Money Marketing
20 June 2007

  • Aifa seminars cover charging fees

    21 Jun 2007

    Aifa is running seminars to help IFAs develop their existing fee-charging structures, transfer to a fee-based model or find out more about operating wrap-based models. The seminars will be led by FP Advance and are scheduled to start in September.

  • Panel calls for commission ban

    21 Jun 2007

    The Financial Services Consumer Panel has called for a ban on commission payments to advisers but also warned that sales bias must be eradicated. Speaking on the release of its annual report, FSCP chairman John Howard says this is a "vital opportunity" to change the face of retail financial services and avoid future misselling scandals.

  • 52 Added to FundZone

    21 Jun 2007

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

  • A shaw thing

    21 Jun 2007

    Sam Shaw is a reporter on Money Marketing

  • A team of six from Canada Life...

    21 Jun 2007

    A team of six from Canada Life International and Canada Life are celebrating the company's offshore 20th anniversary by taking part in this year's WaterAid Six Peaks Challenge.

  • Abbey - Capital Guaranteed Japanese Equity Bond Issue 8

    22 Jun 2007

    AbbeyCapital Guaranteed Japanese Equity Bond Issue 8

  • Abbey - Capital Guaranteed Residential Property Bond 8

    22 Jun 2007

    AbbeyCapital Guaranteed Residential Property Bond 8

  • Abbey homes in on property

    22 Jun 2007

    AbbeyCapital Guaranteed Residential Property Bond 8

  • ABI calls for FSA to deregulate term assurance

    26 Jun 2007

    The Association of British Insurers is calling for term assurance to be deregulated in the same way as household and motor insurance because it is “straight-forward, simple and easy to find a wide range of competitively priced products.”

  • ABI to consult on fund sectors

    21 Jun 2007

    The Association of British Insurers has launched a review of its life and pension fund sectors which categorise more than 6,000 unit-linked life and pension funds worth more than £500bn.

  • Adviser Fund Index

    21 Jun 2007

    Last year, every fund in the UK corporate bond sector underperformed cash and only eight out of 95 funds delivered positive returns.

  • Adviser qualifications could close 'scary' education gap

    21 Jun 2007

    HSBC alternative investment chief executive Barbara Rupf Bee has called for more adviser qualifications on hedge funds to boost the diverse knowledge base in the industry.

  • Advisers hit back at Towry over calls for commission ban

    21 Jun 2007

    Advisers have hit out at Towry Law’s call for a commission ban suggesting it is nothing more than an advert for its fee-only business model and would be bad news for consumers.

  • Advisers will retain independent label if remuneration is clearly disclosed

    26 Jun 2007

    Advisers will be able to retain their independent label as long as they agree remuneration methods upfront with a customer, according to sources close to the FSA's Retail Distribution Review.

  • AIC urges FSA to mandate factory-gate pricing

    25 Jun 2007

    The Association of Investment Companies is urging the FSA to mandate factory-gate pricing.

  • Almost all providers offer real-time valuations, says Adviserwise

    25 Jun 2007

    Almost 90 per cent of product providers offer real time valuations, according to Origo.

  • Automatic pilot

    21 Jun 2007

    One of the perennial questions from life offices is why don't advisers submit more business electronically? This is a question I can answer i simply - it is because as an industry we do not make it easy enough for them.

  • Baker Tilly MD Cox leaves after merger

    21 Jun 2007

    A number of Baker Tilly advisers have left Towry Law and managing director Howard Cox has taken redundancy following the merger of the firms in March.

  • Bamford calls on Towry Law to prove its model fits with call to ban commission

    25 Jun 2007

    Informed Choice managing director Nick Bamford has urged JS&P Towry Law to put their money where their mouth is after the firm called for the FSA to impose changes on advisers in a bid to clean up the industry.

  • Band of bothers

    21 Jun 2007

    Planning Strategy - Increases in the nil-rate band have failed to keep up with house price inflation so how can homeowners plan for IHT caused mainly by their residence? By Scottish Widows senior technical manager for savings and investment Anne Young.

  • Banks will dominate if CARIS is introduced

    25 Jun 2007

    The Retail Distribution Review discussion paper is likely to call for Customer Agreed Remuneration which could see greater consolidation in the intermediary market and greater dominance of the banks, according to Accenture.

  • Barclays' challenge to IFAs is laughable

    21 Jun 2007

    Thank you, Money Marketing, I never imagined that your paper would ever give me a good belly laugh but the headline in your June 14 edition certainly did.

  • Barclays may drop logo due to Nazi concerns

    20 Jun 2007

    Barclays is considering dropping the eagle from its corporate logo if its ABN Amro takeover goes ahead because of objections from the Dutch company that the animal has Nazi associations, according to reports.

  • Barr appointed to development role at The Mortgage Works

    20 Jun 2007

    The Mortgage Works has announced the appointment of Keith Barr to the role of business development manager.

  • Beddall becomes latest Thames River coup

    20 Jun 2007

    Thames River has added another Credit Suisse alumni to its ranks with the appointment of European sales manager James Beddall.

  • Best intentions

    21 Jun 2007

    Skandia's best ideas funds have so far defied the critics but it is early days.

  • Bestinvest calls for Bowe to 'crack on' with RDR

    26 Jun 2007

    Bestinvest is urging Amanda Bowe to press on with her plans for the retail distribution review, saying long-term problems with commission bias have necessitated the RDR.

  • 'Bewildering' lack of women in senior roles

    21 Jun 2007

    A survey from Barclays Wealth claims that the glass ceiling must still be shattered when it comes to women holding senior roles in business.

  • Big rise in FSA fines show that TCF is starting to bite

    21 Jun 2007

    Breaches of the treating customers fairly principles now feature in 40 per cent of all fines imposed by the FSA compared with 11 per cent in March 2006.

  • Bond on the run

    21 Jun 2007

    Kicking off a new series of articles on offshore funds with a look at how taxation has changed.

  • Break in the system

    21 Jun 2007

    The FSA's decision to remove the requirement for the payment menu and initial disclosure document has provoked a strong response from many advisers. Nicole Blackmore reports.

  • Break with tradition

    21 Jun 2007

    How JS&P is aiming to draw advisers with its Return to Work initiative.

  • Bright ideas

    21 Jun 2007

    Chris Salih analyses core holding Skandia global best ideas fund.

  • Broker Talkback

    21 Jun 2007

    Are you threatened by Barclays' claim that they are going to steal your business?

  • Brown plans to open up jobs on bank base rate committee

    21 Jun 2007

    Chancellor Gordon Brown plans to make Bank of England monetary policy committee appointments more transparent by advertising the positions of the four external members when they become vacant.

  • Burrows says clients should be offered third-way choice

    21 Jun 2007

    Aspen annuities director Billy Burrows has weighed in to the debate over third-way products, saying the UK market is ready for them and that not offering them to customers is denying them choice.

  • Buyers circle around BestInvest

    25 Jun 2007

    The deadline for first-round bidding on BestInvest is believed to have closed last Friday with Palamon Capital Partners and the private equity arm of fund manager Hermes touted as the early favourites for the financial advice and investment group.

  • Call for tontines without arsenic

    21 Jun 2007

    Schroders group chief investment officer Alan Brown has mooted the possible reintroduction of tontines to tackle retirement funding problems.

  • Centre court

    21 Jun 2007

    Helen Pow considers the implications of a legal case on commission.

  • Channel challenge may find advisers out of their depth

    21 Jun 2007

    With the FSA's initial thoughts on the retail distribution review only a week away from publication, there are already indications that it is likely to affect what products can be sold through what channels. Funds that utilise Ucits III powers, such as vehicles that use derivatives to a high degree, may get caught up in the review unintentionally.

  • Chartered course

    21 Jun 2007

    The launch of the chartered title for financial planners has captured the attention of the members of our fledgling profession like no other initiative. At meetings up and down the country, our staff have queues of members lining up asking what they have to do to get to chartered status.

  • Churchill reappointed Chair of PPF

    25 Jun 2007

    Lawrence Churchill has been reappointed chair of the Pension Protection Fund for a further three years.

  • Clause for thought

    21 Jun 2007

    Insurance law The industry should produce its own solution to problems arising from non-disclosure rather than have an inflexible and inappropriate non-contestability clause imposed on policies, says Aegon Scottish Equitable head of underwriting Matt Rann.

  • Close Investments - Close Imperial Pub Company 2

    20 Jun 2007

    Close InvestmentsClose Imperial Pub Company 2

  • Collins Stewart adds funds to Transact

    21 Jun 2007

    Collins Stewart has added six funds to its Transact wrap service - the Collins Stewart UK catalyst fund, the continental Europe focus fund, the total return bond fund, the income fund, the growth fund and the balanced fund.

  • Commitment to tackle the GPP problem will be tackled

    21 Jun 2007

    Pension providers encouraged by Government stance.

  • Coventry Building Society - Flexx Two Year Base Rate Tracker

    22 Jun 2007

    Coventry Building SocietyFlexx Two Year Base Rate Tracker

  • Critical analysis

    21 Jun 2007

    Our panel consider the drop in complaints about protection policies, abolition of the age 70 rule and new business figures.

  • Cummings hopes RDR does not distract from FSCS reform

    25 Jun 2007

    Aifa has published its response to the FSA’s consultation paper on the reform of the funding of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. Aifa director general Chris Cummings says the compensation scheme is a vital regulatory safety net that helps maintain consumer confidence in the financial services industry, but it is in need of urgent reform if it is to continue to deliver its objectives. He says: “The FSA carried out a particularly thorough root and branch analysis ...

  • DB Mortgages - Near Prime + Two Year Tracker Full Status

    22 Jun 2007

    DB MortgagesNear Prime + Two Year Tracker Full Status

  • Dented packages

    21 Jun 2007

    No company offers all the features we want although some come close.

  • Dominion seeks opportunities in lap of luxury

    22 Jun 2007

    Guernsey-based Dominion Fund Management has redefined the luxury goods and services sector with the launch of the Dominion chic fund.

  • 'Don't settle for 10% returns'

    21 Jun 2007

    New Star director Ravi Anand believes an increasing demand for institutional-style benchmarks in the retail market has put some investors off hedge funds as the industry looks for what is traditionally seen as the safer option.

  • Double pot

    21 Jun 2007

    Isa and pension savings can both work to provide a good level of income in retirement.

  • DWP listens to pleas and cuts cap to £3,600

    21 Jun 2007

    'The Government has struck a good compromise'

  • DWP pledges there will be no subsidy from taxpayers

    21 Jun 2007

    Standard Life is wary of the Government's announcement that personal accounts will not be subsidised by taxpayers' money, hoping it will not backtrack on this commitment.

  • Edeus offers two-year fixed-rate range

    21 Jun 2007

    Edeus is offering a new range of two-year fixed-rate products across its adverse, self-cert, and income buy-to-let ranges with rates starting from 6.39 per cent. All the products have an arrangement fee of £799.

  • Editor's letter to Amanda Bowe, head of the RDR

    25 Jun 2007

    In an open letter to the FSA head of the RDR Amanda Bowe, Money Marketing editor John Lappin calls for caution in determining the future of the banks' role in the advice market

  • EuroCape offers second bite of the cherry

    20 Jun 2007

    EuroCape has teamed up with Acorn Corporate Finance for EuroCape Property Finance II, an exempt unit trust investing in secured bridging and development finance for property projects in the UK, Europe and South Africa. The fund is also available as a limited partnership.

  • 'Europe could force Govt to pay Equitable redress'

    21 Jun 2007

    The European Commission could force the Government to compensate Equitable Life victims if it ignores reports from the European Parliament's committee of inquiry and UK Parliamentary Ombudsman, claims a leading committee MEP.

  • Fees based on assets means win-win-win, says Hargreaves' advice arm

    26 Jun 2007

    Following the raging debate over fees versus commission accelerating in light of tomorrow's dicussion paper on the RDR, Hargreaves Lansdown says its proof has been in the pudding since it converted in 2003. Hargreaves Lansdown chartered financial planner Danny Cox says: “Back in March 2003 Hargreaves Lansdown’s advisory division, Financial Practitioners, hit the MM headlines when we converted to a predominantly assets under management fee model. I’m not claiming that we were the ...

  • First insurer signs up for Lifequote system

    21 Jun 2007

    LV= has signed a deal to use Lifequote's Intelligent Protection software in its advisory arm.

  • Fisher stands his ground on fees-only

    25 Jun 2007

    JS&P Towry Law remains firm in its position over its fees-only approach, despite criticism from the industry.

  • Floggers will not find a safe haven with banks

    21 Jun 2007

    I agree with Brett Davidson of FP Advance that IFAs at the product-flogging end of the market who are unwilling to move to a fee basis will, sooner or later, be forced out of their present positions.

  • Focus Solutions breaks £1m profit

    25 Jun 2007

    Focus Solutions Group has announced a pre-tax profit of £1.04m for the year ended March 31, 2007, up from £0.11m at the same time in 2006.

  • Four-way split looming as retail review row rages on

    21 Jun 2007

    Last-minute arguments are still raging within the FSA over the final draft of the retail distribution review, with the market set to segment four ways and doubts hanging over the future of the IFA tag.

  • Franchisee claims unpaid commission in court clash

    21 Jun 2007

    A former Ashley Law adviser who claims he is still owed money in unpaid commission by the company finally took his battle to court last week.

  • Freedom Lending to become Wave

    25 Jun 2007

    Freedom Lending has finally revealed its new brand name as Wave.

  • FTSE goes global with index ad

    21 Jun 2007

    The FTSE is running its first global advertising campaign using the strapline, FTSE - It's how the world says index.

  • Gil Knight replaced on Gartmore US opportunities and growth funds

    21 Jun 2007

    Gil Knight is to be replaced by Marsico Capital Management as manager of Gartmore’s US opportunities and US growth funds.

  • Girl of 16 is studying for CFP exam

    21 Jun 2007

    Sixteen-year-old Brocha Simon is the youngest person in the UK studying to be a chartered financial planner and mentor IFA Filip Slipaczek says advisers who are not chartered need to take a leaf out of her book to improve industry credibility.

  • Glad to be grey

    21 Jun 2007

    Choices do not have to be black and white with the new third-way annuities.

  • Global wealth managers will flourish over 3 years, says PwC

    25 Jun 2007

    Global wealth managers and private banks are anticipating a 30 per cent growth per year over the next three years, according to the latest findings from PricewaterhouseCoopers 2007 Global Private Banking/Wealth Management Survey.

  • Halifax GI offers new commission structure for mortgage brokers

    26 Jun 2007

    Halifax has launched an additional choice of commission structure for mortgage brokers advising on household insurance policies.

  • Hammond calls for sustainable pensions system

    22 Jun 2007

    Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Philip Hammond has called upon the industry to create a sustainable pensions system and says the media has a major role to play in restoring consumer faith in pensions.

  • Hard times

    21 Jun 2007

    With direct sales a dying breed, there is not such an obvious entry into becoming an adviser. Long gone are the days when you could transfer from a different profession and carve a career within financial services. When I began recruiting in the late 80s and early 90s prior to the reviews, I enjoyed placing nurses, teachers, milkmen and police constables, etc, as financial advisers. Brokers, lenders and providers now expect to recruit staff that can hit the ground running and struggle ...

  • Harrison slams system structure

    21 Jun 2007

    David Harrison has launched platform True Potential with a damning indictment of industry inefficiencies for leaving advisers reliant on big commission because current structures do not support thousands of small transactions.

  • HBOS keeping retention pay despite slump

    21 Jun 2007

    HBOS says it will retain retention payments to brokers despite admitting that last year's retention strategy was an error of judgement which caused a big drop in market share.

  • Hedge hurdles could trip up advisers

    21 Jun 2007

    IFG financial planning strategist Donna Bradshaw says advisers may be unable to get through the number of hurdles facing them on using hedge funds.

  • Henderson Row teaches dogs new tricks

    20 Jun 2007

    Investment manager Henderson Rowe has teamed up with Way Fund Managers to launch the dogs of the FTSE 100 fund, which invests in the 15 highest yielding stocks on the FTSE 100 index.

  • Hip provider Spring offers Gordon Brown a Hip for Downing Street

    26 Jun 2007

    Hip provider Spring has offered incoming Prime Minister Gordon Brown a Hip as he makes his move to his new address on Downing Street this week.

  • HMRC plan full-scale investigation on offshore tax amnesty

    26 Jun 2007

    HM Revenue & Customs has declared they will now begin a full-scale investigation of people with offshore accounts who have not paid tax due in the UK and failed to register for the tax amnesty.

  • HNW clients to get benefit of changes

    21 Jun 2007

    The FSA plans allowing funds of hedge funds will mostly benefit high-net-worth clients, says BestInvest's Justin Modray.

  • Hopwood joins Moneyfacts

    26 Jun 2007

    Moneyfacts has announced the appointment of Nigel Hopwood as a non-executive director.

  • HSBC launches two emerging market debt funds

    22 Jun 2007

    HSBC Investments has announced it is to launch two new emerging market debt funds by late June.

  • IFA gave widow's savings to Nigerian fraudsters

    21 Jun 2007

    Judge gives suspended sentence after hearing 77-year-old IFA was delusional after being cheated.

  • IFAP helps public to search by qualification

    21 Jun 2007

    IFA Promotion is offering a new tool on its unbiased.co.uk website for consumers to search for an adviser by qualification.

  • IFAs believe they can leap barriers to accessibility

    21 Jun 2007

    Nearly three-quarters of IFAs are optimistic they will find innovative and less expensive ways to reach a wider market, says Aegon.

  • IMA’s Nicoll joins FSA as director of retail firms

    20 Jun 2007

    IMA deputy chief executive Sheila Nicoll has been appointed FSA director of the retail firms division.

  • IN Partnership members share in dividend payout

    21 Jun 2007

    IN Partnership is paying its first dividend of 5p since it launched at the end of 2000.

  • Insurers prove they will pay on bizarre deaths

    21 Jun 2007

    Insurance companies will pay out on life cover claims however bizarre the cause of death as long as the policyholder was not doing anything illegal and all necessary information was disclosed, says Lifesearch.

  • Invesco gets more from index strategy

    22 Jun 2007

    Invesco Perpetual has introduced the US equity benchmark plus fund, an Oeic that uses an enhanced index strategy.

  • Invesco looks to beat S&P 500

    21 Jun 2007

    Invesco Perpetual is introducing a US equity benchmark plus fund which aims to beat the S&P 500 index by 2.5 per cent over a full market cycle.

  • Investec calls on advisers to consider Africa

    21 Jun 2007

    Investec Asset Management is urging advisers to consider Africa as an option for offshore investors and insists they should not be put off by political and economic problems of the past.

  • James Hay adds a dozen funds to range

    21 Jun 2007

    James Hay has added 12 new funds to its Wrap platform bringing the total number to some 1,163 from 50 different providers.

  • Jupiter signs Peninsular's Vazirani

    22 Jun 2007

    Jupiter has made its first post-MBO move by appointing Avinash Vazirani as a fund manager and director at the firm.

  • Keep it realistic

    21 Jun 2007

    Multi-manager has proved a hit with investors who are attracted by the concept of an investment professional trawling a virtually limitless universe to find the perfect combination of funds for their portfolio. However, unrealistic expectations and lack of understanding of the methodology could ultimately lead to a flood of redemptions.

  • Kirwan taking health and protection role at ABI

    21 Jun 2007

    Association of British Insurers protection committee chairman Nick Kirwan will replace Richard Walsh as head of health and protection insurance at the ABI at the end of this month.

  • Last call for tax amnesty

    21 Jun 2007

    Friday deadline looms but only 8,000 offshore account holders have so far come forward to declare unpaid tax.

  • Lehman Brothers appoints ex-Halifax head of accounts

    21 Jun 2007

    Lehman Brothers mortgage capital businesses has appointed Halifax's former head of corporate accounts Ed Payne as head of sales at Southern Pacific Personal Loans.

  • Lehman Brothers appoints Hunt as mortgage marketing director

    20 Jun 2007

    Lehman Brothers' Mortgage Capital has announced the appointment of Paul Hunt as director of marketing, effective from September.

  • Life Trust raises £25m for longevity products

    22 Jun 2007

    Life Trust says it has raised £25 million of capital which it will be using to launch a range of products to meet the needs of increasing longevity.

  • Luckraft fund may reopen

    21 Jun 2007

    Axa Framlington is considering reopening George Luckraft's £1.1bn equity income fund in response to IFA demand.

  • LV= slashes term assurance rates

    22 Jun 2007

    LV= has joined the protection industry’s rate battle by slashing around 90 per cent of its term assurance premium rates.

  • Macquarie enters Oeic market on a high

    22 Jun 2007

    Macquarie Bank GroupCF Macquarie Global Private Equity Securities Fund

  • Market opinion split over dearth of skills

    21 Jun 2007

    Recruitment firms are at odds over whether the industry is suffering a skills shortage.

  • Matrix Group - Asian Property Income Fund

    20 Jun 2007

    Matrix GroupAsian Property Income Fund

  • MetLife UK - Investment Bond

    20 Jun 2007

    MetLife UKInvestment Bond

  • Mission statement

    21 Jun 2007

    The initial findings of the FSA's retail distribution review will be announced at the end of June and the market will be presented with a discussion paper to contemplate the proposals being put forward.

  • More clients want to go the third way

    21 Jun 2007

    IFAs say client interest in flexible retirement products is growing faster than for conventional annuities.

  • New wave of products is on the way

    21 Jun 2007

    The fund of hedge legislation will spark a flurry of new products hitting the investment market as most current products would still fall outside the current remit.

  • Nil will for Jack and Jill

    21 Jun 2007

    Planning Strategy - Paul Wilcox, chairman and technical director of The Way Group, sets out the advantages of nil-rate discretionary trusts over mirror wills.

  • Number of fully accredited energy assessors increases to 1,340

    26 Jun 2007

    The Government has released figures stating that there are currently 1,340 accredited energy assessors now ready to conduct Energy Performance Certificates.

  • Number of people covered by PMI jumps

    20 Jun 2007

    The number of people who bought personal private medical insurance jumped nearly 2 per cent last year to 1,030,000.

  • Offset mortgages grow by 49 per cent in 2006

    25 Jun 2007

    Offset mortgages represented 7 per cent of all new lending in 2006 according to new research by the Council of Mortgage Lenders, showing strong growth in the number of people opting for an offset mortgage.

  • On the money

    21 Jun 2007

    I think I was always destined for a life working in financial services. After all, coming from a background where both my parents had given years of dedicated service to those two monoliths of Scottish finance Standard Life and RBS meant there was little doubt that I would follow in their footsteps, especially when they could get me a foot in the door when it came to picking up temping jobs in the summertime when I was a student.

  • Only a third of those without a pension say they will stay in personal accounts

    20 Jun 2007

    Only a third of those without a current pension intend to remain in personal accounts when they are introduced in 2012, according to the Scottish Widows 2007 Pensions Index.

  • Out of Context

    21 Jun 2007

    "I did see Paul McMillan on PIMS and he absolutely did not see me in a bar after about 11pm. Honestly."

  • Palm reader

    21 Jun 2007

    Unlike the major markets where well managed smaller company funds usually outperform bigger company funds, the Asia Pacific excluding Japan sector usually sees bigger company funds performing better. This sector performed very well in the first three months of this year but recently there has been quite a lot of profit-taking and the Hang Seng index has shown the smallest rise of all the main stockmarket indices since the beginning of the year.

  • People on the move

    21 Jun 2007

    21 June 2007

  • PGH buys Annuity Direct and ponders flotation

    21 Jun 2007

    Partnership Group Holdings has bought Annuity Direct and has appointed Lexicon Partners as advisers as it considers a possible flotation.

  • Pirates will be sunk if they try to take on IFAs

    21 Jun 2007

    Ahoy there, all ye PIMS revellers, a bank beating a good IFA at his own game? Shiver me timbers. A black spot from a banker? I'll show ye where to stow yer hook, matey.

  • Pizza the action

    21 Jun 2007

    I get quite exhausted these days with all the talk of ozone layers and recycling rubbish. It is only fair that I point out that the latter comment is not referring to the FSA's attempt to scrap the initial disclosure document and the menu while expecting us to keep using them.

  • Plum adds Standard Sipp

    21 Jun 2007

    Plum Software has upgraded its Fact Finder Plus Administrator, giving advisers access to fund details from Standard Life self-invested personal pensions.

  • Private equity tax swoop may hit IFA firms

    21 Jun 2007

    'Taper relief has been tremendously successful in encouraging entrepreneurial spirit'

  • Protection seminars aim to aid advisers

    21 Jun 2007

    Sesame is holding protection technical seminars with the aim of helping advisers write protection business more efficiently and profitably.

  • Providers need to get a move on and implement Age 70 changes

    26 Jun 2007

    Icob advisers are over the moon that they are now allowed to sell life assurance policies which mature after age 70 and extend longer than 10 years, since the Age 70 rule was abolished on June 6.

  • Prperty debut from OPM

    20 Jun 2007

    OPM Fund Management - formerly Smith & Pinching Portfolio Management - has brought out the CF OPM Property fund of funds, its first property product.

  • Pru launches new DGT

    22 Jun 2007

    Prudential has launched a new discounted gift trust following predictions that as many as 380,000 estates in the UK will be liable for inheritance tax in 2007/2008.

  • Psychometric testing helps asset allocation for Lighthouse clients

    21 Jun 2007

    Lighthouse Group is introducing a psychometric riskprofiling tool linked to a third-party fund of funds in conjunction with Distribution Technology and F&C.

  • Ratings agency drops Gartmore A rating

    22 Jun 2007

    Forsyth-OBSR has withdrawn its A rating of Gartmore’s US opportunities fund following the departure of Gil Knight and Chris Baggini at NWD Investments.

  • Record lending for May but CML says market is starting to ease

    20 Jun 2007

    Gross mortgage lending reached £30.6bn in May, a new record according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders, proving lending in the UK is still going strong.

  • Redemption day would be saviour

    21 Jun 2007

    The redemption issue with hedge funds must be tackled if the industry is to avoid falling into mediocrity, says Thames River Capital.

  • Regulator is right not to increase ombudsman limit

    21 Jun 2007

    Having been closely involved with two of the cases referred to in Adam Samuels' article headlined, Power Failure at FOS, (Money Marketing, June 14), I do take issue with the main thrust of the article, namely that the FSA looks foolish in declining to raise the ombudsman's jurisdiction limit.

  • Regulator sets out priorities

    21 Jun 2007

    The FSA has called on advisers and clients to ensure they have their priorities straight over what they want to get out of investing in a fund of hedge funds.

  • Relief for splitting headache

    21 Jun 2007

    A new non-adversarial method of resolving divorce cases offers a more active role for financial advisers, says Will Henley.

  • Resolution CIO calls for short correction

    25 Jun 2007

    Resolution chief investment officer James Smith believes a short correction may benefit the stock market as it becoming "dangerously obsessed with takeover deals."

  • RLAM passes £3bn mark in cash and offshore

    22 Jun 2007

    Royal London Group's funds under management pass £3bn for the first time in its cash and Guernsey-based operation.

  • Robbins to take helm on Investec global dynamic fund

    25 Jun 2007

    Investec Asset Management has announced the appointment of Jacob Robbins as manager of its £77.9m global dynamic fund.

  • Rod Milne and Colin Hayden-Cook

    21 Jun 2007

    Two IFAs recently decided to merge their companies and the result has been a dramatic increase in overall business for the new combined enterprise. Interview by Gregor Watt.

  • Roggemann appointed to Friends Prov and F&C boards

    20 Jun 2007

    Gerhard Roggemann has been appointed non-executive director on both the Friends Provident and F&C Asset Management boards.

  • Rose is ready to make return

    21 Jun 2007

    Former Wentworth Rose founding director Philip Rose is looking to set up a new IFA firm following a two-year break travelling round the world.

  • Royal London UK strategic growth trust delivers 34 per cent in year 1

    26 Jun 2007

    The Royal London UK strategic growth trust has delivered a one year return of 34.0 per cent since it launched on June 1, 2006, compared to an IMA UK All Sector return of 22.2 per cent, with a sixth percentile ranking.

  • Saga and AA merge in £6.2bn deal

    26 Jun 2007

    Over 50s travel and insurance provider Saga has announced it will merge with the Automobile Association in a £6.2bn deal, quashing plans for a stock market flotation.

  • Scot Prov appoints Medicals Direct

    21 Jun 2007

    Scottish Provident announced today it has appointed Medicals Direct as its medicals service provider.

  • Scott issues market correction warning

    26 Jun 2007

    F&C UK growth and income manager Ted Scott has called for caution over the market believing it is set for a significant correction of some 15 to 20 per cent.

  • Second letter to the FSA from the editor

    26 Jun 2007

    Amanda BoweHead HonchoRetail Distribution ReviewFSACanary Wharf

  • Second outing for Arc bull & bear

    20 Jun 2007

    Structured product provider Arc Capital & Income - formerly Nvesta – has brought out a second tranche of its Bull & Bear tracker plan.

  • Seek value, not volume

    21 Jun 2007

    Alan Cleary, edeus managing director, says despite stories about a possible sub-prime crash, there is nothing wrong with securitisation.

  • Selestia Investment Solutions goes live July 30

    21 Jun 2007

    Skandia's new fund platform Selestia Investment Solutions will launch on July 30 with a range of e-business services and investment tools and over 900 funds available.

  • Ship announces plans to appoint a director general

    21 Jun 2007

    Ship has announced plans to appoint a full time director general and support staff to expand its resources after a strategic review. Previously all Ship activity has been completed on a voluntary basis by its members.

  • Short circuit

    21 Jun 2007

    Watch out investors! We have had special situations, focus, best ideas and unconstrained funds. Now a new fashion is about to hit us in the shape of 130/30 funds. One of the first out of the blocks is UBS, which will use the talents of its US team under Thomas Digenan.

  • Short memories

    21 Jun 2007

    Whenever I have a few drinks with IFAs, I am always struck by their loss of memory - nowhere more so than in current discussions over the recent decision by the FSA to scrap the payment menu and initial disclosure document.

  • SimplyBiz extends Capital Reward scheme

    25 Jun 2007

    Following SimplyBiz' double launch of Capital Reward and Capital Reward Plus, intending to give away 70 per cent of the shares to IFAs, the firm has entended the offer.

  • SimplyBiz starts its business academy

    21 Jun 2007

    SimplyBiz launched its New Model Business Academy this month for member firms.

  • Skeoch appointed chair of ABI’s investment committee

    20 Jun 2007

    Standard Life Investments chief executive Keith Skeoch has been appointed as the new chairman of the ABI’s investment committee.

  • Small prey

    21 Jun 2007

    The smaller indices can provide a fertile hunting ground if you take Aim carefully.

  • Smoking ban will lead to longer life expectancy

    25 Jun 2007

    The smoking ban is likely to encourage many people to quit smoking which Hargreaves Lansdown says will lead to increased longevity and therefore a need for more money in retirement.

  • Something old, something new

    22 Jun 2007

    It has been a bit of a mixed week for the mortgage industry. Some of the news was new, some was just an update on existing stories and some of the news was just a confirmation of what was expected.

  • Stand and deliver

    21 Jun 2007

    The ABI must be firm in tackling the Govt over the design of personal accounts.

  • Standard Life to launch high-net worth business arm

    26 Jun 2007

    Standard Life is to launch a high-net worth business focusing on very wealthy clients and has already appointed a chief executive to run the new venture.

  • Strong rise for Focus Solutions' profits

    21 Jun 2007

    Focus Solutions made a profit of £1.04m for the year ended March 31, up from £110,000 in 2006. Sales revenue rose by 20 per cent from £6.58m to £7.91m. Growth is attributed to new contracts with HSBC, St James's Place, Irish Life, Lincoln Financial Group and BT.

  • Suck it and see

    21 Jun 2007

    As a business, we have dipped our toes into the world of wrap and have spent time developing our client offering using the Standard Life wrap.

  • Supporting role

    21 Jun 2007

    Advisory process - How IFAs look after their clients from point to sale to following a claim can make all the difference in a time of need, says LV= head of intermediary marketing strategy Justin Harper.

  • Sweet clarity

    21 Jun 2007

    Discounted gift trusts - Phil Carroll, UK tax and estate planning manager at Skandia, welcomes teh recent HMRC guidance clearing up confusion over DGTs and also the consultation with the industry to discuss the issues.

  • System problems thwart changes to 70-plus cover

    21 Jun 2007

    Icob advisers are still unable to sell life policies maturing after age 70 because most providers have not changed their systems since the rule change, says Direct Life and Pensions sales and marketing director Richard Verdin.

  • T Bailey in warning over infrastructure

    21 Jun 2007

    Multi-manager T Bailey is warning advisers of the dangers of viewing infrastructure as an asset class in its own right.

  • Tale of two meetings

    21 Jun 2007

    Clients see the value of an adviser in a business relationship.

  • Term sales up but income protection down says Swiss Re

    20 Jun 2007

    Term assurance sales increased last year and rates have come down but income protection sales fell for the fourth year running extending the income protection gap to £175bn, according to Swiss Re.

  • Test case for Pensions Regulator in £90m order against Sea Containers

    21 Jun 2007

    The Pensions Regulator has ordered Sea Containers to inject at least £90m into its two pension funds or face court action.

  • The Editor's third and final letter to the FSA

    26 Jun 2007

    Money Marketing's editor John Lappin sends his third and final open letter to Amanda Bowe, the head of the RDR.

  • The estate we're in

    21 Jun 2007

    Julie Hutchison, estate planning specialist at Standard Life, starts off a four-page special feature section on inheritance tax planning by assessing the developments in the field so far this year.

  • The food chain

    21 Jun 2007

    The battle to which I referred last week does appear to be continuing, albeit sotto voce rather than roaring. Markets are swinging around, caught in the tides of news and data.

  • The great bank robbery

    21 Jun 2007

    By this time next week, the FSA may have made the biggest mistake in its history.

  • The last chance saloon

    22 Jun 2007

    What does the future hold for IFAs then? If the imminent retail distribution review does not pose a definite threat to independent financial advisers as such, it may well pose a threat to the term "IFA" itself, some might say.

  • The review preview

    21 Jun 2007

    Money Marketing asked some of the leading figures in the financial advice sector what they would like to see and what they expect to emerge from the FSA's retail distribution review in next week's discussion paper.

  • The watchdog finally bares its teeth

    21 Jun 2007

    The Pensions Regulator showed its teeth this week issuing its first financial support direction to Sea Containers which ordered them to inject at least £90m into its pensions funds or face court action.

  • The whole sale market

    21 Jun 2007

    Will Henley analyses the return of Abbey to the 100 per cent mortgage sector.

  • The wider review

    21 Jun 2007

    Aegon UK head of business regulation Steven Cameron says the FSA's retail distribution review reaches further than the issue of adviser remuneration and outlines how he hopes it will bring about positive change in the industry.

  • Thinc chief warns of skills shortage

    21 Jun 2007

    Chamberlain says whole generation of salespeople not trained to use platforms and wraps.

  • Thinc Group in multi-tie deal with Pru & Just Retirement

    21 Jun 2007

    Thinc Group is launching an annuity desk in conjunction with Prudential and Just Retirement in a multi-tie deal.

  • Threshold too low for performance charging

    21 Jun 2007

    Investment managers say it is the fact that relatively low outperformance can trigger big performance-related fees which make some hedge funds more expensive as most other charges are only slightly higher than long-only funds.

  • Tiner receives huge pay increase but McCarthy’s pay drops

    21 Jun 2007

    FSA chief executive John Tiner received an inflation busting 14 per cent increase in pay this year but chairman Callum McCarthy saw a slight drop in his pay package.

  • Tory Davies slates Cameron as he defects to Labour party

    26 Jun 2007

    Conservative MP Quentin Davies has defected to the Labour Party, publicly denouncing Tory leader David Cameron calling him superficial, unreliable and lacking in any clear convictions.

  • Treasury to appeal against Information Commissioner’s human rights ruling

    21 Jun 2007

    The Treasury is to appeal against the Information Commissioner’s ruling that it must disclose whether it holds attorney and solicitor general advice about the compatibility of the Financial Services and Markets Act with the Human Rights Act.

  • TUC wants fund managers to reveal their AGM votes

    25 Jun 2007

    TUC has called on the Government to activate legislation that will force fund managers to disclose how they vote at company AGMs, following over half of managers not revealing voting methods, in the TUC annual survey.

  • Two sides split on investment levels

    21 Jun 2007

    Advisers and providers have clashed over what level of diversification a client's portfolio should have to hedge fundsSome advisers at the round table meeting said that 5-10 per cent is a fair amount of exposure, given the number of questions over performance, cost and transparency, while providers say having such a minimal amount is not efficient and will fail to show a hedge fund's usefulness as a true diversifier.

  • What the doctor ordered

    21 Jun 2007

    The Phizackerley case will in most circumstances have no effect on IHT planning strategies.

  • Williams de Broe adds MPC global bond

    21 Jun 2007

    Williams de Broe has added the MPC global convertible bond fund to its Assetmaster balanced and cautious portfolio funds.

  • Win or bust!

    20 Jun 2007

    It may be an issue that has steadily loomed over the horizon for some time, but fund managers are more and more looking to address the problem of catering financially for life longevity.

  • With the industry holding its breath Wednesday can't come fast enough

    25 Jun 2007

    The industry is collectively holding its breath in the days leading up to the release of the RDR and speculation abounds over what it contains.

  • Woolwich - Fix and Track Mortgage

    20 Jun 2007

    WoolwichFix and Track Mortgage

  • Yorkshire Building Society to launch into 115 per cent mortgage market

    26 Jun 2007

    Yorkshire Building Society is expected to announce details of the launch of a 115 per cent mortgage product aimed at first-time buyers next week.

  • Yousefi confirmed to be joining Freedom Lending

    21 Jun 2007

    Alliance & Leicester head of intermediary mortgages Mehrdad Yousefi is joining Freedom Lending as director of distribution and sales.

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