Money Marketing
16 January 2008

  • Aifa call for FOS to charge complainants

    17 Jan 2008

    Aifa has submitted its response to the Hunt review of the Financial Ombudsman Service. It calls on the FOS to charge complainants who bring cases with no merit.

  • SEC probes Merrill Lynch trades

    17 Jan 2008

    The US Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether several current and former employees at Merrill Lynch improperly placed orders for the broker's own account ahead of client trades.

  • £250K fine for high-pressure sales firm

    17 Jan 2008

    The FSA has fined Square Mile Securities Limited £250,000 for persistently using high-pressure sales tactics and misleading information to sell customers shares they did not want or could not afford.

  • A Friend in need

    16 Jan 2008

    More uncertainty was plunged upon F&C last week when reports touted that parent group Friends Provident is set to sell its 53 per cent majority shareholding in the firm.

  • A shaw thing

    17 Jan 2008

    Sam Shaw is a reporter on Money MarketingI had the privilege of a private gig at Home House with the very talented Tracie Hunter courtesy of Ian McKenna at FTRC. The night, as are many at Home House, was suitably debauched with vast quantities of Veuve Cliquot and many a sore head the next day.

  • A&L looks at retention fees in focus on value

    17 Jan 2008

    Alliance & Leicester is looking to offer mortgage retention fees to brokers this year.

  • A2O holding takeover talks with Kilminster

    17 Jan 2008

    IFA network Alpha to Omega is in talks to take over Kilminster Financial Management.

  • Abbey cuts fixed rates and launches new stepped products

    22 Jan 2008

    Abbey has reduced rates on its long-term fixed rates and has launched new stepped products.

  • ABI wants Pada clarity

    17 Jan 2008

    The Association of British Insurers has called on the Government to declare whether a £21m grant given to the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority has been approved by the European Commission.

  • Adviser Fund Index

    17 Jan 2008

    Bond funds have done little to excite investors over the past five years. The FTSE All Share index generated double-digit returns in each year between 2003 and 2006 as equities benefited from largely stable macro-economic conditions. Bonds, meanwhile, suffered as the major central banks raised interest rates in a bid to moderate growth and prevent economic overheating.

  • Advisers are the experts in this industry

    17 Jan 2008

    Mr Liversidge is quite right in his approach to the surveys (Money Marketing, January 10). We introduced time- charging some years back, and since then not one firm has agreed to pay.

  • Advisers have vital role as persuaders

    17 Jan 2008

    Advisers could play a key role in persuading people to save more and start earlier if they had more Government help, says Fidelity.

  • Aegon Scottish Equitable defers withdrawals from £2bn property fund

    18 Jan 2008

    Aegon is stopping customers from withdrawing their money from the Scottish Equitable £2bn property fund after further falls in the commercial property market.

  • Aifa calls for Ombudsman to charge consumers for cases with no merit

    16 Jan 2008

    Aifa is calling for the Financial Ombudsman Service to charge complainants who bring cases with no merit against advisers.

  • Are you being served?

    17 Jan 2008

    The Association of British Insurers and the British Bankers' Association are pushing for an assistedpurchase category in their retail distribution review submissions.

  • AXA Framlington appoints new co-manager of its global equity fund range

    18 Jan 2008

    AXA Framlington has announced the appointment of Anu Narula as fund manager on AXA Framlington’s global equity fund range, alongside Mark Tinker.

  • Band aid

    17 Jan 2008

    Last October, the pre-Budget report contained proposals to allow a transfer of any unused inheritance tax nil-rate band on an individual's death to the estate of the surviving spouse and aims to give an update on how they affect the IHT mitigation strategies available.

  • Bank of America buys Countrywide

    17 Jan 2008

    Bank of America has bought Countrywide Financial for £2bn to become the biggest US lender.

  • Berkeley Alexander launches ID theft insurance policy

    22 Jan 2008

    Berkeley Alexander has launched a new insurance policy to protect clients against identity theft.

  • Bill met by moonlight

    17 Jan 2008

    The Pensions Bill is a crucial part of the journey towards 2012 as it sets out the legislation underpinning pension reform and the personal accounts scheme.

  • Blue Sky comes in with protected plan

    18 Jan 2008

    Blue Sky Asset ManagementProtected Income Plan

  • BM Solutions adds online decision for all additional borrowing applications

    22 Jan 2008

    BM Solutions is now offering brokers the option of getting an online decision for all additional borrowing applications.

  • Broker Talkback

    17 Jan 2008

    Does the sharp correction in commercial property now represent a buying opportunity?

  • Brown agrees to scrap his gold-plated pension

    17 Jan 2008

    Prime Minister Gordon Brown has agreed to scrap his gold-plated pension scheme in a bid to lead the way in reforming MPs' salaries and pensions.

  • Brown calls for global financial regulator

    21 Jan 2008

    Gordon Brown believes a worldwide financial watchdog should be established to avoid another global credit crisis, according to the Daily Telegraph.

  • Brown scraps his “gold-plated” pension entitlements

    17 Jan 2008

    Pensions are high on the political agenda this week with Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain’s future hanging in the balance and Prime Minister Gordon Brown agreeing to scrap some of his own over-generous pension entitlements.

  • 'Brussels must not ignore cross-cultural clashes'

    17 Jan 2008

    The FSA has warned of excessive interference in UK retail markets from Brussels and says intervention should only be considered when market failure and cost-benefit analysis demonstrate a case for action.

  • Buoyant Charcol goes up for sale at £50m

    17 Jan 2008

    John Charcol has been put up for sale with a price tag of £50m after several expressions of interest in buying the broker firm.

  • Capital gold

    17 Jan 2008

    Much has been written (some of it by me) about the potential impact of the proposed 18 per cent flat rate of capital gains tax. Superficially, it looks like excellent news for all, with 18 per cent being less than the basic and higher rates of income tax. As I pointed out last week, however, when considering longer investment periods, it is essential to take into account the impact that taper relief would have had when seeking to ascertain whether or not the new system delivers benefit.

  • Care system needs more state funding

    17 Jan 2008

    The UK needs a new system to pay for long-term care with costs shared between individuals and the state, says the Caring Choices initiative.

  • Cazenove webcast to unveil new multi-manager team

    17 Jan 2008

    Cazenove Capital Management is introducing the new management team for its multi-manager funds with a live webcast in association with Money Marketing.

  • CII in Middle East joint venture

    17 Jan 2008

    The CII and JWZ Insurance Solutions have set up a new partnership in the Middle East to be called CII Saudi Arabia. The joint-venture insurance training and educational consultancy firm, will see its services being distributed throughout Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iran.



  • CII sees highest membership growth since 1935

    17 Jan 2008

    The CII Group has announced membership growth of 7.2 per cent to 92,000 in 2007, its highest rate of growth since 1935.

  • Clarkson Hill records 36% increase in turnover

    16 Jan 2008

    The Clarkson Hill Group has announced that its turnover for the year to July 31, 2007 increased 36 per cent to £18.3m, up from £13.4m in 2006.

  • Club contenders

    17 Jan 2008

    The credit crunch has wrought a multitude of consequences and in years to come it will be reflected upon as an event which reshaped the distribution landscape.

  • Collins Stewart takes UK focus

    22 Jan 2008

    Collins Stewart has brought out the UK focus fund, a Dublin-based Oeic investing in strong UK businesses that are undervalued at the time of investment.

  • Community service

    17 Jan 2008

    What sort of year do you think lies ahead? Bloomberg forecasts that "the resilience of consumer spending augurs well for a rebound in 2008 that will be supported by a gradual improvement in credit markets, dissipating drag from housing and declining energy prices".

  • Consumers are wasting thousands of pounds on obsolete insurance policies says Which?

    21 Jan 2008

    Which? has warns that consumers are wasting thousands of pounds each year on useless and expensive products.

  • Cracks in consensus

    17 Jan 2008

    The pension consensus will be put to the test over the coming weeks as the Pensions Bill goes through the necessary stages in Parliament. We now seem to be facing a period of consensus without confidence.

  • Darling says FSA must heed Rock lessons

    17 Jan 2008

    Chancellor Alistair Darling has told MPs that the FSA must learn from its mistakes in the Northern Rock debacle.

  • DB Mortgages announces Dudgeon departure

    18 Jan 2008

    DB Mortgages managing director Bill Dudgeon has been made redundant by the firm.

  • December mortgage lending reaches lowest monthly figure since May 2005

    21 Jan 2008

    Gross mortgage lending in December reached its lowest monthly figure for over two years, falling 25 per cent from November's figure.

  • Deferred Sipps 'trade on hype but offer little value'

    17 Jan 2008

    Hornbuckle Mitchell managing director Neil Marsh claims deferred Sipps trade on the hype surrounding Sipps but offer little value over conventional personal pensions.

  • Demand proven for free advice

    17 Jan 2008

    A pilot project offering free financial advice from IFAs has proved there is "significant demand" for a generic advice service, according to the Citizens Advice Bureaux.

  • Dividend tips

    17 Jan 2008

    The cold winds of economic downturn are sweeping through the UK equity market and investors are faced with difficult decisions about the best place for their money.

  • Emerging name

    17 Jan 2008

    When you think of emerging markets, what springs to mind? Most people would probably suggest Asia and Latin America but there is a region closer to home that has arguably better prospects in the short to medium term.

  • Entry doors slam shut

    17 Jan 2008

    Mortgage commentators are predicting there will be no new entrants into the UK mortgage market in the first six months of this year due to the tight credit conditions.

  • Falcon chief attacks broker buyout plans

    17 Jan 2008

    Falcon has hit out at the "rash promises" of rival firms looking to attract advisers through offering specific turnover multiple deals when they sell up or retire.

  • February is the crunch month for mortgages

    17 Jan 2008

    Leading mortgage commentators believe February will be the watershed month for determining how much further the credit crunch will damage the mortgage market.

  • Fed cuts interest rate 0.75 per cent

    22 Jan 2008

    The Federal Reserve has cut US interest rates from 4.25 per cent to 3.5 per cent in a shock move to improve market confidence.

  • Fidelity FundsNetwork launches investment bond offer

    18 Jan 2008

    Fidelity FundsNetwork is launching an investment bond special offer for advisers with additional commission for applications received between January and March.

  • Fidelity International - EMEA Fund

    18 Jan 2008

    Fidelity InternationalEMEA Fund

  • Fidelity launches pan-European vehicle

    21 Jan 2008

    Fidelity International has launched a new pan-European fund under the management of Fehim Sever.

  • Fidelity sails EMEA fund ashore

    22 Jan 2008

    Fidelity InternationalEMEA Fund

  • Finance industry records fastest growth of all UK sectors

    18 Jan 2008

    The UK’s financial industry has grown faster than any other UK business sector over the past ten years, according to the National Statistics’ Economic and Labour Market Review.

  • Fixed income vehicles top James Hay wrap and Sipp

    22 Jan 2008

    Dimensional global short dated bond has topped James Hay's list of its top selling vehicles on its Sipp and wrap platforms in 2007.

  • Food for thought

    17 Jan 2008

    January did not get off to the best start, with the US market losing 5 per cent in a few trading days. There is also concern about the state of the domestic scene. Marks & Spencer shares lost nearly a fifth of their value following its Christmas trading statement. It is all too easy to sympathise with those who are fleeing the equity market for the perceived safer havens of bonds and cash. However, will they prove safe if inflation is once again back on the agenda?

  • Foresight Group - Foresight 2 VCT C Shares

    18 Jan 2008

    Foresight GroupForesight 2 VCT C Shares

  • Former Britannic and Resolution chief joins Northern Rock board

    18 Jan 2008

    Former Britannic Group and Resolution chief executive Paul Thompson has been appointed to the board of Northern Rock as non-executive director.

  • FSA begins crackdown on TCF

    22 Jan 2008

    The FSA will begin its crackdown on small firms’ implementation of Treating Customers Fairly principles in March, with Northern Ireland the first area to be targeted.

  • FSA fines HFC Bank £1m for PPI failings

    16 Jan 2008

    The FSA has fined HFC Bank £1,085,000 for failing to give suitable advice to customers buying payment protection insurance.

  • FSA to review rules for insurance comparison websites

    22 Jan 2008

    The FSA will undertake a review of the rules that govern insurance comparison websites, following pressure from the British Insurance Brokers’ Association.

  • FundsNetwork to offer free advised Sipp

    17 Jan 2008

    FundsNetwork is to waive core administration charges for its advised Sipp. The waiver will apply for IFAs who make pre-retirement investments into platform mutual funds within the Sipp of at least £150,000.

  • Future Capital fund backs India projects

    17 Jan 2008

    Future Capital Partners is tapping into the growing Indian economy with the launch of a new infrastructure fund.

  • GE Money Bank signs partnership deal with Moneycorp

    17 Jan 2008

    Foreign exchange specialist Moneycorp has signed an exclusive partnership agreement with the French property and finance specialist, GE Money Bank. The collaboration means that GE Money Bank’s mortgage customers who transfer money to France to pay their mortgages will have their foreign exchange process facilitated by Moneycorp.  With this new partnership between GE Money Bank and Moneycorp, clients will be able to automate the process of sending money to France and converting ...

  • Hain hanging on as thinktank is probed

    17 Jan 2008

    Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain's political future is hanging in the balance as he awaits the results of an official inquiry into his failure to declare £103,000 of donations.

  • Hazell Carr - Sipp

    18 Jan 2008

    Hazell CarrSipp

  • Healthy clients mean healthy revenues

    22 Jan 2008

    Buyers of protection products are not as hung up on price as it might seem, according to recent findings by PruProtect.

  • Hedge funds fail in bid to fetter Rock sale

    17 Jan 2008

    Two hedge funds have been defeated in their attempt to curtail the Northern Rock board's ability to sell the stricken mortgage lender but nationalisation remains a possibility.

  • HFC Bank fine delivers a stark warning, says Paymentcare.co.uk

    16 Jan 2008

    The fine handed out by the FSA to HFC Bank for failure to meet required sales standards is a stark warning that payment protection insurance should not be sold at the same time as credit, says Paymentcare.co.uk.

  • HMRC set to ease tax-free cash rules

    17 Jan 2008

    The Government looks set to remove limits on the growth of tax-free cash in pre-A-Day pension policies.

  • How to get help from the FSA

    17 Jan 2008

    The FSA has four statutory objectives. In addition to maintaining confidence in financial markets, protecting consumers and reducing financial crime, it has also been charged with promoting public understanding of the UK's financial system.

  • HSBC appoints Brown as CEO

    16 Jan 2008

    HSBC Investments UK has announced the appointment of Simeon Brown as chief executive officer

  • HSBC Investments chooses chief exec

    17 Jan 2008

    HSBC Investments has appointed Simeon Brown as chief executive. Brown has been acting chief executive at HSBC Investments since last September and was appointed acting CEO for the Asia-Pacific from April to July last year.

  • HSBC Russias in

    18 Jan 2008

    HSBC Investments has established the GIF Russian equity fund, a Sicav aiming for growth by investing in 20-40 Russian stocks.

  • IMA updates income requirements

    17 Jan 2008

    The IMA has updated the sector definitions on both the UK equity income and UK equity & bond sectors in a bid to solve issues over yield requirements in funds.

  • Imla oppostion to widening RDR

    17 Jan 2008

    Imla says it is strongly opposed to any implementation of the FSA's retail distribution review in the mortgage market.

  • Insurers backing fairer system for non-disclosure

    17 Jan 2008

    The Association of British Insurers has brought in a new system offering a fairer deal on claims for critical-illness cover, income protection and life insurance where medical information has not been disclosed.

  • Investment matters

    17 Jan 2008

    The retail investment world is increasingly having to contend with performance fees and their implications. Such fees have been allowed for several years but few fund management firms have applied them, not least because they can be administratively difficult.

  • 'Isas to rise above negativity'

    17 Jan 2008

    Multi-manager T Bailey is predicting a decent Isa season although it could come later than usual.

  • JC Flowers confirms interest in Friends Provident

    21 Jan 2008

    US Private equity firm JC Flowers has confirmed this morning that it is considering an acquisition offer for Friends Provident after acquiring a 2.7 per cent stake in the troubled insurer.

  • John Charcol launches free advice service

    16 Jan 2008

    John Charcol is offering borrowers free mortgage advice over the telephone.

  • JP Morgan ties up package of lifetime loans in £2bn deal

    17 Jan 2008

    Northern Rock has sold its portfolio of lifetime equity-release mortgages to JP Morgan for £2.2bn in a bid to cut down its £26bn Bank of England loan.

  • Just Retirement offering enhanced rates for asthma

    17 Jan 2008

    Just Retirement is extending its enhanced annuity range to consumers who suffer from mild medical conditions such as asthma and angina.

  • Keith Gilmour is new marketing director at PosSol

    21 Jan 2008

    Positive Solutions has appointed Keith Gilmour as marketing director.

  • Largest hit to UK pension schemes in one day

    22 Jan 2008

    The crash in share prices yesterday triggered UK pension deficits to suffer the largest ever rise in one day.

  • Leeds takes five

    18 Jan 2008

    Leeds Building Society5.54% Five Year Fixed

  • Lenders keep high exit fees despite FSA probe

    17 Jan 2008

    Over 50 lenders are still charging exit fees of more than £100 despite last year's pressure from the FSA.

  • Live long and prosper

    17 Jan 2008

    New company Life Trust has set up the longevity income plan which aims to provide a rising income as a client gets older.

  • Lump sum or annuity-based exit? The choice is yours.

    18 Jan 2008

    Falcon laid down the gauntlet to firms’ practice buyout schemes promising fixed multiples of turnover last week, questioning the credibility of some figures that have been mentioned by rival firms.

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF FTSE RAFI Europe

    18 Jan 2008

    Lyxor Asset ManagementLyxor ETF FTSE RAFI Europe

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF FTSE RAFI Eurozone

    22 Jan 2008

    Lyxor Asset ManagementLyxor ETF FTSE RAFI Eurozone

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF FTSE RAFI Japan

    22 Jan 2008

    Lyxor Asset ManagementLyxor ETF FTSE RAFI Japan

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF FTSE RAFI US 1000

    18 Jan 2008

    Lyxor Asset ManagementLyxor ETF FTSE RAFI US 1000

  • M&G sees upturn for property

    17 Jan 2008

    Advisers are right to see a buying opportunity in commercial property following the correction in 2007, says M&G Investments managing director Jonathan Willcocks.

  • Maia adds fourth partner to offering

    18 Jan 2008

    Maia Capital Partners, the multi-manager investment boutique, has appointed a fourth partner with Vincent Ropers joining its investment team.

  • Marlborough brings growth fund in house

    17 Jan 2008

    Marlborough Fund Managers has brought the management of its £12m UK equity growth fund in house following a lengthy period of underperformance.

  • Matrix Group - Income & Growth VCT S Shares

    18 Jan 2008

    Matrix GroupIncome & Growth VCT S Shares

  • Moncrieff appointed as MD, adviser sales at Clarkson Hill

    22 Jan 2008

    Clarkson Hill director of strategy and development Bill Moncrieff has been appointed managing director, adviser sales.

  • MONEY MARKETING MARKETS: FTSE branded "schizophrenic" as volatility continues

    18 Jan 2008

    The glum mood in the markets matched the weather this week as the FTSE slipped below the 6,000 mark for the first time since mid-August.

  • Mortgage lenders reduce fixed-rate mortgages

    17 Jan 2008

    A whole host of mortgage lenders are launching lower fixed rate mortgages this week.

  • Nationalisation is looking best of stark choice, says Cable

    17 Jan 2008

    LibDem Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable says the Government must face up to the fact that Northern Rock must be either nationalised or put into administration.

  • NDF Administration - Accelerated Growth Plan

    18 Jan 2008

    NDF AdministrationAccelerated Growth Plan

  • New director for McCarthy Taylor

    17 Jan 2008

    IFA firm McCarthy Taylor has appointed Eugenie Cameron as director. Cameron will be leading the private client team at the firm's recently opened Worcester City office.

  • New Star returns crunched by credit crisis

    18 Jan 2008

    New Star has announced UK mutual fund outflows of £500m in the second half of 2007 after taking hits on the back of the credit crunch.

  • Noble Aims for 14m

    17 Jan 2008

    Noble Fund Managers is looking to raise 14m for its Noble Aim Fund. The fund stands at 28m.

  • Northern Rock's annual results to be delayed

    17 Jan 2008

    Northern Rock's annual results are likely to be delayed as it focuses on finding a rescue plan rather than revealing the true extent of its finances.

  • Norwich Union sees falls slow in property trust

    16 Jan 2008

    Norwich Union’s flagging property trust is continuing to see its assets fall but at a slower rate, the firms recent property valuations have revealed.

  • Omnii aids advisers over client assets

    17 Jan 2008

    Omnii Solutions is releasing software to help advisers clarify client information, including property assets, and to assist in meeting treating customers fairly requirements.

  • OPM puts funds on Ascentric platform

    17 Jan 2008

    The OPM multi-manager fund range has been made available through the Ascentric wrap platform.

  • Osborne wants more powers for Bank of England rather than FSA

    17 Jan 2008

    Shadow Conservative Chancellor George Osborne says Chancellor Alistair Darling is wrong to give the FSA new bank rescue powers, suggesting the move will undermine the Bank of England.

  • Paradigm ends Brand 20:20 business deal

    17 Jan 2008

    Paradigm has parted company with marketing firm Brand 20:20.

  • Paragon in £287m rights issue

    17 Jan 2008

    Paragon is making a £289m rights issue to replace its usual sources of funding, which it says will ensure it does not have to go into administration.

  • Paragon to cease new lending at end of February

    18 Jan 2008

    Paragon is expected to cease lending on February 28 because its warehouse loan facility is not being renewed.

  • Pause for thought

    17 Jan 2008

    Since mid-2005, we have pursued a strategy that has a simple observation at its core - we are in a bull market. We have been inclined to take some risk that will probably be rewarded by rising capital values. In any strongly rising market, there are setbacks along the way but we rightly assumed that the pullbacks would be temporary and, if anything, an opportunity to refresh positions at more attractive levels.

  • Peacock park

    17 Jan 2008

    Another year closer to retirement. If you work for the Government that may be good news but for many IFAs, the perennial issue of how to get a meaningful capital sum for the business you have built has changed little.

  • Pension providers must improve service, says Prudential Retirement Income Panel

    21 Jan 2008

    Pension providers must improve their levels of service to annuities customers and focus on speeding up fund transfer times, says the Prudential Retirement Income Panel.

  • Personal Touch Financial Services signs IT deal with Abbey

    21 Jan 2008

    Personal Touch Financial Services has done a deal with Abbey which provide its members with direct access to the lender through 'Toolbox', its back office system.

  • Pioneering underwriter dies aged 90

    17 Jan 2008

    A pioneer of medical underwriting, Dr RDC Brackenridge, has died, aged 90.

  • Planetary cycles

    17 Jan 2008

    Financial advisers must have a soft spot for fund management groups with planetary links. Jupiter led the way in the 1990s and New Star rocketed to the top of the charts soon after the start of the new millennium. Now it seems that Neptune is taking its turn.

  • Position vacant, apply within

    21 Jan 2008

    Speculation has been rife this week as to who will take over the top spot from Sir Callum McCarthy as he prepares to stand down as FSA chairman in September.

  • Pre-X Capital Management - Axcess EIS Fund 2008

    18 Jan 2008

    Pre-X Capital ManagementAxcess EIS Fund 2008

  • Product matters

    17 Jan 2008

    There now seems to be a fair demand for longer-term fixed rates on many buy-to let remortgages as the ever increasing arrangement fees deter clients from remortgaging every few years.

  • Richard Martin

    17 Jan 2008

    The fund of funds sector has become overpopulated by players who have not made the grade, do not achieve the right performance and do not have the critical mass necessary to succeed, says T Bailey Asset Management chief investment officer Richard Martin.

  • Rise in average fixed-rate loan

    17 Jan 2008

    Despite last month's base rate cut by the Bank of England, the average fixed-rate mortgage is higher than a month ago, according to moneysupermarket.com. In December, the fixed-rate average was 7.3 per cent but has risen to 7.31 per cent.

  • Risk returns with Kenya chaos

    17 Jan 2008

    Investors have flocked to New Star's Heart of Africa fund since it launched on November 4 and it has grown to around £40m, with manager Jamie Allsopp making a 5.12 per cent total return in the past couple of months.

  • Rock dominates the week as hedge fund proposals are rejected

    18 Jan 2008

    It was all about Northern Rock this week as the lender held its emergency general meeting in Newcastle on Tuesday to decide the fate of the beleaguered lender.

  • Rocky saga gets Sandler as new star

    17 Jan 2008

    In the Northern Rock farce, Ron Sandler enters stage left.

  • Russia fund for HSBC's Halbis

    17 Jan 2008

    HSBC Investments is offering a Russian equity fund under the management of Halbis, the active management specialist of the HSBC Group.

  • Scottish Widows Investment Partnership - SWIP Multi-Manager Diversity Fund

    22 Jan 2008

    Scottish Widows Investment PartnershipSWIP Multi-Manager Diversity Fund

  • Scottish Widows Investment Partnership - SWIP Multi-Manager Select Boutiques Fund

    22 Jan 2008

    Scottish Widows Investment PartnershipSWIP Multi-Manager Select Boutiques Fund

  • Seven IM joins FundsNetwork

    16 Jan 2008

    Six new funds from Seven Investment Management will now be available through Fidelity FundsNetwork with a number of new providers to join in 2008.

  • Shares tumble on US recession fears

    16 Jan 2008

    The FTSE 100 stock index dropped below 6000 this morning for the first time since August 2007 amid fears of a US recession.

  • Simcock moves to Sumus

    17 Jan 2008

    Former Clarkson Hill managing director Alan Simcock has joined Sumus to head recruitment across Falcon, Financial Synergies and Financial Services Advice and Support.

  • Sipp offer tried to cut out adviser

    17 Jan 2008

    FundsNetwork has apologised to an adviser for contacting his client direct to offer a better Sipp deal if he cut out the adviser.

  • Skandia goes green

    17 Jan 2008

    Skandia has introduced a new logo and changed its livery from blue to green.

  • Skandia MultiFunds - Protected Portfolio Investment

    18 Jan 2008

    Skandia MultiFundsProtected Portfolio Investment

  • So solid Cru cites private finance

    17 Jan 2008

    Cru Investment Management has attributed the performance of its top-ranking CF Arch Cru portfolio fund to its focus on private equity and private finance.

  • Speculation hits F&C outlook

    17 Jan 2008

    Advisers say reports that Friends Provident could sell F&C may have a negative effect on investment performance and make them less likely to invest client money with the firm.

  • Standard in strong warning to advisers on contracting in

    17 Jan 2008

    Standard Life is urging advisers to contract clients over the age of 43 back into the second state pension or face possible FSA action.

  • Standard Life launches discretionary arm

    21 Jan 2008

    Standard Life today launched a discretionary investment management business.

  • Suisse weighs in with Japan backing

    17 Jan 2008

    Credit Suisse's multi-manager team has moved to an overweight position on Japan across its constellation, equity managed and balanced portfolios.

  • Sumus doubles profit and revenue

    22 Jan 2008

    Sumus has almost doubled its operating profit and turnover and saw a 76 per cent growth in pre-tax profit over the last year, to £1.51m.

  • Swip sweeps into multi-manager

    18 Jan 2008

    Scottish Widows Investment Partnership has entered the fund of funds market with two funds: Swip multi-manager diversity and Swip multi-manager select boutiques.

  • Swipped at the post

    17 Jan 2008

    A round of invitations from investment firms has started to arrive and it seems there is a bit of competition building among multi-managers.

  • Switch craft

    17 Jan 2008

    I have always been a huge fan of Ken Davy since I met him 16 years ago, when he was in the process of turning DBS into what was then the most powerful IFA network.

  • Taking the Knocks

    17 Jan 2008

    IFA Neil Reid recently appeared on a TV programme showing what became of the winners of Opportunity Knocks.

  • Team effort

    17 Jan 2008

    Most major markets this year are likely to have little or no growth mainly because there may well be a worldwide recession. This does not mean, however, that some of the emerging markets will not continue to prosper.

  • Thinc Group announces board restructure with Rennison and Kelly to leave

    16 Jan 2008

    Thinc Group corporate strategy director Roderic Rennison and operations director Nick Kelly are to leave the firm as part of an internal restructure of senior management.

  • Titcomb takes over small firms' role at FSA

    17 Jan 2008

    FSA director of small firms Stephen Bland is to become the regulator's director of wholesale firms and will be replaced by Lesley Titcomb.

  • Tories want DB shut for new MPs

    17 Jan 2008

    The Conservatives have called for an end to "gold-plated" MPs' pension schemes as part of a package of reforms aimed at addressing the gap between public and private sector pensions.

  • Treasury advertising for McCarthy's successor

    17 Jan 2008

    The Treasury is advertising for a successor to the current FSA chairman Sir Callum McCarthy, who will retire at the end of his term in September.

  • Treasury to convert Northern Rock loan into Government bonds

    21 Jan 2008

    The Treasury has confirmed a new financing structure for stricken lender Northern Rock which would see the £25bn Bank of England loan converted into Government bonds and sold.

  • Tribunal upholds ban on adviser

    17 Jan 2008

    The Financial Services and Markets Tribunal has upheld an FSA decision to ban mortgage and insurance adviser Qamar Hussain trading as Radiant Technological Services.

  • Triple Point Investment Management - TP70 2008 VCTs 1 and 2

    18 Jan 2008

    Triple Point Investment ManagementTP70 2008 VCTs 1 and 2

  • UCB Home Loans appoints new BDM

    16 Jan 2008

    UCB Home Loans has appointed Andy Williams as its new business development manager for the Thames West region.

  • UK equity income back at top of FundsNetwork sales league

    17 Jan 2008

    UK equity income funds reclaimed their place as the biggest sellers on FundsNetwork last year.

  • Unfair fees

    17 Jan 2008

    It seems that lenders are maintaining high exit fees as they seek ways to earn a crust from this harsh market.

  • Unsecured strategy

    17 Jan 2008

    Income drawdown and, more recently, unsecured pensions have proved popular for retirement income, with ABI members selling £2.5bn worth of drawdown/USP plans in 2006.

  • Variations on themes

    17 Jan 2008

    What issues will dominate the coming 12 months? These are the things that matter to me as a financial adviser who is deeply passionate about the quality and independence of the advice and service that I provide but also as the managing director of a business that employs nearly 40 other similarly passionate and committed individuals.

  • Virgin Money launches climate change fund

    21 Jan 2008

    Virgin Money has launched a climate change fund which will invest in environmentally focused companies to drive investment returns.

  • Virgin Money picks Cofunds for climate change fund

    22 Jan 2008

    The new climate change fund launched by Virgin Money will be carried by the Cofunds platform.

  • Vision express

    17 Jan 2008

    Conditions in the mortgage industry are tough and market volatility is having a significant effect on investor confidence so businesses must be able to operate efficiently.

  • Wealthy solution from Friends

    18 Jan 2008

    Friends ProvidentWealth Solutions Bond

  • When you wish upon a star

    17 Jan 2008

    A client of mine wants to put all his investments into one or two funds run by star managers but I think he would be better off with a diversified spread of investments across a number of asset classes. Should I persist in my efforts to persuade him away from relying on one or two high profile investment managers?

  • Widows adds 180-day delay on property fund transactions

    21 Jan 2008

    Scottish Widows is writing to 200,000 policyholders in its life property fund and pension property fund, informing them of a new 180-day delay period.

  • With-profits fund returns plummet

    17 Jan 2008

    Norwich Union and Friends Provident are the first in a predicted line of product providers to announce plummeting returns on their with-profits funds.

  • YFM tops up VCT

    18 Jan 2008

    YFM Private Equity is raising up to £5.313m for a top-up of the British smaller companies VCT

Poll

Should the MPC have increased QE this week?

Current Issue

Advanced search