Money Marketing
16 February 2005
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57bn on home improvements set for first half
17 Feb 2005
Women plan to spend over 29bn on home improvements over the next six months compared with about 27bn by men, according to a Sainsbury's Bank survey.
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A Brit of all right on the night
17 Feb 2005
A fun night was had by the Diary at the Brit awards last week courtesy of Scottish Widows, not least the opportunity to glam it up in a limo en route to the pop party of the year.
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A clean slate
17 Feb 2005
Tablet PCs can offer a lightweight and flexible technology solution for IFAs.
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Abbey shuns 'too risky' investment trusts
17 Feb 2005
Abbey will not include investment trusts in its multi-manager portfolios as it believes they are too risky to hold.
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ABI calls for revamp of IFA commission
21 Feb 2005
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Absolute beginner joins RMB Sicav
17 Feb 2005
RMB MultiManagers has launched a new fund of hedge funds with 66m under management.
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Advisers predict big surge in Sipps
17 Feb 2005
Advisers are expecting Sipp business to take a significant upturn after A-Day.
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AIFA slams ABI calls for commission overhaul as needless
21 Feb 2005
AIFA has hit out at the ABI's proposals for an overhaul of IFA commission payments saying they are pointless given no commission bias was found.
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AIFA'S view - David Severn
17 Feb 2005
Dare I express any reservations about the FSA's Treating Customers Fairly project and run the risk of being regarded as someone who wants to see clients ripped off?
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Annuity business trebles and is set to double again
17 Feb 2005
Sales of annuities have almost trebled in the past 10 years and the market will more than double again by 2012, according to the Association of British Insurers.
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Axa restores faith in service
17 Feb 2005
We are all now wearyingly familiar with the dire and ever worsening standards of admin and service from virtually all the once stalwart life offices, in particular on existing business.
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Barclays charges are 'death by 1,000 cuts'
17 Feb 2005
IFAs are up in arms over basic annual fees of up to 1.8 per cent for Barclays Investment Management Service, arguing that this is money for nothing.
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BBB shares soar amid speculation of going private
17 Feb 2005
Shares in IFA Berkeley Berry Birch have nearly doubled in price following speculation that chairman Cliff Lockyer is preparing to take the company private.
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BMA backs Wesleyan single 'multi-tie'
17 Feb 2005
The British Medical Association is telling its 120,000 members that its multitie deal with Wesleyan Assurance's offers "greater flexibility and consumer choice".
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Brand aid - Kim North
17 Feb 2005
With all the activity surrounding mortgage and general ins-urance regulation, depolarisation and other regulatory changes due to hit our desks, those involved in marketing need to keep their eye on a creeping influence upon their brand - the regulator.
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Britannic in fund deal with Neptune duo
17 Feb 2005
Britannic Asset Management is creating a specialist European fund boutique with Barry Norris and Oliver Russ of Neptune Investment Management.
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Britannic selects JPMF Mercantile for roll-over
21 Feb 2005
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Broker talkback
17 Feb 2005
Should mortgage lenders be forced to offer existing clients the same deals that are offered to new customers?
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Buckles sets up Sipp to boost Snowdonia range
17 Feb 2005
National IFA Buckles has set up a Sipp which will broaden the scope of its Snowdonia-branded product range.
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Business school says 'boring' investments will beat market
17 Feb 2005
The London Business School says it has discovered a system for beating the stockmarket by investing in "boring" companies with low growth and high yield.
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Buy to let sector continues to post growth
16 Feb 2005
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Challenging urban myths
17 Feb 2005
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Chelsea builds up self cert
22 Feb 2005
Chelsea Building SocietySelf-Cert Two Year Discount Mortgage
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Citisolutions sales staff get back on the road
17 Feb 2005
Citisolutions now has over 100 salespeople out on the road after registration and certification blunders led to the group having to ground 2,000 of its "introducers" last month.
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Clerical Medical - Secure Investment Plan 1
22 Feb 2005
Clerical Medical - Secure Investment Plan 1
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'Conflicting messages in FSA comparison tables'
17 Feb 2005
The FSA's comparative tables could cause confusion among consumers with conflicting disclaimers and confusion over their use, says Scottish Widows market director, protection Nick Kirwan.
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Confusion reigns at Wesleyan
17 Feb 2005
Wesleyan has got itself in hot water over its advice subsidiary in which it has been explaining its multi-tied status.
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Correspondent's Week - Angela Henshall
17 Feb 2005
The problem with joining Money Marketing is that you can never really leave - it is the Bermuda triangle of financial services. MM reporters past and present are lurking, sorry, working everywhere.
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Course helps pension IFAs understand simplification
17 Feb 2005
The Chartered Insurance Institute is introducing a course designed to help advisers understand the pension simplification regime ahead of A-Day.
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Cover story
17 Feb 2005
Never short of some seasonal spin, Insuresupermarket reminded people planning on proposing on Valentine's Day to remember their personal possessions cover.
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Credit Suisse predicts continued mid cap growth
16 Feb 2005
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Cross purposes
17 Feb 2005
Lenders are cautiously waiting to see whether the FSA will impose rules proposed in the Miles review on cross-subsidy mortgage rates within the treating customers fairly regime.
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Daily liquidity for Clerical fund
17 Feb 2005
Clerical Medical's Secure Investment Plan, its first protected fund, will feature 110 per cent exposure to the FTSE 100 and daily liquidity.
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Delivery time
17 Feb 2005
Technology is having a dramatic impact upon all elements of the financial services industry and is increasingly defining who people are doing business with today.
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'Don't devalue worth of advice'
17 Feb 2005
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Duffy on mortgages
17 Feb 2005
This week's commentary features a 75m deal and the transfer of Alan Mudd back to Charcol from Savills. These items are unrelated and were certainly not part of any clandestine shenanigans in a west London hotel but both are harbingers of what could be an intriguing year for the mortgage industry.
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E-commerce to hit 3.2bn by 2009
17 Feb 2005
IFAs will be transacting 3.2 bn of business electronically by 2009, according to The Exchange's 2005 technology index.
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Elderstreet announces 15m share offer
16 Feb 2005
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Equitable action man faces fight to win Standard vote
17 Feb 2005
Equitable Members' Action Group general secretary Paul Braithwaite needs to secure a further 240 votes if he is to be successful in his bid to get on the Standard Life board.
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Ethical ethos
17 Feb 2005
The awareness of ethical and/or socially responsible investments among both investors and advisers has been steadily increasing over the past decade.
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Eu rule could keep db schemes open
17 Feb 2005
Companies with final-salary pension schemes in deficit could keep them open due to a new European Union accountancy standard.
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Farrow's view
17 Feb 2005
Apparently, there is growing concern among IFAs that a constant drip of negative coverage of poorly-performing funds such as BestInvest's Spot the Dog report, deters consumers from investing. I doubt that it does.
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Fears that NEDs could quit a sinking pension
17 Feb 2005
The Allders' administration raises a thorny issue about who is legally responsible for Allders' final-salary pension scheme affecting 3,200 scheme members.
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First Choice appoints new head of corporate business development
22 Feb 2005
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Five major technology companies tipped as bidders for Marlborough Stirling
17 Feb 2005
Five big technology groups are believed to have put in bids for The Exchange parent firm Marlborough Stirling.
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FOS warns brokers to be cautious over sales of income protection
17 Feb 2005
Industry claims that brokers should sell more income protection because it is being undersold should be treated with caution, says the Financial Ombudsman Service.
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Free tax advice for Welsh local businesses
22 Feb 2005
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Friends Provident with profits payouts fall
16 Feb 2005
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FSA probes 500 mortgage firms over KFIs
17 Feb 2005
The FSA is asking 500 mortgage intermediaries how they use key facts illustrations in a move to cut the regulatory burden and extend KFIs to investment products.
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FSA shadows get a taste of the real world of IFAs
17 Feb 2005
Two FSA staff have completed a work-shadowing placement with firms of financial advisers.
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FSA to investigate promotion of equity release and mortgages
21 Feb 2005
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FSA wants pr agency to polish up its image
17 Feb 2005
The FSA is searching for a PR agency to repair the damage done to its public image in the recent tribunal battle with Legal & General.
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GE Life launches reveamped section 32
21 Feb 2005
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GMAC RFC - Self-Certification Rate Control
17 Feb 2005
GMAC RFCSelf-Certification Rate Control
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GMAC-RFC chief Knight warns of 20% slowdown
17 Feb 2005
GMAC-RFC executive chairman Stephen Knight is predicting a 10 to 20 per cent slowdown in gross mortgage lending in 2005 with an increasing number of lenders competing in a slowing market.
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Grape expectations
17 Feb 2005
Our panel discuss their preparations for A-Day and assess the potential of such esoteric investments as wine, art and stamp collections.
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Half-baked plans - Tony Wickenden
17 Feb 2005
Every week sees articles in the financial press on the importance of property to the tax well that Chancellor Gordon Brown can draw from. Recently, I have read of the substantial increase in tax yielded from stamp duty and even of the possibility of year-on-year tax on development land to encourage owners to free it up for building.
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House price inflation trending down
16 Feb 2005
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Household names lead brand league
17 Feb 2005
Halifax is the most popular brand among people looking to invest, according to research for Citigate Albert Frank.
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HSBC first bank to multi-tie
17 Feb 2005
HSBC has become the first bank to multi-tie, offering highstreet customers funds from Fidelity, Gartmore, Invesco Perpetual, JP Morgan Fleming and Schroders.
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Huge call for advice expected as revenue shuts capital redemption bond loophole
17 Feb 2005
The Inland Revenue has closed a tax avoidance loophole which could have major implications for firms holding capital red-emption bonds.
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I have a dream
17 Feb 2005
Scottish Life head of pensions strategy Steve Bee sets out his vision of a cross-party body to implement long-term pension reform in the UK.
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IFAs are urged to convince public of value of advice
17 Feb 2005
Chartwell chief executive Craig Wetton is calling for IFA firms to do more to convince consumers that there is value in advice.
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IFAs have pro bono to pick with PFS
17 Feb 2005
IFAs have reacted angrily to claims that they have failed to embrace plans to deliver generic pro bono advice to the public.
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IFAs say they do not feel threatened
17 Feb 2005
IFAs says they do not feel threatened by HSBC's decision to multi-tie.
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IFAs seek legal advice on misselling responsibility
17 Feb 2005
A group of 180 small IFA firms has put together a fighting fund and is consulting a top barr- ister in a bid to put responsibility for marketing material on product providers.
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iimia finds new mix
21 Feb 2005
iimia ACD ServicesGrowth and Income Fund
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Independent view
17 Feb 2005
This year will be an auspicious time for an anniversary and celebration of the past, characterised I suspect by ill-fitting comparisons between events of several decades ago and today.
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Ingenious spices up VCT market
21 Feb 2005
Ingenious Ventures, the private equity arm of specialist media finance business Ingenious Media, has established a music venture capital trust which has Simon Fuller the brains behind the Spice Girls and Pop Idol on its board of directors.
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Insight takes lead role for Children's Mutual CTF
17 Feb 2005
The Children's Mutual has appointed Insight as lead fund manager for its child trust funds.
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Interactive offers spread betting
17 Feb 2005
Interactive Investor has launched a spread-betting service to enable gamblers to have a flutter on financial markets.
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Investment view - Brian Tora
17 Feb 2005
If you are not yet in the Sipp market, it is time to get wise to the biggest potential growth area in advice.
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Investors ignore warnings over property prospects
17 Feb 2005
Industry caution over the prospects for the housing market is being ignored by investors, says a survey from Invesco Perpetual.
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Ipswich Building Society - Base Rate Tracker
18 Feb 2005
Ipswich Building SocietyBase Rate Tracker
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Ipswich mortgage tracks the base rate for two years
17 Feb 2005
Ipswich Building Society is introducing a tracker mortgage which matches the Bank of England base rate for two years.
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Ipswich on to right track
18 Feb 2005
Ipswich Building SocietyBase Rate Tracker
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JLT Sipp builds on New Europe Property
17 Feb 2005
Jardine Lloyd Thompson is offering a Sipp which enables investors to hold buy-to-let properties in emerging markets such as Poland, Croatia and Bulgaria in their pensions.
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Jones joins Jupiter's green team
17 Feb 2005
Jupiter Asset Management has recruited Aled Jones from Innovest to join its socially responsible investment unit.
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Julian Gibbs
17 Feb 2005
I always look forward to Principal Investment Management's annual study of UK equity income funds, which is now appearing for the 29th year.
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Jupiter funds of funds bag AA-ratings
16 Feb 2005
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Kenmir says clash between IFAs, watchdog and FSCS was inevitable
17 Feb 2005
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'Kfi burden is stifling creation of flexible plans'
17 Feb 2005
The burden of producing coherent and detailed key facts illustrations may be slowing innovation in the mortgage market, says GMAC-RFC executive chairman Stephen Knight.
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Knight rips into Dips
17 Feb 2005
GMAC-RFC executive chairman Stephen Knight has slammed lenders for providing decisions in principle on their websites which stack everything in their favour and against the intermediary.
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L&G video link supports advisers in advance of A-day
21 Feb 2005
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Lenders tell low-volume brokers to join mortgage clubs to get fees
17 Feb 2005
Independent brokers doing low-volume business are being forced to use mortgage clubs by lenders, blurring the boundaries between directly authorised and appointed representatives.
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Make the right connection with the public
17 Feb 2005
I am writing in response to the article headlined, Solutions to the shortfall (Money Marketing, February 10).
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Maximum security
17 Feb 2005
I am a member of my employer's pension scheme and will have completed 20 years' service by retirement in August 2008. Do I need to make any arrangements to take into account the new legislation in 2006?
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Merrill Lynch appoints European Fund manager
21 Feb 2005
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Money Marketing and FTRC to launch e-commerce ratings
16 Feb 2005
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Moneyfacts finds consumers cynical about mortgage advice
22 Feb 2005
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More expected from UK commercial property, says F&C
18 Feb 2005
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Mortgage edge: Alan Cleary
17 Feb 2005
Brokers using packagers for sub-prime lending could fall foul of the FSA because they do not understand the full implications of MCOB.
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Mortgage edge: Peter Beaumont
17 Feb 2005
Last week's headline, Lenders to be named and shamed by BM, caused a few raised eyebrows in the industry, not because of the nature of BM Solutions' latest initiative but because of an overwhelming sense of deja vu.
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Mountain of IFAs want to see return of Perpetual
17 Feb 2005
IFAs want Invesco Perpetual to resurrect the Perpetual brand and put it at the forefront of its retail marketing campaign, according to a Money Marketing online poll.
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Multi-manager view
17 Feb 2005
The multi-manager sector is growing rapidly. It has seen large numbers of new entrants, a flurry of fund launches over the past few years and an ever-greater number of column inches devoted to it in the industry press.
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Mundic property owners get GI deals
17 Feb 2005
The mundic property market is at last to have access to a range of general insurance from a Cornwall broker specialising in the area.
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Murray VCT director resigns in protest at move to Close
16 Feb 2005
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Myners calls for shareholder rights
17 Feb 2005
More active shareholder engagement is the key to listed companies being able to raise capital for growth, an independent report claims.
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NDF explores income generation
22 Feb 2005
NDF Administration has established the income plan February 05, a guaranteed equity bond that provides a level of income which depends on the performance of the FTSE 100 index.
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New members for AMI
21 Feb 2005
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NIACE & Pru host seminar on financial education
22 Feb 2005
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No claim bonus
17 Feb 2005
I think someone somewhere once said in regard to the investment universe that past performance was no guarantee for the future. But when it comes to protection claims, in particular critical-illness claims, a life office's performance of paying claims should be taken into account when recommending to a client, should it not?Early guideline documentation from the FSA suggested that both financial strength and claim history should be considered when giving protection advice.
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Noble & Company - Capital Pub Company 2
22 Feb 2005
Noble & CompanyCapital Pub Company 2
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Noble takes Capital Pub Company 2 into round two
16 Feb 2005
Noble & Company is aiming to raise up to 8.82m through a second round of funding for the Capital Pub Company 2 enterprise investment scheme (EIS).
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NU actively protects growth
17 Feb 2005
The Norwich Union active protector fund is an Oeic fund of funds which uses constant proportion portfolio insurance to lock in 80 per cent of the highest share price.
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NU finally set to launch the lifetime wrap with Millfield
17 Feb 2005
Millfield advisers are being trained on the lifetime wrap which will be launched with new Norwich Union technology.
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NU pays 34m to income protection claimants in 2003
22 Feb 2005
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Nu protector fund offering 80% share price guarantee
17 Feb 2005
Norwich Union is offering a protected fund investing in UK equities and gilts which guarantees that the share price will never fall below 80 per cent of its peak level.
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Old Mutual Asset Managers - Old Mutual Multi-Strategy Fund
21 Feb 2005
Old Mutual Asset ManagersOld Mutual Multi-Strategy Fund
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Osmond ups HHG offer to hold off Resolution
17 Feb 2005
Hugh Osmond's Life Com-pany Investor Group has inc-reased its offer for HHG Life Services in return for HHG cutting off negotiations with Resolution Life.
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Out of context
17 Feb 2005
"I'll only marry a rich man with a tennis court who can keep me." - Marlene Scott of Polhill.
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Payout earmarked for Eurolife investors
17 Feb 2005
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Pensions regulator names Edmans and Pickering as non-executives
17 Feb 2005
The Pensions Regulator has unveiled five high-profile pension figures as non-executive board members.
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PI barometer is set fair to give Bamford a boost
17 Feb 2005
Sofa chairman and Informed Choice director Nick Bamford has seen his professional indemnity insurance premium plummet by over 60 per cent after years of astronomical rises.
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Pink Home Loans - Mortgage Trust MT Select 5.39% Fixed
16 Feb 2005
Pink Home LoansMortgage Trust MT Select 5.39% Fixed
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Platform sets out new range at 1%
17 Feb 2005
Platform, the intermediary lender of Britannia Building Society has enhanced its product range including self-certification, buy to let and trackers.
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PMPA calls on FSA to allocate surplus MMCB funds
16 Feb 2005
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PMPA is looking at the potential of becoming a lender
16 Feb 2005
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Premier Fund Managers - Segmented Growth Plan - Limited Editions 24
16 Feb 2005
Premier Fund ManagersSegmented Growth Plan - Limited Editions 24
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Prestbury buys mortgage and GI network Blue Pearl
17 Feb 2005
Prestbury Holdings has bought mortgage and general insurance network Blue Pearl despite making a loss of 2.7m.
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Pro bono process
17 Feb 2005
The letter from Tony Conner, Joss Harwood and Owen Temple in Money Marketing (February 10) contains a number of misconceptions about the nature of the pilot scheme with Citizens' Advice to offer the public pro bono generic advice.
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Product matters
17 Feb 2005
Residential investment opportunitieshave been high on IFA wish lists over the past few years but there has been precious little available to satisfy investor demand.
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Protection sales forecast to fall while claims rise
17 Feb 2005
US-based reinsurer RGA is warning that the UK protection market will fall by 10 per cent this year and claims will soar.
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Purely Mortgages wants FSA to crack down on mortgage advertising
18 Feb 2005
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Quarter light
17 Feb 2005
Three months on from M-Day, how has the industry handled regulation?
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Resolution Life to contract back in R&SA policyholders
16 Feb 2005
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Richard Verdin on protection
17 Feb 2005
Life insurance quotes are set to change. Insurers and reinsurers understanding of the circumstances which affect mortality and morbidity, and therefore pricing, have improved, and advisers will have to catch up.
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Savings accounts offer negative rates of return
17 Feb 2005
Only two in 10 savings accounts offered on the high street give positive real rates of return for richer investors, according to a survey from Bates Investment Services.
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Schroders appoints new property investor
18 Feb 2005
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Scotlife adds functionality to online pension service
17 Feb 2005
Scottish Life has enhanced its online group pension service with the aim of allowing intermediaries to conduct more of their business electronically.
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Simplification may not be plain sailing
17 Feb 2005
Investors could find themselves in deep water if they rush out to buy fine wines, antiques, yachts or buy-to-let properties under pension simplification without fully understanding the new rules, says Friends Provident pensions technical manager Chris Bellers.
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Skipton Building Society - Three Year Fixed Rate
17 Feb 2005
Skipton Building SocietyThree Year Fixed Rate
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Software aims to support advisers' case for trail commission
17 Feb 2005
1st Software is offering a new version of its personal wealth management software, aimed at helping advisers to justify trail commission.
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Standard Life launches manager of managers range
18 Feb 2005
Standard Life has launched a suite of manager of managers portfolios onto its Sigma mutual funds platform.
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Sub-prime war as Mortgages plc hits back at BM
17 Feb 2005
A war of words has broken out in the sub-prime market with Mortgages plc slamming BM Solutions which last week launched a campaign to name and shame lenders.
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Suffolk Life appoints corporate development director
17 Feb 2005
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The channel tunnel
17 Feb 2005
Mortgage Brain chief executive officer Mark Lofthouse says compliance is like a tunnel to navigate but the important thing now is to focus on the road after the tunnel.
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The real wrap
17 Feb 2005
Wraps need to add substance before taking a central position in financial services.
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Timebank targets IFAs with online data exchange deal
17 Feb 2005
Timebank has set up a website with an online data exchange aimed at providing technical support for IFAs.
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Top speakers revving up for depolar debate
17 Feb 2005
Top figures from the FSA, product providers and IFA firms will be speaking at a conference next week on the challenges faced by intermediaries with the onset of depolarisation.
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Treasury raises IFAs' hopes on Mifid exemption
17 Feb 2005
The Treasury will consult on plans that Aifa hopes will save IFAs thousands of pounds in PI cover by making them exempt to a new European law.
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Trustguard appoints Tony Williams as head of compliance
21 Feb 2005
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Trustnet doubles number of advisers
18 Feb 2005
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Vantage point
17 Feb 2005
It is widely recognised that, over the past 24 years, Har-greaves Lansdown has grown from a two-adviser firm to one of the biggest financial advice businesses in the country with over 400 staff. What is perhaps less well known is that in recent years, it has also bec-ome one of the most proficient IFA firms when it comes to the use of technology.
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Varying your estate
17 Feb 2005
Where property is inherited, either under a will or under the intestacy laws, it is possible to redirect the legacy (or part thereof) to achieve inheritance tax savings by using a deed of variation, says Brian Murphy.
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Venturing forth
17 Feb 2005
The decision of the four Murray VCT boards to sack Murray Johnstone as manager and move the contracts to Close has surprised many industry commentators.
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Vivienne Starkey
17 Feb 2005
It's now or never for financial services, believes Equal Partners' managing director who believes the muddle of depolarisation could confuse consumers who already lack basic financial knowledge.
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Yearsley warns timing may be wrong for launch of shopping centre fund
17 Feb 2005
The potential of a property fund that invests in shopping centres is being questioned by a leading investment specialist.
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Zurich applies CPPI to active fund range
17 Feb 2005
Zurich says it anticipates little competition for its multi-manager protected profits fund because other companies using constant proportion protection insurance are focusing on passively managed UK funds.
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Zurich Assurance - Multimanager Protected Profits Fund
18 Feb 2005
Zurich AssuranceMultimanager Protected Profits Fund
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Zurich Assurance -Zurich Guaranteed Capital Account 3
21 Feb 2005
Zurich AssuranceZurich Guaranteed Capital Account 3
