there a danger of being jack of all trades and master of none?

  • MP urges fair play for Scottish solicitors' endowment clients

    16 Mar 2006

    The Government must act to correct an anomaly where consumers in Scotland who bought endowment mortgages through solicitors before December have no redress to the Financial Ombudsman Service, a Labour MP has told Parliament.Sandra Osborne, who was a member of the standing committee that scrutinised the Financial Services and Markets Bill, called a Westminster Hall debate to highlight the fact that people caught in this situation can only rely on the Law Society, which has a maximum ...

  • MPs aim to grill Tiner on NPSS

    16 Mar 2006

    The Treasury select committee is set to quiz the FSA as part of its inquiry into national pension savings scheme regulation, says TSC member Andy Love.The Labour MP for Edmonton says he hopes the evidence sessions of the inquiry will allow MPs to grill FSA chief executive John Tiner about consumer protection and redress relating to Turner's proposals.Love says the committee will be following up comm- ents made by Tiner at a prev- ious committee meeting on the importance of advice ...

  • MPs say mutuals are making float votes one-sided

    16 Mar 2006

    A cross-party group of MPs have attacked the one-sided conduct of mutual comp- anies during demutualisation votes and is calling for legislation to ensure independent checks are applied.Speaking at the launch of the report of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Building Societies & Financial Mutuals, chairman Adr- ian Bailey said the report was commissioned in response to Standard Life's decision to aim to float just a few years, after campaigning vigoro- usly against demutualisation.Bailey ..

  • Multi-manager View: It's a funny old game

    16 Mar 2006

    Although the market has reclaimed significant ground since the dotcom bubble burst and technology share prices went into freefall, the risks of backing a single stock or sector are still fresh in people's minds.

  • Murrell moves into the field

    15 Mar 2006

    Bankhall has restructured its sales team with sales director Tony Murrell becoming director of sales. Murrell will now be purely field based focusing on existing members and new business. Partnership director David Golder, who set up Bankhalls multi-tie becomes distribution director.

  • Name consultant

    16 Mar 2006

    The FSA has highlighted the existence of an outside training consultant who encouraged the use of whole of life plans as part of pension planning for clients at BBB.

  • Nationwide Building Society - Three Year Fixed Rate Mortgage With Reservation Fee

    17 Mar 2006

    Nationwide Building SocietyThree Year Fixed Rate Mortgage With Reservation Fee

  • Nationwide in plea to Gordon Brown

    20 Mar 2006

    Nationwide has called on the Chancellor to help first-time buyers in Wednesday’s Budget.

  • Nationwide survey shows slump in public's confidence

    16 Mar 2006

    Nationwide's consumer confidence index fell in February for the ninth time in 12 months.It fell from 98 to 94 in February and is now sitting at an all-time low of 92. This is the first time that the main index and the three supporting indices have all shown falls since the index began in May 2004. It is 16 points down on a year ago.The survey questions 1,000 adults monthly about their view of the current economic situation, their expectations for the economy in six months' time ...

  • Nice touch from Bristol & West

    16 Mar 2006

    Bristol & West4.39% Two Year Fixed Rate

  • NPSS debate hots up

    16 Mar 2006

    We need firm evidence that the NPSS could be run for an annual management charge of 0.3 per cent

  • NU Sipps from A day cup

    17 Mar 2006

    Norwich UnionSipp

  • One third of today's youth will be millionaires, says UCB

    16 Mar 2006

    Over half of tomorrow’s working population would rather be self-employed when they reach adulthood and a third believe they will be millionaires, according to Nationwide’s lending arm UCB Home Loans.

  • Only a friendly deal will do with the Pru says Aviva

    21 Mar 2006

    Aviva is understood to be on the charm offensive as it tries to convince Prudential to accept its offer of a £17bn all-share bid.

  • Open ended protection from B&W

    17 Mar 2006

    BRISTOL & WESTBank of Ireland Capital Protected Growth Fund 1

  • Pack a parachute

    16 Mar 2006

    Critical-illness cover Nicola York looks at the triangle of responsibility with insurer, adviser and client all having roles to play to ensure full disclosure on applications

  • Packager pressure brings Kensington rethink on fees

    16 Mar 2006

    Kensington says it is prep- ared to alter the fees on its recently launched packager product range to avert a potential distribution crisis.The lender has been forced to go back to the drawing board after packagers, supported by a number of their alliances, started urging Ken-sington to increase the rates paid to their distributors or risk losing business to the many new entrants entering the sub-prime market.The Regulatory Alliance of Mortgage Packagers, Professional Mortgage ...

  • Packagers respond to Kensington product revamp

    17 Mar 2006

    Packagers have expressed mixed feelings after Kensington Mortgages altered its fee structure following mounting anger from its distribution partners.

  • Panel pick up Isa gauntlet

    16 Mar 2006

    A panel of experts at Money Marketing Live made their predictions for the Isa season in a challenge set by InvaTrust Consultancy chief executive David Harris.With 7,000 to put into equities, the panel was split over what they would pick the final few weeks of the tax year.Seven Investment Management marketing director Justin Urquhart Stewart believes that as an asset class, currency is offering better risk-adjusted returns than either bonds or cash. He has added the Goldman ...

  • Park Row buyout deal for advisers

    16 Mar 2006

    Spring says scheme provides both a career path and an exit strategy

  • Paying for N&P offset

    16 Mar 2006

    Norwich & PeterboroughFive Year Fixed Offset Mortgage

  • Peak condition

    16 Mar 2006

    Wooden Spoon Four Peaks Challenge is looking for industry participants willing to scale the summits of four of the highest peaks in the UK and Ireland in less than 48 hours.Ben Nevis, Helvellyn, Snowdon and Carantouhill are all waiting for teams of volunteers and the aim is to raise more than 4m for disabled and disadvantaged children. Half the team spaces have been filled and anyone interested should contact 01889 582889 for more details.

  • Peering above the Edge

    17 Mar 2006

    Smith & WilliamsonEdge Performance VCT

  • Pension verdict damns Govt

    16 Mar 2006

    Government ministers are expected to reject the conclusions of the Parliamentary Ombudsman and refuse to compensate 85,000 people who have lost their pensions.Ombudsman Ann Abrahams, in her long awaited report due out this week, is expected to say the Government should compensate individuals in wound-up schemes because it reassured them their pensions were safe while relaxing funding requirements. Compen- sation claims could mount to as much as 15bn.Work and Pensions Secretary ...

  • People on the move

    16 Mar 2006

    InvestmentJupiter has appointed Richard Curling as manager of its UK smaller companies fund to replace Philip Matthews, who joins Tony Nutt on the UK equity income desk. Curling joins from Deutsche Asset Management, where he managed smaller companies and other institutional mandates and was head of small cap investment for eight years.

  • PIA gave a warning on perils of the FOS

    16 Mar 2006

    The Government passed the Financial Services and Markets Act despite warnings from the former PIA ombudsman chief that the FOS's lack of fair and public hearing could breach human rights law.Former PIA principal ombudsman Sir Anthony Holland, now Independent Complaints Commissioner for the FSA, made the admission in 1999 to a Parliamentary committee set up to vet the FSMA.He said: "I have always been exposed technically to the risk of someone eventually going to Strasbourg and ...

  • Politics of fear have no place in our industry

    16 Mar 2006

    Last week, I went to see the film Good Night, And Good Luck. It is a movie about a group of newsmen who, with surgical precision, remove a cancer from the body politic. They believe in the fundamental American freedoms and, in Senator Joseph McCarthy, they see a man who would destroy those freedoms in the name of defending them. Because McCarthy is a liar and a bully, recklessly calling his opponents traitors, he commands great power for a time. He destroys others with lies and then ...

  • Portman offers two in one

    16 Mar 2006

    Portman Building SociettyTwo-Year Fixed With Tracker

  • Positive Solutions warns on FSCS rise

    15 Mar 2006

    Positive Solutions says the predicted increase in the FSCS levy could put firms out of business. The IFA stands to face a 67 per cent hike in fees, with each registered individual paying a 34 per cent increase.

  • Pots of gold

    16 Mar 2006

    I had planned this week to write about three developments that I believe have the potential to affect the industry fundamentally in a positive way. They are the inauguration of the first 600 advisers to be granted the chartered financial planner title, the first Meeting of Minds event in London involving IFA chief executives and the recent publication by Aifa of its Viewpoint guide on equity release.

  • PPF chief executive Myra Kinghorn quits

    16 Mar 2006

    The Pension Protection Fund chief executive Myra Kinghorn is to step down after less than two years in the role.The PPF has confirmed that Kinghorn is leaving in the spring to spend more time with her family.She had been overseeing the fund's proposals for its risk-based pension levy. Kinghorn's resignation has been preceded by criticism from accountants KPMG, which says many firms will struggle to meet the March 31 deadline to gather information on their final salary pension ...

  • Principality Building Society - Three Year Fixed Rate Mortgage

    17 Mar 2006

    Principality Building SocietyThree Year Fixed Rate Mortgage

  • Private company and VCT restrictions expected in Budget, says E&Y

    21 Mar 2006

    Restrictions on personal pension contributions through shareholdings in private companies could be the next target of the Chancellor’s Budget announcement, according to Ernst & Young.

  • Providers are split over support for execution-only PTA

    16 Mar 2006

    Several product providers have said they will not accept pension term assurance business sold through execution-only insurance brokers.Bupa, Bright Grey and Scottish Equitable Protect have said they will be supporting advised sales over execution-only.This comes despite execution-only brokers stressing the importance of putting clear warnings on all literature and highlight all risks to clients.Friends Provident says it would prefer fully advised sales but if direct sales ...

  • Pru projections for WP growth rate is boosted

    16 Mar 2006

    Prudential has raised the projected growth rate on its Prufund with-profits product for the first time and the insurer remains confident about the outlook for equities.Investment director Martin Brookes is confident that recent volatility is not a sign of a pending slowdown in growth. Pru has increased the projected growth rate on the fund from 5 to 5.25 per cent on an annualised basis.Brookes has raised the Pru life fund's US equity holdings, saying that the S&P 500 missed ...

  • Prudential rejects Norwich Union's £17bn bid

    20 Mar 2006

    Prudential has received a £17bn from Norwich Union’s parent Aviva but has rejected the offer.

  • Quick change?

    16 Mar 2006

    I read that Jupiter is offering enhanced commission to advisers on certain products to the end of April and they can choose what they take to suit their particular business model. The FSA says advisers must provide the most suitable product for the customer and not choose the package that offers the highest commission. Perhaps I am being cynical but I envisage quite a few business models suddenly changing. Barry White Practice development manager, Humphries Kirk, ...

  • Reit on

    17 Mar 2006

    Franklin Templeton InvestmentsFranklin Global Real Estate Fund

  • Release firms benefit brokers but not clients, says SMP's Fox

    16 Mar 2006

    Equity release is a scandal waiting to happen, claims Society of Mortgage Professionals chief executive Richard Fox.He thinks that many product providers are failing to tailor lifetime mortgages and drawdown deals to customers' needs because they are trying to entice inter- mediaries with lucrative commission structures to sell their products. He also claims that products are being sold that customers do not understand.He says: "Equity release is a scandal in waiting if the ...

  • Revenue 'forced' into A-Day compromise

    16 Mar 2006

    HMRC says it has had to give in to stakeholders which has complicated simplification

  • Revenue to change enhanced protection life cover legislation

    16 Mar 2006

    The Revenue has bowed to industry pressure and will change legislation to ensure consumers do not lose their enhanced protection by buying pension term assurance.But providers say that HMRC has not gone far enough and the legislation to be introduced in the Finance Bill 2006 will only extend to life cover in force at A-Day.Currently, people risk losing their enhanced protection by continuing to pay regular premiums to a term insurance plan after A-Day because they are classed ...

  • Royal Liver DSF have moved to Park Row

    15 Mar 2006

    Over 90 per cent of Royal Livers direct salesforce have now transferred to Park Rows employed multi-tied adviser force. The firm says 145 of the 160 sales people have committed to the training course.

  • Shaughnessy jumps ship from M&G to Prudential

    16 Mar 2006

    M&G chief executive Gary Shaughnessy is joining parent group Prudential in amove that has prompted an overhaul of the fund manager''s managementstructure.

  • Shelter aims to put a roof on payment cover

    16 Mar 2006

    Alternative is offered to single-premium insurance

  • Skandia tops tables with £1.24bn sales

    16 Mar 2006

    Skandia Investment Management was the biggest selling multi-manager firm last year with £1.24bn gross sales, according to the Pridham report.

  • Small IFAs' complaints are going unheard, admits Holland

    16 Mar 2006

    The FSA's independent complaints commissioner Sir Anthony Holland has admitted that he has to turn away many protests from small IFAs.He says the limited boundaries of his jurisdiction mean that many small advisers see their complaints thrown out because they refer to decisions made by the regulator or guidance that it puts out.Holland, however, is only allowed to rule on allegations of mistakes and lack of care, unreasonable delay, unprofessional behaviour, bias and lack of ...

  • Small investors taking their shares to heart

    16 Mar 2006

    Many small investors hold on to their shareholdings for emotional rather than ratio- nal reasons.A survey by Axa reveals that 21 per cent of those questioned say they own shares in a listed company, with 28 per cent holding on to the shares for three years or more.Twenty-eight per cent say they kept the shares because prices have fallen and they want to wait to recoup their original investment or bec- ause they are worried about selling at the wrong time and missing out on profit.Twelve ...

  • Snakes and ladders

    16 Mar 2006

    The ASP could have a nasty bite if not handled with care, says GE Life head of drawdown Ray Chinn, as he considers the ups and downs of simplification

  • Snowdonia branches into property

    16 Mar 2006

    Buckles Investment ServicesSnowdonia Property Fund

  • Speculation grows over Close Brothers' mortgage lending launch

    17 Mar 2006

    Close Brothers has denied it has made a decision to push ahead with its proposed mortgage lending arm despite strong speculation that it is set to launch into the UK market shortly.

  • Standard creates with-profits pack

    16 Mar 2006

    Standard Life is devising a with-profits review package for IFAs in a move it hopes will underline the strength of its fund and help retain business.It is creating the packs with AKG Actuarial & Consultants and aims to roll them out to IFAs ahead of its planned demutualisation in the summer.With many IFAs likely to review their clients' Standard policies before demutualisation, the firm is hoping the package could act as a successful tool to retain business, if its with-profits ...

  • Standard fair

    17 Mar 2006

    Standard life InvestmentsDynamic Distribution Fund

  • Standard life Bank - Freestyle 10 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage

    17 Mar 2006

    Standard Life BankFreestyle 10 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage

  • Standard takes to offshore stage

    16 Mar 2006

    Standard Life InternationalInternational Bond

  • Strike up the brand

    16 Mar 2006

    Scottish Widows customer & brand director Mike Hoban says that with the great need to build up the IFA brand comes the opportunity for advisers to stand out and tailor their brand to the customer's needs

  • Sweet incentives from Stroud & Swindon

    17 Mar 2006

    Stroud & SwindonDiscount Remortgage Product

  • Take the risk with technology

    16 Mar 2006

    IntelliFlo chief executive Nick Eatock (above) says brokers need to build up their IT systems to cope with increasing regulatory requirements

  • Talent spotting

    16 Mar 2006

    Financial services is a people business and attracting the right staff is vital

  • Tenet deal for BIA firms

    16 Mar 2006

    Tenet says it is not taking it for granted that BIA members will move across to the group but says it is offering an interim solution that will enable them to remain authorised.Over 300 members atten- ded conferences last week in Coventry, Manchester and London and Tenet says initial res-ponses have been positive.BIA contracts have been taken over by Tenet and an alternative version offering Tenet terms will be issued soon.Tenet insists no penalties will be issued to members ...

  • Term time

    16 Mar 2006

    Our panel focus on pension term assurance and consider the effect of declined critical-illness cover claims

  • That's sme in the corner

    16 Mar 2006

    With research suggesting that advisers have largely failed to exploit opportunities in the small business arena, it's time to turn the spotlight on PMI, says Cigna HealthCare UK managing director Sharon Lyons

  • Third fund from Troy

    17 Mar 2006

    Troy Asset Management has brought out the Trojan Capital fund, an Oeic investing mainly in the UK with some exposure to Continental Europe.

  • Threadneedle Investments - Global Emerging Market Equity Fund

    21 Mar 2006

    Threadneedle InvestmentsGlobal Emerging Market Equity Fund

  • Three-quarters will work after retirement

    15 Mar 2006

    Nearly three quarters of British adults are considering working after retirement for financial or lifestyle reasons, according to Liverpool Victoria. Nearly half of those aged between 18 and 34 have similar plans.

  • Tool boosts productivity for Towry

    16 Mar 2006

    Towry Law says the electronic portfolio management tool it developed with Cofunds has increased its advisers' productivity by at least tenfold.The tool, developed at a six-figure shared cost, enables advisers to carry out fund transfers and monitor clients' geographic and asset exposure. It was launched a year ago but is being revamped with the addition of a tool which enables advisers to rebalance clients' portfolios to ensure they meet their risk profiles.Towry investment ...

  • Toolset models portfolios

    16 Mar 2006

    Consumer fund supermarket Interactive Investor is offering a series of portfolio management tools aimed at financial advisers.The service, which is available at the www.ifa.co.uk website will feature an array of portfolio management tools, enabling advisers to set up and test model port- folios and packaged Isas.The site will also be differentiated from Interactive Investor's consumer website by offering a series of fund- filtration tools, which allow advisers to whittle down ...

  • Treasury to back NPSS-style scheme

    16 Mar 2006

    The Treasury has given its strongest indication yet that it backs a national defined-contribution scheme with automatic enrolment.In a consultation meeting between IMF officials and UK delegates last Decem- ber, Treasury officials agreed that a scheme similar to Lord Turner's proposed NPSS "could be useful". The comments were revealed in the IMF's March economic report.But the report adds that the introduction of such a scheme would be less succ- essful if the state pension ...

  • Troy Asset Management- Trojan Capital Fund

    17 Mar 2006

    Troy Asset ManagementTrojan Capital Fund

  • Turkish delight

    16 Mar 2006

    Many Turkish banks are set for strong loan growth of 30-40% while their corporate tax rate has been cut

  • UCB Home Loans -Self Cert Two Year Flexible Fixed Remortgage

    17 Mar 2006

    UCB Home LoansSelf Cert Two Year Flexible Fixed Remortgage

  • Valentine has his day

    16 Mar 2006

    Clerical Medical head of PR Gordon McAra is a lover by name, it would appear. McAra's family come from a long line of Valentines.It seems the Scottish border clan name is taken by about half of the Celtic one's grandmother's family. What a lovely sentiment. Gordon Valentine McAra.

  • Variety is the spice

    16 Mar 2006

    The way to attract new employees and keep them is to vary their tasks

  • VCT basks in the limelight

    17 Mar 2006

    The Limelight VCT is a specialist VCT looking to raise 7- 15m to invest in a diversified portfolio of film production and film sales companies involved in British films.

  • VCT tax breaks set to be slashed in budget

    21 Mar 2006

    The 40 per cent tax relief on VCTs looks to be slashed in half in tomorrow's buget says Chelsea Financial Services VCT specialist Matthew Woodbridge.

  • Vertex and Deutsche in mortgage deal

    15 Mar 2006

    Vertex and Deutsche Bank have formed a strategic partnership to help launch db mortgages into the adviser market that could be worth 45m to the outsourcer over the next five years. It is the first time Vertexs outsourcing resources have been incorporated into its financial services division.

  • Well done to our first graduates

    16 Mar 2006

    Earlier this month, one of the most significant events in the advance of the financial adviser community to fully professional status took place.

  • Who will chase claim-chasers?

    16 Mar 2006

    James Salmon looks at the regulatory

  • 'Whole of life plans sold to rake in commission'

    16 Mar 2006

    Master Adviser managing director Doug Brodie says whole of life and regular savings plans of the type sold by BBB as pension alternatives are prod- ucts recommended to rake in commission.He says WOL plans and RSPs were an offshoot of qualifying saving plans, which were popular in the late 1980s and heavily sold by salesforces to pull in high commission.Brodie says Allied Dunbar, General Portfolio, latterly GAN, Sun Alliance and Merchant Investors were heavy sellers of RSPs. ...

  • Widows offers 12,000 loyalty bonus payments

    16 Mar 2006

    Scottish Widows is to pay loyalty bonuses of up to 12,000 to its personal pension and stakeholder customers in a bid to tie them in after A-Day.The payments, which vary depending on the length of time that the client has held a Widows' pension and the fund size, will be paid into clients' pension pots following A-Day. The move is a response to the growing problem of poor persistency in pensions and its effect on insurers' balance sheets.Until last April, Widows paid 6 per cent ...

  • Williams will head review of Selestia and Skandia platforms

    16 Mar 2006

    Selestia chief executive Brett Williams is to head Skandia MultiFunds alongside his current role and lead a review of the strategy for the two firms' fund platforms.Williams will look at a potential restructuring of the two fund supermarkets, as well as the role of Skandia's wrap proposition, after Selestia parent Old Mutual formally takes over the Scandinavian insurer. He will report to Skandia Life chief executive Nick Poyntz-Wright. Williams will also have responsibility for ...

  • Winterthur adds funds to platform

    16 Mar 2006

    Winterthur has increased the number of funds on its Tail- ored Selection investment platform by a quarter and ditched five funds.From April 6, 23 more funds will be available through Tailored Selection, taking the total on the platform to 103.But Winterthur has ditched the Franklin US equity fund, Aberdeen Japan growth, Aberdeen managed distribution and Aberdeen UK growth due to management changes, after they were merged into other funds and JOHCM Continental Europe which is ...

  • Woody stops the whining

    16 Mar 2006

    News reaches the Diary via very murky channels that former Money Marketing news editor and current Torygraph gossip columnist Woodrow Wilson is facing the difficult dilemma of what to do with his battery-powered bike since its battery went permanently flat after just four months. Wilson's approach is no longer preceded by its character-istic whine and he is still unable to find an appro-priately-sized helmet. Whatever he decides, you will read it in the Diary first.n Lansons' Sarah ...

  • World view

    16 Mar 2006

    Although I had no idea when I left university what career I might follow, there were early indications that I had an interest in financial services. My father was a self-employed barrister and I remember being horrified that at the age of 40 he did not have a pension. Similarly, I gravely upset my mother when I asked her how she was going to manage in her old age if she needed care.My plans when I left university were to travel the world but seeking funds to do so landed me in finan-cial ...

  • Wrestling with the truth

    16 Mar 2006

    Sumo wrestlers fall prey to the power of the incentive so what about our industry?

  • YFM Private Equity - British Smaller Companies VCT Top Up

    20 Mar 2006

    YFM Private EquityBritish Smaller Companies VCT Top Up

  • You can't strong-arm giant firms

    16 Mar 2006

    Having read the comments of Tony Byrne in the March 9 issue of Money Marketing, I feel I cannot let some of his remarks pass without putting an alternative view. He begins by explaining the problems with with-profits bonds and MVAs, some disclosed at outset and some not, but then turns on companies such as ours and blames us for the ills of financial services advice. Let me make our position clear. We do not have a problem with the provision of financial advice and it would ...

  • Zurich set to move into PTA sector

    15 Mar 2006

    Zurich will be entering the pension term assurance market after A-Day and will distribute a product branded Tax Advantaged Life Assurance through its adviser business Openwork initially. Zurich before opening it to the wider market later in the year.

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