Money Marketing
22 April 2009

£150K earners on 'a cliff edge'

23 Apr 2009

People who earn £150,000 or more will be hit with a "catastrophic" drop in pension tax relief in the next two years.
£220Bn gilt spree to bring volatility for annuities

23 Apr 2009

The Government's issue of £220bn in extra gilts could lead to volatility in annuity rates for some time to come, says annuity provider LV=.
70% Think they get advice on execution-only

23 Apr 2009

Seventy per cent of people buying a critical-illness policy believe that they are being given advice during an execution-only sale, FSA research has revealed.
Adviser Fund Index: Holding pattern

23 Apr 2009

The most recent rebalancing of the Adviser Fund Index was in November 2008 in the wake of market collapse following the Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy. Six months on, the AFI is due to be rebalanced again in May as markets tentatively start to rise.
Adviser who diverted £1.2m is jailed for six years

23 Apr 2009

A Lincolnshire financial adviser has been sentenced to six years imprisonment after he admitted that his money lending business had lost £1.2m of investors' funds through fraudulent trades.
Advisers offered 9% loans for FSA fees

28 Apr 2009

Advisers can continue paying their 2009/10 FSA fees and levies in installments, with interest charges set at 9 per cent APR or 7.5 per cent APR for trade body members.
Aegon axes final dividend payment on common shares for 2008

22 Apr 2009

Aegon has appointed Jan Nooitgedagthas as chief financial officer and to its executive board, and announced it will make no final dividend payment on its common shares for 2008.
Aegon renames Global Bond fund

27 Apr 2009
Aegon renames Global Bond fund

24 Apr 2009
Age cap mars 41% Isa boost

23 Apr 2009

Industry experts have welcomed the 41 per cent increase in Isa savings allowances but say the new age limit is an unnecessary burden.
Aifa and Ami lobby FSA for lower IFA fees

24 Apr 2009

The Association of Independent Financial Advisers and the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries have called for the FSA to apportion more of its budget to the banks and high-risk sectors.
Aifa demands "company representatives" label for tied advisers

23 Apr 2009

The Association of Independent Financial Advisers is calling for the sales adviser label, proposed under the RDR, to be changed to “company representative”.
Aifa hits out at Govt for lowering pension tax relief

23 Apr 2009

The Association of Independent Financial Advisers says the Government is jeopardising sensible saving plans of higher earners by reducing their pension tax relief.
Aifa wants external body to sign off FSA's budget

23 Apr 2009

The FSA should have its regulatory budget signed off by an external body, according to the Association of Independent Financial Advisers.
Alliance & Leicester - Three Year FeeSaver Fixed Rate

24 Apr 2009

Alliance & LeicesterThree Year FeeSaver Fixed Rate
Allianz points to decoupling on the horizon for BRICs

28 Apr 2009

Allianz Global Investors BRIC stars fund manager Michael Konstantinov believes that BRIC countries are set to decouple from emerging economies.
Allowance cuts will be earlier and deeper

23 Apr 2009

The income tax personal allowance will be restricted for people with incomes over £100,000 faster than previously proposed.
Analysis: Global crisis hits Africa

28 Apr 2009
Analysis: Is this the start of a deflationary spiral?

22 Apr 2009
Apollo backs Russia

23 Apr 2009

Apollo Multi Asset Management has added a structured product to its IFDS Apollo balanced fund that is based on the Russian stockmarket outperforming the FTSE 100 over a two-year period.
Arc Capital & Income - Arc Fixed Income Plan 12

24 Apr 2009

Arc Capital & IncomeArc Fixed Income Plan 12
Artemis stocks up on European banks

27 Apr 2009
Aviva's UK life and pensions sales down 12%

27 Apr 2009

Aviva's UK life and pensions business was down 12 per cent from £2.8bn to £2.5bn in the first quarter of 2009 compared with the same time last year, on a PVNBP basis.
AWD Chase de Vere sets up HNW service

23 Apr 2009

AWD Chase de Vere has launched an advisory service for high-net-worth clients.
Axa PPP Healthcare appoints Nick Groom as distribution director

28 Apr 2009
AXA Winterthur launches recession workshops for advisers

24 Apr 2009

AXA Winterthur is hosting a series of investment workshops to help financial advisers meet client goals in the current economic downturn.
B&B appoints new MD

28 Apr 2009

Bradford & Bingley has revealed that Richard Banks has been appointed as managing director.
Bank advisers singled out specialist fund

23 Apr 2009

Examples of Barclays' advisers placing a number of risk-averse customers nearing retirement in a single specialist fund, resulting in huge losses, have done little to alter IFAs' impression of bank advice.
Bank of China strikes deal with Mortgageforce

23 Apr 2009

Bank of China has chosen Mortgageforce to offer a whole of market alternative for its clients.
Banks push FTSE higher

24 Apr 2009

The FTSE opened higher today at 4,036 after a rally on Wall Street overnight helped boost London equities.
Barclays admits fund blunder led to losses

23 Apr 2009

Barclays clients have told Money Marketing they were not offered compensation after the bank admitted this week it wrongly classified the Aviva balanced global income fund.
Barclays set to lend additional £11bn in 2009

23 Apr 2009

Barclays has revealed it will increase UK lending by £11bn to both households and businesses.
Barclays Wealth - Target Growth Plan - April 2009

24 Apr 2009

Barclays WealthTarget Growth Plan - April 2009
Barclays Wealth launches guide to using structured products

23 Apr 2009

Barclays Wealth has launched a guide to using structured products in portfolio planning for advisers.
Bestinvest reports jump in Isa sales

28 Apr 2009

Bestinvest today reported an 8.7% spike in its Isa sales for the 2008/09 year, with corporate bonds the most popular asset class among investors.
Birkett setting up a debt management company

23 Apr 2009

Lee Birkett, who was chief executive of mortgage network Prestbury Financial, which is now in liquidation, has set up a debt management firm.
BlackRock makes absolute return to Europe

24 Apr 2009

BlackRockEuropean Absolute Alpha Fund
Bond sales continue apace

24 Apr 2009
Bonham Carter fears over gilt issuance

23 Apr 2009

Jupiter chief executive Edward Bonham Carter believes the Government's plans for a 220bn gilt issuance could see interest rates shoot up and borrow-ing become more expensive.
Boots considering move into personal banking

27 Apr 2009

High street health and beauty chain Boots is considering a move into personal banking.
Border line cases

23 Apr 2009

In relation to the article, Europe gets tough on offshore bonds April 9, please allow me to correct several inaccuracies.
Borrowing will reach £175bn

23 Apr 2009

Government borrowing will be £175bn this year, equivalent to around 12.4 per cent of GDP. The Chancellor says it will drop to 11.9 per cent of GDP next year, 9.1 per cent in 2011/12, 7.2 per cent in 2012/13 and 5.5 per cent in 2013/14.
Bright Grey's Edwards heads up propositions for Scot Prov after merger

23 Apr 2009

Bright Grey product director Roger Edwards has been named as one member of the five-strong management team set to oversea both Royal London protection brands, Bright Grey and Scottish Provident.
Britain is heading for a 90bn hole, says IFS

27 Apr 2009
British GDP worse than expected

24 Apr 2009
Broker Talkback

23 Apr 2009

Is it right that critical-illness cover can be sold on a non-advised basis?No 88%Yes 12%
Budget - Employer contributions also hit by high-earner relief cap

23 Apr 2009

The restriction on tax relief announced in the Budget will apply to contributions made on employees’ behalf by their employer as well as the employee’s own contributions says HamishWilson.
Budget - Tax changes slammed for undermining pensions simplification

22 Apr 2009

The removal of higher rate tax relief on pensions contributions for high earners in the Budget has been widely criticised for going against the grain of pensions simplification.
Budget - Treasury accused of retrospective taxation on high earners' pensions

23 Apr 2009

The Treasury has been accused of retrospective tax changes in the Budget with high earners now barred from getting relief on earnings relating to the 2008/2009 tax year and previous years.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: ABI slams Darling for undermining pension savings

22 Apr 2009

The Association of British Insurers has slammed Chancellor Alistair Darling's move to restrict higher rate tax relief on pensions, and demanded he vow not to "undermine" tax relief any further.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: AIC welcomes tax call on inv trusts

22 Apr 2009

The Association of Investment Companies has welcomed the new tax framework for investment trusts.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: AMI and CML welcome ABSG scheme

22 Apr 2009

The asset-backed securities guarantee scheme announced in today’s Budget has been welcomed by the Association of Mortgage Intermediaries and Council of Mortgage Lenders.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Borrowing to hit £175bn or 12.4% GDP

22 Apr 2009

The Chancellor has revealed Government borrowing will be £175bn this year, equivalent to around 12.4% of GDP.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Cameron attacks Government's level of borrowing

22 Apr 2009

Conservative leader David Cameron has attacked the Government's level of borrowing and has called for the scrapping of the Tripartite regulatory system.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Consult IFAs to understand tax changes, say experts

22 Apr 2009

Advisers are more important than ever in helping consumers understand the UK tax system after Chancellor Alistair Darling announced a series of new tax changes today, says Unbiased.co.uk.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Darling announces extra £2.6bn unemployment funding

22 Apr 2009

Chancellor Alistair Darling is increasing the funding available to help the unemployed in the UK by £2.6bn.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Darling axes pensions tax relief for high earners

22 Apr 2009

Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced plans to scrap higher rate tax relief on pension contributions for people earning over £150,000.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Darling pledges £500m to kickstart housing sector

22 Apr 2009

The Government has pledged £500m to aid the UK house building sector which has been crippled by the credit crunch.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Darling to to aid mortgage market with £50bn bond guarantee

22 Apr 2009

The Government will continue to aid the mortgage market with extra investments in both homeowner support and £50bn of guarantees on mortgage securities.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Darling to close tax loopholes

22 Apr 2009

Chancellor Alistair Darling has claimed new measures to stop tax avoidance and evasion will bank the Treasury an extra £1bn over the next three years.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Experts warn of admin nightmare from Isa age-cap

22 Apr 2009

Advisers and providers say the Government’s new age limits on Isa allowances will be an administrative nightmare.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Gov’t announces £220bn gilt issue

22 Apr 2009

The UK Government has announced it is to issue £220bn of gilts this year.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Govt outlines measures to boost financial advice

22 Apr 2009

The Government has further cemented its pledge to streamline access to financial advice in the UK, after outlining a raft of measures in its Budget report today.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Govt paper to improve transparency of banks and hedge funds

22 Apr 2009

The Government will be publishing a Treasury paper with recommendations to improve the transparency of financial institutions including hedge funds.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Govt to introduce car scrap scheme next month

22 Apr 2009

The Government is introducing a car scrap heap scheme next month in order to help the UK automotives industry.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Higher rate income tax to rise to 50 per cent

22 Apr 2009

The Chancellor Alistair Darling has announced that higher rate tax payers will be taxed 50 per cent from 2010/11.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Inflation will drop to 1% by year end

22 Apr 2009

The Chancellor has said inflation will drop to 1 per cent by the end of this year in his Budget statement.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Pension capital disregard raised to £10,000

22 Apr 2009

Chancellor Alistair Darling has raised the capital disregard for pension credit from £6,000 to £10,000.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Pension providers give mixed reaction to tax changes

22 Apr 2009

Tax changes announced in today’s Budget have received a mixed reaction from UK pension providers, with some welcoming the measures and others suggesting they will complicate the market place.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Personal allowance restrictions changed

22 Apr 2009

The Government has announced that the income tax personal allowance will be restricted for people with incomes over £100,000 faster than previously proposed.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Stamp duty holiday extended to year end

22 Apr 2009

The Chancellor has extended the £175,000 starting point for stamp duty level until the end of the year.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Symponia criticises Budget for ignoring pensioners

22 Apr 2009

Long-term care specialist Symponia has criticised Government for marginalising pensioners in today’s Budget.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: Tax compliance to fall to senior individuals

22 Apr 2009

The Government is to establish a statutory requirement for senior accounting officers of major corporates which will hold them personally liable to a penalty if they get tax computations wrong.
BUDGET 2009 NEWS: UK economy set for 3.5% fall in 2009

22 Apr 2009

Chancellor Alistair Darling has revealed the UK GDP fell by 1.6% per cent in the first quarter of 2009 and predicts the economy will contract by 3.5% at the end of 2009.
Budget holes

24 Apr 2009

Another Budget, another disappointing damp squib. This year's announcement by the Chancellor was one that will be remembered by some - but certainly not by the mortgage industry.
Budget is death knell for final salary schemes, says Hargreaves

23 Apr 2009
Budget: All bark and no bite

27 Apr 2009

Last Wednesday's Budget was billed by many in the industry as headline grabbing spin rather than sensible proposals which could help the UK out of a recession.
Cater Allen launches capital guaranteed growth plan

28 Apr 2009

Cater Allen Private Bank has launched a FTSE-100 linked capital guaranteed structured product.
Cattles shares suspended

23 Apr 2009

Sub prime lender Cattles’ shares have been suspended on the London Stock Exchange due to its inability to post its 2008 accounts.
Cazenove goes on defensive for diversity tactical move

23 Apr 2009

Cazenove has nearly finished transforming its portfolio fund into the diversity tactical fund, with hedge funds set to be added during the final phase of the restructure.
City of London to launch Asia Value & Growth

22 Apr 2009

City of London Investment Group has recruited Sally Macdonald, who most recently worked at Dalton Strategic Partnership, and is to launch the Asia Value & Growth Fund for her on July 1.
City of London to launch Asia Value & Growth

22 Apr 2009

City of London Investment Group has recruited Sally Macdonald, who most recently worked at Dalton Strategic Partnership, and is to launch the Asia Value & Growth Fund for her on July 1.
Cofunds appoints ex-Selestia head of sales Nick Godfrey

24 Apr 2009

Cofunds has announced the appointment of former Selestia head of sales Nick Godfrey.
Consumer data in offshore centres could be at risk, says FSA

27 Apr 2009

The FSA says some UK financial services firms with outsourcing centres based offshore have poor vetting procedures and could be placing customer data at risk of financial crime.
Contributory factors

23 Apr 2009

Other firms look set to follow Aon's lead in cutting contributions into its pension scheme.
Convertible appeal

23 Apr 2009

To state the obvious, anything with a yield these days seems to be drawing attention. There has been a raft of equity income fund launches and a stunning £3bn in net inflows into bond asset classes in the first two months of the year, high-lighting the strong appeal of yield.
Corporate bonds dominate March sales, IMA stats

27 Apr 2009

The Corporate bond sector was the most popular UK domiciled net retail sector for March with inflows of £935.1m, according to the latest figures from the Investment Management Association.
Corporate bonds top Cofunds Q1 sales

23 Apr 2009

Corporate bonds have cleaned up once more with 39 per cent of Cofunds’ net sales for the first quarter.
cru fears FSA action

24 Apr 2009
cru fears FSA action

23 Apr 2009
Cru says FSA may view funds as "against spirit of regulation"

23 Apr 2009

Cru has warned that the FSA may view the structure of its suspended funds as “against the spirit of regulation".
Damage control

22 Apr 2009

Barclays has come clean about its failure to correctly categorise the Aviva global balanced income fund between July and November 2007, but investors say they are still out of pocket.
Darling wants to trim hedges

23 Apr 2009

Chancellor Alistair Darling has called for regulation of hedge funds and other "important institutions" in his Budget speech.
Decision close on Credit Suisse franchise sale

27 Apr 2009
Deflation hits annuities

23 Apr 2009

Inflation-linked annuity clients could see their income fall after the retail price index fell below zero for the first time since 1960.
Del Boy Darling trots out some rose-tinted figures

23 Apr 2009

Based on its recent track record, it is difficult to take the Government's predicted growth figures seriously beyond the current year.
Delay drawdown to May

23 Apr 2009

Advisers are urging investors on the verge of taking income drawdown to wait until May or they will lock into a record low level of income.
Dobson leaves Threadneedle

28 Apr 2009

Threadneedle has parted company with Katy Dobson, the manager of the Latin American fund.
Drive home value of advice

23 Apr 2009

As we wait for the next pronouncement on the retail distribution review, the issue of adviser competence is still very much on the agenda.
Duty bound

23 Apr 2009

Writing this piece ahead of the Budget, I am fantasising that it might bring a slowly increasing volume of mortgage applicants.
E&Y warns of tax compliance burden for insurance companies

23 Apr 2009

Ernst & Young says the Government’s liability changes for compliance in corporates will create a large burden for insurance companies.
Elms calls on advisers to reveal their platform to help in choice

23 Apr 2009

Unbiased.co.uk chief executive David Elms is calling on advisers to publish which platforms they use in order to help consumers in their choice of IFA.
Eurozone trade deficit to jump to €2 billion

22 Apr 2009
Every green option but savings changes will hit home more

23 Apr 2009

In a Budget that turned and twisted from pensioners to offshore wind farms, this undoubtedly was the greenest UK Budget, with a bleak background of the global recession and borrowing numbers compared with GDP much worse that indicated in November's PBR.
Exact offers to prove building society credit worthiness

28 Apr 2009

Exact is offering building societies the chance to have credit asset quality assessments on their mortgage books, at cost, to prove that Moody’s has got it wrong.
Expats can get FSCS protection

23 Apr 2009

AES International has launched a whole of market wrap platform which includes a managed banking service to help expatriates get protection under the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme.
F&C property trusts outperform

27 Apr 2009
Fay Goddard

23 Apr 2009

Personal Finance Society chief executive Fay Goddard declares: "You become almost addicted to this business, you either love it or you don't." Goddard clearly falls into the former camp and has dedicated her career to shaping policy and lobbying the FSA over key regulatory issues.
Financial industry through midpoint of crisis, says Barclays Capital CEO

23 Apr 2009

Barclays Capital chief executive Bob Diamond says the financial industry is through the midpoint of crisis and predicts a period of recovery of nine to 18 months, according to reports.
Firms to fast-track Network Data reps

23 Apr 2009

A total of 380 appointed representatives have been left in limbo this week after the FSA removed the permission of Network Data.
Fleming Family funds to launch more widely in UK

22 Apr 2009

Fleming Family and Partners Capital Management has appointed Spring Capital Partners to help expand the marketing and client service of their fund range in the UK market.
Flu fears continue to plague FTSE

28 Apr 2009

Swine flu fears continue to weigh on London equities for a second day with the FTSE 100 opening lower at 4,125 on its previous close of 4,167.
Foot review to consider interdependence between UK and offshore territories

22 Apr 2009
Former Skandia head Jim Roberts joins Insynergy

27 Apr 2009

Insynergy has appointed former Skandia group investment director Jim Roberts to head its investment committee.
France urged to cut public spending

28 Apr 2009

France may suffer less than other developed countries from the credit crunch, but needs to reduce its public deficit, increase employment and enhance competition if it is to fully revive its private sector, according to a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Friends Prov set to team up with Tesco for protection

28 Apr 2009

Friends Provident has agreed in principle to provide protection products for Tesco Personal Finance.
FSA changes compensation scheme limits

24 Apr 2009

The FSA is changing the Financial Services Compensation Scheme limits for investment and home finance advice to £50,000 and for insurance to 90 per cent of the claim, with no upper limit.
FSA must now get tough, says Which?

24 Apr 2009

Consumer body Which? is calling for the FSA to tighten up on the regulation of banks, claiming consumers will lose out unless it takes action now.
FSA should emphasise advice need

23 Apr 2009

After reading an article on the FSA's misleading annuity listings, I had a quick scan round the Money Made Clear section of the FSA's website, I have to say it appears to be pretty good and user-friendly but it is not what it overtly implies itself to be, namely whole of market.
FSA to regulate retail banking conduct from November

24 Apr 2009

The FSA will take over all retail banking conduct regulation for deposit taking and payment services from the Banking Code Standards Board in November 2009.
FSA warns over-65s of financial fraudsters

27 Apr 2009

The FSA is warning that people over 65 are more likely to be targeted by fraudsters and con artists, according to research by the regulator.
FTSE hit by swine flu fears

27 Apr 2009

The FTSE 100 opened lower this morning at 4,133 down from Friday’s close of 4,156 with news of Mexico’s swine flu epidemic sending London equities tumbling.
FTSE lower after Budget hype

23 Apr 2009

The FTSE opened lower at 4,025 on yesterday’s close of 4,031 with banks weak in early trades.
FTSE opens flat

22 Apr 2009

The FTSE was hovering around the 4,000 mark this morning ahead of Alistair Darling’s Budget speech.
Gartmore - UK Absolute Return Fund

24 Apr 2009

GartmoreUK Absolute Return Fund
Gartmore looks to home fund

23 Apr 2009

Gartmore's multi-manager team has invested in a fund managed by Gartmore for the first time.
Gartmore pair issue warning on green shoots

23 Apr 2009

Gartmore fund managers Roger Guy and Guillaume Rambourg have called on investors to be wary of green shoots as macro and corporate news flow remains bleak.
Gold price reaches four-week high

28 Apr 2009

The price of gold reached $919.70 an ounce on Monday after China announced it had almost doubled its gold reserves.
Govt naming and shaming of tax evaders open to abuse, says PKF

23 Apr 2009

PKF Accountants & business advisers says the Government’s plans to publish names of serious tax defaulters could force legitimate taxpayers to accept HM Revenue and Custom’s arguments for fear of appearing on the list.
Halifax offers £250k stamp duty relief for first-timers

27 Apr 2009

Halifax is offering to pay the stamp duty on all first-time buyer properties between £175,000 and £250,000.
Heir and now

23 Apr 2009

Bank rate may be at an all-time low and house prices have plunged from their high of two years ago but first-time buyers are still struggling due to a variety of factors, including the need nowadays for a bigger deposit to get a mortgage and much tighter lending criteria.
High street lending falls in March

27 Apr 2009

High street lending fell slightly in March as the banks continued to be hit by a “fragile” market.
High-rate relief cuts pose peril for pensions

23 Apr 2009

Advisers warn that the Chancellor's move to axe higher-rate tax relief on pension contributions for high-earners will be highly damaging to pension savings.
HNWs to boost advice demand

23 Apr 2009

Advisers will benefit from an increased demand for financial advice from high-net-worth individuals after Chancellor Alistair Darling hiked the higher rate of income tax to 50 per cent.
Holloway takes step forward in income protection

24 Apr 2009

Holloway Friendly SocietyPersonal Income Protection
How misselling feeds fraud

23 Apr 2009

Desperate times breed desperate measures, as we all know, and nowhere is this more evident than in the connection between recession and crime.
HSBC Global Markets - Protected FTSE 100 Index Bonus Plan IV

24 Apr 2009

HSBC Global MarketsProtected FTSE 100 Index Bonus Plan IV
Ignis fund loses A rating

28 Apr 2009

OBSR Fund Ratings has reviewed a series of bond funds, resulting in the withdrawal of the A rating from the Ignis Corporate Bond fund.
IMA reveals hike in Isa sales

27 Apr 2009
IMF downgrades growth outlook

22 Apr 2009

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made several revisions to its global GDP growth forecasts in its twice-yearly World Economic Outlook.
IMF downgrades growth outlook

23 Apr 2009

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has made several revisions to its global GDP growth forecasts in its twice-yearly World Economic Outlook.
Inflation forecast for 1% by year-end

23 Apr 2009

Chancellor Alistair Darling says inflation will drop to 1 per cent by the end of this year but he forecast the retail price index measure will drop to -3 per cent by September before reaching 0 per cent next year.
Ins and outs

23 Apr 2009

In recent years, some insurers with pension books have decided that providing a pension annuity for maturing policy-holders is not for them and have taken the decision to outsource. The reasons for this are manifold but key to the decision-making process is the longevity and investment risk and the capital requirements of the insurer.
Invesco's chief economist challenges Budget outlook

24 Apr 2009

Invesco Perpetual chief economist John Greenwood has questioned the outlook offered by Chancellor Alistair Darling in this year’s Budget.
Investec misses panel targets

23 Apr 2009

Investec is offering a new tranche of structured products but has missed the mark for several adviser panels due to its credit rating.
Investec Structured Products - Capital Guaranteed FTSE 100 Income Plan 1

24 Apr 2009

Investec Structured ProductsCapital Guaranteed FTSE 100 Income Plan 1
Investment trusts need to consolidate

22 Apr 2009
Japanese exports down 45.6%

23 Apr 2009

Japanese exports plummeted by 45.6% in March compared with a year earlier.
Japanese exports down 45.6%

24 Apr 2009

Japanese exports plummeted by 45.6% in March compared with a year earlier.
JPM to launch ‘best ideas’ global bond fund

27 Apr 2009

J.P. Morgan Asset Management is launching a strategic bond fund under the leadership of Bob Michele.
Julius Baer launches energy fund

27 Apr 2009

Julius Baer is launching an energy fund to the British retail market.
Julius Baer launches energy fund

28 Apr 2009

Julius Baer is launching an energy fund to the British retail market.
Jupiter global tech merges into global managed fund

24 Apr 2009

Jupiter’s global technology fund has officially merged into the firm’s global managed fund.
Just Retirement appoints head of sales

27 Apr 2009

Just Retirement has appointed John Pyburn as associate director for IFA sales.
Keydata launches new adviser website

27 Apr 2009

Keydata has launched a new website for advisers to help their understanding of structured products.
L&G growth backing insurance companies

23 Apr 2009
Lloyds cuts 910 jobs in motor division

23 Apr 2009

Lloyds Banking Group is shedding 910 full-time jobs in motor division over a two-year period, affecting 985 staff in total.
Loan book loophole lets firms escape FSA rules

23 Apr 2009

Oakwood Global Finance is calling on the FSA to close the regulatory loophole allowing unregulated bodies to own mortgage books.
Loose connection

23 Apr 2009

I find it disappointing when life companies do some really good work which is undermined by failing to recognise basic issues about how IFAs work.
Luckraft removed from Skandia best ideas fund

22 Apr 2009

Skandia has removed Axa Framlington’s George Luckraft from the manager line-up on its UK Strategic Best Ideas fund.
M&G restructures bond fund

28 Apr 2009

M&G is changing the structure of its Global Macro Bond fund to make it more easily accessible to fund of funds managers.
M2000 to become Brilliant Mortgages

24 Apr 2009

The M2000 mortgage club acquired by Exclusive Connections from moneysupermarket.com will be known as Brilliant Mortgages.
Macro website launched

24 Apr 2009
Macro website launched

23 Apr 2009
Manager focus: Andy Brough

28 Apr 2009

Andy Brough, the manager of the Schroders UK Mid 250 fund, has admitted to investors they would have fared better in an index fund than his mandate.
Manager focus: George Lee

24 Apr 2009
Manager focus: George Lee

23 Apr 2009
March mortgage lending up 16%

22 Apr 2009

The Council of Mortgage Lenders has revealed that gross mortgage lending for March rocketed 16 per cent on February’s numbers.
Martin Currie extracts growth from energy

24 Apr 2009

Martin Currie has brought out a global energy fund to take advantage of long-term growth potential in a sector where valuations have fallen significantly since last year.
Martin Currie sees assets plunge

24 Apr 2009
Martin Currie sees funds under management slide 37%

23 Apr 2009

Martin Currie has announced a 37 per cent fall in funds under management despite recording a rise in profits before tax in 2008.
'Mean spirit' delays pension rise

23 Apr 2009

Pension consultant Ros Altmann has labelled Chancellor Alistair Darling "mean-spirited" for waiting until November to implement a £4,000 boost to the capital disregard on pension credit.
Michele to manage best ideas fund

28 Apr 2009

JP Morgan Asset Management is to launch a global best ideas bond fund under Bob Michele.
Mike Allison made redundant from Personal Touch

23 Apr 2009

Personal Touch Financial Services managing director Mike Allison has been made redundant after seven years at the network.
Million in negative equity

23 Apr 2009

Nearly a million mortgage borrowers have fallen into negative equity, the Council of Mortgage Lenders has revealed.
Missed opportunity knocks on door of a decade of debt

23 Apr 2009

Conservative leader David Cameron says the Budget was "a missed opportunity" and called the Government's economic model "fundamentally bust" huge level of borrowing.
Money Portal could opt for sale after review

23 Apr 2009

Money Portal has revealed that an outright sale is one of the options under consideration in its strategic review.
Money Portal non-executive director Richard Hambro has died

27 Apr 2009

Money Portal non-executive director Richard Hambro died on Saturday after battling with a serious illness.
More complexity but little impact

23 Apr 2009

The Chancellor continued the Government's long-standing approach to fiscal policy by extending the complexity of the personal tax system.
More declines in property sector

28 Apr 2009
More declines in property sector

27 Apr 2009
Mortgages For Business launches buy-to-let system

23 Apr 2009

Mortgages for Business has launched a buy-to-let sourcing and portfolio management system, Mortgage Flow.
Move to improve transparency

23 Apr 2009

The Government will be publishing a Treasury paper with recommendations to improve the transparency of financial institutions.
Mushrooming Euro funds pose problems for investors

23 Apr 2009

Seven Investment Management director Justin Urquhart Stewart claims that the proliferation of small European investment funds could damage returns for investors.
New tax framework for investment trusts

23 Apr 2009

The Government will intro-duce a new tax framework for investment trust companies on September 1 enabling them to invest tax-efficiently in bonds and other interest-bearing assets.
No hiding place with another offshore amnesty

23 Apr 2009

The Government is ramping up its efforts to tackle tax evasion with a new disclosure facility for offshore bank accountholders which will run until March 2010.
Northern Rock arrears up 25%

23 Apr 2009

Northern Rock has revealed its arrears rate has increased by more than 25 per cent in the first three months of 2009.
OBSR strips Ignis corporate bond of rating

28 Apr 2009

OBSR has stripped the suspended A rating from the Ignis corporate bond fund and removed it from the service.
Offshore moves aim to close tax loopholes

23 Apr 2009

Following the Government's presidency of the G20, the Budget announced that a new offshore disclosure opportunity will run until March 2010.
OFT bans Croydon-based estate agent

27 Apr 2009

The Office of Fair Trading has issued a prohibition order banning a Croydon estate agent for failing to disclose a personal interest in the sale of a property which stood to make her £65,000.
OPM in recovery mode

23 Apr 2009

Multi-manager OPM believes its core and satellite approach to portfolio management should ensure that it does not miss the first signs of a recovery in equity markets.
Park Row records £5.8m loss in 2008

27 Apr 2009

The Royal Liver Group has recorded a £5.8m operating loss during 2008 for its national IFA firm Park Row.
Pensioners hit by rate cuts turning to equity release

23 Apr 2009

More savers are looking to equity release as the reduction in interest rates has cut pensioners' income by almost a quarter over the last year.
Pioneer launches new short-term IP product

24 Apr 2009

Pioneer has launched a short-term income protection product aimed specifically at offering cover for essential payments.
Platforum teams up with Perception for wrap seminars

23 Apr 2009

Platforum and Perception Support have teamed up to host a series of platform workshops for IFAs confused about at the wrap market.
PMI sales increase by 2.2m in 2008

27 Apr 2009

The number of people covered by private medical insurance increased by 2.2 million in 2008, figures released by the Association of British Insurers reveal today.
Political times

23 Apr 2009

The general election countdown has well and truly started. The next is due by spring 2010 so is it a bit early to say it has begun? Just look at the dirty tricks campaign that Gordon Brown, Labour and various puppets have been trying to distance themselves from.
Private investors move back into equities

27 Apr 2009

Private investors invested £800m in equities in February and March.
Prudential appoints ex-Aviva financial director as chief financial officer

27 Apr 2009

Prudential has appointed former Aviva financial control director Nicolaos Nicandrou as its chief financial officer and group board director.
Ransacking retirement

23 Apr 2009

So the Government raided pensions... again.
Rating shock could scupper guarantees

23 Apr 2009

The Budget contained few surprises and little help for the beleaguered housing and mortgage markets.
RBS exchange and tender offers to raise £4.5bn

24 Apr 2009

Royal Bank of Scotland subsidiary, RBS Financing, has invited bondholders to exchange or tender certain securities in a move which is expected to raise £4.5bn.
Regulator must take tough line on critical advice

23 Apr 2009

FSA research published last week about advice on critical-illness cover was good news for advisers.
Rescue plans are a letdown

23 Apr 2009

Homeloan experts are disappointed with the mortgage rescue measures in the Budget.
Revised scheme of arrangement could improve payout for KSF IoM depositors

24 Apr 2009

The Isle of Man is revising its proposed scheme of arrangement for KSFIoM depositors after a better than expected estimated return from the sister bank in London.
RGA launches trump card CI initiative

27 Apr 2009

Reinsurer RGA has launched a series of trump cards designed to help people understand more about critical illness.
RSA cuts 400 jobs in UK

24 Apr 2009

RSA Insurance Group is cutting 400 jobs from its Bristol-based operations division in a bid to save £70m.
Schroders' profits halved

24 Apr 2009
Schroders Q1 profits down 54%

23 Apr 2009

Schroders has reported a 54 per cent drop in first quarter pre-tax profits to £35.9m from £77.9m for the three months to March 31.
Scot Prov Turner-Holmes leaves after management reshuffle

23 Apr 2009

Scottish Provident marketing director Alison Turner-Holmes is leaving the firm weeks after its management merger with Bright Grey.
Sea change

23 Apr 2009

One of the great Bob Dylan's songs proclaimed "The times, they are a-changin'," and anyone who contemplates the current world of regulation will know that's true - and then some. But I'm not talking about regulation's impact on firms, let alone the clients they serve, but about the structure of regulation and the bodies who regulate the industry.
Security scheme needs wholesale widening

23 Apr 2009

Mortgage industry pundits have warned more is needed to boost wholesale mortgage markets.
Seeing red

23 Apr 2009

Is the FSA's aim to get rid of independent financial advisers? When you consider the sheer weight of regulation imposed on IFAs, it is enough to make you think that the FSA is out to get us. Just consider some of the main proposals - the retail distribution review, treating customers fairly and the latest proposals for capital adequacy.
Selection process

23 Apr 2009

Now is the worst time for big macro calls in fixed income. Instead, we are in an environment where stock selection will be absolutely crucial. The economy is practically at the moment of peak uncertainty and it is nigh-on impossible to see clear macro trends.
Selestia online transactions treble after charges axed

23 Apr 2009

Skandia says daily online transactions have nearly trebled on its Selestia Investment Solutions platform since it axed initial charges last September.
Sense of value

23 Apr 2009

My client is divorcing her husband. He has several pension schemes. Can you explain why the transfer values appear to be so different?
Sesame set for network boost

23 Apr 2009

Sesame says it expects to gain around 250 of the two Thinc networks' 290 members after Bluefin Advisory Services announced it is closing both networks.
SHIP hails capital disregard hike

23 Apr 2009

Safe Homes Income Plan has hailed the Government’s decision to raise the capital disregard levels to £10,000, which is now in line with many equity release drawdown minimums.
SIPPs in Times of Uncertainty

23 Apr 2009

Despite the uncertain economic conditions, millions of people and businesses still go about their daily work and keep things moving. Most of them will continue to do so – perhaps with a change of direction in many cases – and, though some casualties are inevitable, large numbers will prosper over time.
Sir Fred could lose knighthood

24 Apr 2009

Sir Fred Goodwin could be stripped of his knighthood after mounting calls for the move in Parliament.
SJP Q1 net sales drop 4.9 per cent

28 Apr 2009

Lloyds backed wealth manager St James Place reported a 4.9 per cent decline in Q1 net sales to £93.8m for the three months ending March 31, from £98.7m a year earlier.
Skandia Investment Group - SGF Global Bond Fund

24 Apr 2009

Skandia Investment GroupSGF Global Bond Fund
Skandia removes Luckraft from UK strategic best ideas

22 Apr 2009

Skandia Investment Group has removed George Luckraft from the its UK strategic best ideas fund.
Small earthquake in Chile

23 Apr 2009

Something has been bothering me about the recent reports that John Duffield is to launch a new investment venture but I cannot put my finger on exactly what. Still, I have a column to write and a deadline to meet so we will just have to embark on this gentle voyage of discovery together.
Societies in black books

23 Apr 2009

Moody's has downgraded most of the UK's top building societies en masse as confidence in mutuals' loan books and investments continues to slide.
Sovereign debt downgrades on the rise

22 Apr 2009

Downgrades of sovereign debt outnumbered upgrades in the first quarter of 2009 by almost 18 to 1, according to a report from IHS Global Insight which surveyed moves throughout the world by credit rating agencies.
Standard Life adds BMAM and Rathbone IM to Sipp

27 Apr 2009

Standard Life has added discretionary fund managers Brooks Macdonald Asset Management and Rathbone Investment Management to its Sipp platform.
'Stimulus is not enough'

23 Apr 2009

Artemis fund manager William Littlewood says the Government's fiscal stimulus and quantitative easing are not enough to steer the economy out of the crisis.
Structure stability

23 Apr 2009

The infrastructure-related sector can provide long-term core holdings with good growth prospects and First State's specialist fund aims to keep it simple, with the manager convinced that he has value in his portfolioInfrastructure is everywhere, from electricity pylons, gas pipes and water mains to toll roads, railway lines and airports. These things are used all day, every day across the world and are in constant need of maintenance and upgrades.
Suffolk Life scraps establishment fee and AMC for protected rights

22 Apr 2009

Suffolk Life has scrapped the establishment and annual administration fee on its Sipp for protected rights funds.
Supermarket Sweep

28 Apr 2009

Friends Provident's decision to extend the reach of its protection distribution by teaming up with supermarket giant Tesco has added more pressure on the adviser community.
Swiss Re Group Watch report reveals 22% rise in group CI

23 Apr 2009

Total in-force premiums for group critical illness cover were up 22 per cent during 2008 to £45m from £37.2m in 2007, Swiss Re’s group watch 2009 report has revealed.
Take the long view

23 Apr 2009

While not hit as hard as some other sectors of the financial services industry, the start of 2009 has seen more evidence that the equity-release market has not been immune to the credit crunch.
Tax credit extended to offshore funds

23 Apr 2009

The Government has extended the 10 per cent dividend tax credit to investors in offshore funds, except those with more than 60 per cent of their investments in interest-bearing assets.
Tax hike to take toll on homeloans

23 Apr 2009

The ability of higher-earners to secure mortgage finance could be seriously damaged by the changes to higher rate' income tax next year, according to experts.
Tax relief slashed for top-earners

23 Apr 2009

From April 2011, people earning over £180,000 will see their pension tax relief restricted to the basic rate of 20 per cent. Those earning between £150,000 and £180,000 will get relief at a rate between 40 and 20 per cent.
Team tactics

23 Apr 2009

Martin Currie is another boutique with a century-plus legacy, although its greatest strides in the retail market have come in the last four years.
Technical Connection Budget 2009 Commentary

23 Apr 2009

How do the Chancellor's proposals affect financial advisers and their clients?
Tenet offers loans to members

23 Apr 2009

Tenet is making loans available to its member firms as many businesses struggle to get credit from banks.
The ETF dream

23 Apr 2009

If you believe the hype, you would be forgiven for thinking that exchange traded funds have become the investment choice of private investors or that they pose a serious threat to the mutual fund industry.
The fear market

23 Apr 2009

Last week, I started my look at some important current realities underpinning investment attitudes and action. These were founded on research carried out with US investors and advisers but I believe that there are some useful insights that we can draw on when considering the UK.
The income outcome

23 Apr 2009

The decline in interest rates has hit pensioners hard but is equity release the answer?
Threadneedle switches manager on Latin America fund

27 Apr 2009

Threadneedle has appointed Julian Thompson as manager of its Latin America fund following the departure of Katy Dobson.
Time for more portfolio protection

23 Apr 2009

In the past two years structured products – or, as we prefer to call them, protected investments - have gained a much higher share of the retail investment market.
Tough conditions but we’re pushing forward, says FPI

28 Apr 2009

Friends Provident International first quarter sales in Asia have halved from last year’s figures but the firm says it remains focused on international growth.
Trust tax rate will rise to 50%

23 Apr 2009

From April 2010, the tax rate of trusts will rise to 50 per cent. This replaces the 45 per cent additional rate announced in November's pre-Budget. The dividend trust rate for discretionary trusts will also increase from 32.5 per cent to 42.5 per cent.
Two-way tug

23 Apr 2009

With the Budget known by the time you read this, I feel making any predictions on the short-term direction of markets risky. What does seem likely is that the two-way pull that has characterised the influences on investor psychology will continue for some while yet.
UK GDP down 1.6% in first quarter

23 Apr 2009

The Chancellor has revealed that UK GDP fell by 1.6 per cent in the first quarter of 2009 and predicts the economy will contract by 3.5 at the end of the year.
UK was not well placed for the recession - Moody’s

24 Apr 2009

Contrary to the assurances of the Prime Minister, the UK was not well placed for a financial crisis of this magnitude says Moody’s rating agency.
Unitholders approve Fidelity closures

27 Apr 2009
Variations on sacrifice

23 Apr 2009

The concept of salary sacrifice, or salary exchange as it is often known now, has been around for a long time but has become increasingly common over the last few years. It involves an employer paying a pension contribution that would otherwise have been paid by an employee.
Virgin could buy Rock by end of the year

27 Apr 2009

Northern Rock could be sold off by the end of the year to Sir Richard Branson, according to the Sunday Times.
Vote for india

23 Apr 2009

India goes to the polls for a general election this month but the outcome of the election is not top of the concerns of many of the fund managers investing in the world's biggest democracy.
Ways and means

23 Apr 2009

You are aware, I am sure, that I think means-testing and the way it can devalue the private pension savings of some people is the biggest problem we have today in our pension system in the UK.
'Whistle blower' accuses regulator of failing to police societies

23 Apr 2009

A former FSA supervisor has accused the regulator of "apathy and complacency" in its regulation of building societies before the financial crisis.
Wrongs and rights

23 Apr 2009

Much has been said about Lord Hunt's review of the Financial Ombudsman Service although many important aspects appear to have been overlooked.
Zurich Financial Services - Guaranteed Capital Account 23

24 Apr 2009

Zurich Financial ServicesGuaranteed Capital Account 23
Zurich makes group risk debut

24 Apr 2009

Zurich Corporate Risk has made its debut in the group risk market and aims to be a top five player in the group risk market by 2012.
Zurich to try initial cash for pensions

23 Apr 2009

Zurich is piloting initial commission payments for advisers on corporate pensions.

Money Marketing22 April 2009

Money Marketing
22 April 2009