Money Marketing
23 January 2008

  • Non-dom tax rethink 'a work in progress'

    24 Jan 2008

    HM Revenue & Customs says changes to non-domicile taxation planned for April remain a “work in progress”. Tax experts have predicted that the draft legislation, published last week, could provoke an exodus of wealthy foreigners over the proposed £30,000 tax.

  • £6M consultant fees on personal accounts

    24 Jan 2008

    The Government has revealed it has already spent over £6m on fees for consultants to advise on pension personal accounts.

  • 50,000 Part-timers could lose out on personal accounts

    24 Jan 2008

    Around 50,000 people could miss out on pension personal accounts because they have multiple earnings below the £5,000 threshold for auto-enrolment.

  • A shaw thing

    24 Jan 2008

    Sam Shaw is a reporter on Money MarketingHaving just about persuaded Sumus chairman Paul Bradshaw not to pimp me as the wife-to-be of a certain mutual friend of ours (I think…), I wound up whisky-ing into the early hours of Saturday morning following the Falcon conference, with my partners in booze being none other than a sprightly young lady called Sophie from Falcon and Messrs Middleton, Chapman and McGonigle from their various fund houses plus some random hangers-on. ...

  • A VCT with a Noble Aim

    24 Jan 2008

    Noble Fund Managers is raising up to £14m for its Noble Aim VCT, previously the First State Investments Aim VCT.

  • Aberdeen sees potential investment opportunities in Asia

    24 Jan 2008

    Following the recent sharp declines in Asian equities, any further share price corrections would be good for the financial health of the region and create opportunities for investors, says Aberdeen.

  • Adviser Fund Index: Playing cautiously

    24 Jan 2008

    Cautious managed funds have become increasingly popular in recent months as investors have sought shelter from uncertainty in the equity and commercial property markets. According to statistics from the Investment Management Association, the cautious managed sector was the most popular retail sector in November with a net inflow of over £150m.

  • Advisers are optimistic on offshore prospects

    24 Jan 2008

    Advisers are confident that their offshore business will remain buoyant despite threats of a global economic downturn, says Legal & General.

  • Advisers' regulatory fees soar by 15% to pay £18m cost of TCF

    24 Jan 2008

    FSA fees for advisers are to rise by 10 to 15 per cent to cover the estimated £18m cost of its treating customers fairly initiative.

  • Aegon offers initial discount on fund trio

    25 Jan 2008

    Aegon Asset Management is offering a discounted initial charge on three of the funds within its UK offering.

  • Aifa launches manifesto for advice

    28 Jan 2008

    The Association of Independent Financial Advisers launched its manifesto for advice at a parliamentary event with pensions minister Mike O'Brien today.

  • Aifa wants fee on frivolous complainants

    24 Jan 2008

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

  • AIFA warns FSA to carefully consider TCF messages

    23 Jan 2008

    The Association of Independent Financial Advisers has warned the FSA to “consider carefully” the messages it sends to advisers over the implementation of TCF.

  • Algorithm adviser in switch to guilty plea

    24 Jan 2008

    A financial adviser faces a lengthy jail term after changing his plea to admit breaches of the Financial Services Act during a hearing before the High Court in Glasgow.

  • Alliance & Leicester has funding in place until end of 2008

    29 Jan 2008

    Alliance & Leicester has updated its November pre-close trading statement and says it now has enough funding in place until the end of 2008.

  • An Epic adventure for VCT

    23 Jan 2008

    Epic Private EquityEpic VCT

  • Arc acquires investment business

    28 Jan 2008

    Arc Fund Management Holdings has added to its business offering with the acquisition of Independent Investment Associates (IIA) Limited for some £2.1m.

  • Automatic for the people

    24 Jan 2008

    The retail distribution review has provoked a great deal of debate across the industry over how the proposals might affect advisers and providers but there has been less focus on the practicalities of delivering these enhanced services to the consumer.

  • Bad hare days

    24 Jan 2008

    Given the state of global stockmarkets, I suspect that most people would have settled for investing in a cautious fund over the last year or so. The only problem is that the definition of a cautious fund varies enormously.

  • Barclays - Super Tracker

    25 Jan 2008

    BarclaysSuper Tracker

  • Baring looking at Asia and Euro income

    24 Jan 2008

    Baring Asset Management is considering setting up new Asia and income funds this year.

  • Bond aid

    24 Jan 2008

    The Northern Rock endgame moved a stage closer this week after the Government agreed to convert the stricken lender's Bank of England loan into state-backed bonds.

  • Bond bid to boost bidders for Rock

    24 Jan 2008

    A private sector solution for Northern Rock is back on the cards after the Government set out plans to convert the firm's £25bn Bank of England loans into state-backed bonds.

  • Boom at the top as the Sipp sector hits £50bn

    24 Jan 2008

    Suffolk Life estimates the Sipp market now tops £50bn after 25 per cent growth in 2007.

  • Broker Talkback

    24 Jan 2008

    Should the Government nationalise Northern Rock?

  • Brown in £500k pension sacrifice

    24 Jan 2008

    Prime Minister Gordon Brown is scrapping some of his pension entitlements in a bid to set an example to MPs on salary and pensions.

  • Brown thinks Northern Rock rescue will make profit

    24 Jan 2008

    The Prime Minister told MPs yesterday at Question Time that it believes it will make a profit from its rescue of Northern Rock.

  • Brunel fails to bridge the gap

    24 Jan 2008

    Falcon admits that inflows into its Brunel fund of funds range have been well short of target.

  • By gum, we've made it

    24 Jan 2008

    Congratulations to Caunce O'Hara insurance broker Tim Bell, who successfully completed a 4,100-mile charity car rally to Mali with his dad.The route took them through France, Spain, Gibraltar, Morocco and Mauritania and into Mali.At one point, pieces of the car, which cost under £100, had to be stuck on with chewing gum.The Bells raised £2,523 which will benefit local Malian charities, including local orphanages.

  • CAR crash as Skandia slams 'desperate' life offices

    24 Jan 2008

    Skandia has hit out at the Association of British Insurers' call for customer-agreed remuneration to be mandatory for advisers but not direct sales, saying it is based on the self-interest of "desperate old traditional" members.

  • Caroline Flint appointed housing minister

    28 Jan 2008

    Caroline Flint has been appointed housing minister at the Department for Communities and Local Government.

  • Charcol behind with the filing

    24 Jan 2008

    John Charcol has admitted it will have to file its latest set of accounts over three months late due to a number of directorate changes.

  • Charcol sets up free deal for phone advice

    24 Jan 2008

    John Charcol is to offer free whole of market mortgage advice over the phone.

  • Clarkson Hill in the black

    24 Jan 2008

    Clarkson Hill Group has posted its first-ever profit along with a 36 per cent increase in turn-over from £13.4m to £18.3m for the year ending July 31, 2007.Profits were £25,279 compared with a £323,998 loss the previous year. Operating efficiency improved to 19.6 per cent from 22 per cent in 2006.Funds under management rose by 88 per cent to £712m from £378m. New single-premium investments increased by 51 per cent to £250m compared with £165m in 2006.

  • Close Investments suspends property dealing

    25 Jan 2008

    Close Investments has temporarily suspended dealing in its property investment portfolio.

  • Cofunds warns investors ‘do not ignore ISAs’

    24 Jan 2008

    Cofunds is urging investors concerned by global market volatility not to relinquish their ISA allowance this year. It says those who have not taken out an ISA using this year’s £7,000 allowance will see it vanish if they do not act before the end of the tax year.

  • Collins Stewart - UK Focus Fund

    29 Jan 2008

    Collins StewartUK Focus Fund

  • Cru creates 'win-win' investment in Africa

    29 Jan 2008

    Cru Investment ManagementAfrica Invest Capital Protected Plan

  • Darling gives CGT concessions to entrepreneurs

    24 Jan 2008

    Alistair Darling has confirmed a flat rate of 18 per cent capital gains tax will be introduced on April 6 but has offered concessions to small business owners.

  • David Thompson

    24 Jan 2008

    Barely a year on from his appointment as managing director of Winterthur Life, David Thompson has just landed another role.

  • Dawnay Day Quantum - Protected Agricultural Commodities II

    25 Jan 2008

    Dawnay Day QuantumEuropean Stockmarket Maximiser III

  • Defence union in onslaught at 'unnatural justice' by FOS

    24 Jan 2008

    The IFA Defence Union has made a scathing attack on the Financial Ombudsman Service, suggesting the organisation works "contrary to fair play and common sense".

  • Divorcees must prioritise seeking advice, says Towry

    23 Jan 2008

    Towry Law says couples facing divorce should seek financial planning advice as early as possible.

  • Don't ignore the FSCS

    24 Jan 2008

    The January 10 issue featured a letter from "Name and address supplied" concerning the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The thrust of the letter was that if you are pursued by the FSCS over claims relating to a departed colleague, if you ignore it, it will go away. The letter contained several other misconceptions.

  • 'Don't publish all findings'

    24 Jan 2008

    Publishing all FOS decisions could set precedents and lead to consumers relying on past decisions to influence the outcome of their case, says Yorkshire Building Society.

  • Double trouble

    24 Jan 2008

    An old friend of mine, a seasoned campaigner in the battlefields that can constitute the world of derivatives trading, keeps me up to speed on some of the more esoteric influences on markets. Through him, I learned early on of the impending sub-prime crisis. Such assistance should not go unrewarded so I rang him last week to suggest a convivial lunch by way of a thank you. "Too busy," he said.

  • Drawdown brings boost for equity release

    24 Jan 2008

    Demand for equity release increased by 9 per cent in 2007, with the popularity of lifetime mortgages declining in favour of drawdown.

  • Duffield pledges changes after New Star nightmare

    24 Jan 2008

    New Star's share price nosedived last week after it issued a profit warning following a £1.6bn loss in the second half of 2007.

  • Ex-Britannic chief joins Rock board

    24 Jan 2008

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

  • Exit polls

    24 Jan 2008

    Falcon chief executive Allan Rosengren has highlighted growing concerns over some of the exit strategies being offered to advisers who sell their businesses or retire.

  • Extended edition

    24 Jan 2008

    We have had proposed fundamental changes to capital gains tax, as well as the so-called transferable nil-rate band, to assimilate in the wake of the preBudget report.

  • F&C put through the rumour mill

    24 Jan 2008

    After a difficult 12 months at F&C that have seen dividends cut and takeover rumours rife, reports now suggest that parent Friends Provident may sell its 53 per cent stake in the firm.

  • Fee axed for £150k Sipps

    24 Jan 2008

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

  • Fergie's a cut above

    24 Jan 2008

    A little bird tells the Diary that Nucleus is now doubling as a hairdressing salon.

  • Fidelity hires Morgan Stanley stalwart to multi-manager team

    24 Jan 2008

    Fidelity International has announced the appointment of Dermott Whelan to its MultiManager team as portfolio manager.

  • Fipp can flip pension income options

    24 Jan 2008

    Hornbuckle Mitchell is offering a drawdown product which allows retirees to move into a scheme pension.

  • Fisher takes over at summit

    24 Jan 2008

    Controversial Towry Law chief executive Andrew Fisher has been elected chair of the Personal Finance Society Leaders Summit Group.

  • Five per cent of people have lied on protection applications says Friends

    23 Jan 2008

    Five per cent of people have lied on protection applications and one in five people do not read all the terms and conditions before they sign up according to Friends Provident.

  • Flowers set for Friends £4bn bid

    24 Jan 2008

    JC Flowers is considering an offer for Friends Provident, believed to be around £4bn.

  • Flowers, Chinese whispers and windfalls

    24 Jan 2008

    The life industry received a bit of a shake-up this week as Friends Provident was understood to have had an informal takeover offer from US private equity firm JC Flowers.

  • Friends in need

    24 Jan 2008

    January can be a pretty sobering time - literally for some. Apparently, more divorce proceedings begin in this month than any other. Depression is seasonally very high and then there are all those who leave their job, cut off their hair, commence a mid-life crisis or just sit around moping.

  • Friends Prov offshore fund launches

    25 Jan 2008

    Friends Provident International has launched an 80 per cent global growth protector fund.

  • Friends says appeals may pose threat

    24 Jan 2008

    The Financial Ombudsman Service should not introduce an appeal process as it could undermine the service and damage its reputation, says Friends Provident.

  • FSA ad seeks successor to McCarthy

    24 Jan 2008

    The Treasury is advertising for a successor to FSA chairman Sir Callum McCarthy who is due to retire in September.

  • FSA looks to ensure SocGen is not repeated at home

    28 Jan 2008

    The banking world suffered another serious blow last week with the discovery that a rogue trader at Societe Generale, Jerome Kerviel, committed fraud to the tune of £3.7bn.

  • FSA to review rules on comparison sites

    24 Jan 2008

    The FSA is to undertake a review of the rules that govern insurance comparison websites following pressure from Biba. It will look into whether the guidance given by the sites constitutes advice.

  • FSA warns mortgage intermediaries that profitability may drop

    29 Jan 2008

    The FSA is warning that mortgage intermediaries and packagers could face pressures on profitability due to declining business volumes.

  • FundsNetwork launches five fund of funds

    28 Jan 2008

    Fidelity FundsNetwork is adding five fund of funds portfolios to its platform in a bid to counter the potential effects of the retail distribution review on advisers.

  • Future of DB Mortgages unclear as Dudgeon axed

    24 Jan 2008

    Deutsche Bank has refused to comment on the long-term future of DB Mortgages after it confirmed that managing director Bill Dudgeon has been made redundant.

  • GE Money seeks clutch of new lending partnerships

    24 Jan 2008

    GE Money Home Lending is to sign up a dozen new partnerships in the direct-tobroker channel in the first quarter of this year.

  • 'Get training on needs of small firms'

    24 Jan 2008

    The Federation of Small Businesses has called on the Financial Ombudsman Service to raise awareness of its services with small firms.

  • Gilmour moves from Clerical to PosSol

    24 Jan 2008

    Keith Gilmour has been appointed marketing director at Positive Solutions. He joins from Clerical Medical where he was head of distribution.

  • Gov announces review into private rented sector

    23 Jan 2008

    The Government has announced plans to conduct a major independent review into the private rented sector.

  • Government must clarify CGT, urges Beacon Asset Management

    23 Jan 2008

    Beacon Asset Management director Simon Goldthorpe has called on the government to urgently clarify proposed reforms to capital gains tax.

  • Gross mortgages lowest for two years

    24 Jan 2008

    Gross mortgage lending in December was at its lowest monthly figure for over two years, falling by 25 per cent from November's figure. The Council of Mortgage Lenders estimates December's gross lending at 22.6bn, the lowest monthly figure since May 2005.

  • Growing in the wind

    24 Jan 2008

    Many people are seeking to lead greener lives and are prepared to back their ethical and environmentally aware approach in investment.

  • Hain quits after donations scandal referred to police

    24 Jan 2008

    Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain has quit the Cabinet after the Electoral Commission referred the issue of his deputy leader campaign donations to the Metropolitan Police.

  • Hain's advisers under fire

    24 Jan 2008

    Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain has come under further attack after his special advisers were accused of breaking conduct rules by issuing an attack on the Conservatives.

  • Havens can wait

    24 Jan 2008

    The outlook for the UK economy is uncertain. Consensus forecasts for GDP growth at around 2.3 per cent in 2008, down from the expected 3.1 per cent last year, are vulnerable to the effects of problems in commercial credit markets on spending decisions by corporate and consumer borrowers. Of particular concern is the evidence emerging of price weakness in the property market.

  • Henderson prepared to wait for Cartesian

    24 Jan 2008

    Henderson's multi-manager team are monitoring Resolution Cartesian's 130/30 fund as a potential investment but holding off until a track record is established.

  • HFC may face big payouts to remedy PPI misselling

    24 Jan 2008

    HSBC-owned HFC Bank may have to pay out over £11m after FSA action on misselling payment protection insurance.

  • HFWG agree voluntary code of practice

    23 Jan 2008

    The Hedge Fund Working Group has published its best practice standards for hedge fund managers, which calls for managers to adopt an independent process for valuing portfolios.

  • How CAR can backfire

    24 Jan 2008

    Having thought that customer-agreed remuneration would be pretty straightforward to implement, I had something of a rude shock last week.

  • HSBC Investments - HSBC GIF Russia Equity Fund

    24 Jan 2008

    HSBC InvestmentsHSBC GIF Russia Equity Fund

  • IFAs say CGT changes will bring bond market to a standstill

    23 Jan 2008

    Around 66 per cent of advisers say that capital gains tax changes announced in the pre-Budget report will lead to a sharp fall in new investment bond business or could even halt sales completely.

  • IIB chief Andrew Paddick dies suddenly

    24 Jan 2008

    Andrew Paddick, director general of the Institute of Insurance Brokers has died suddenly.

  • IMA attacks Nat Savings bond claims

    24 Jan 2008

    The Investment Management Association believes National Savings & Investments is misleading customers in marketing its guaranteed equity bonds.

  • IMA revises yield requirement for UK equity income

    24 Jan 2008

    Advisers and fund managers have welcomed the Investment Management Association's changes to its UK equity income and UK bond and income sector definitions.

  • Industry mourns godfather of underwriting

    29 Jan 2008

    Many in the industry have been mourning the death of Dr RDC Brackenridge, a pioneer of medical underwriting, who died recently at the ripe old age of 90.

  • Inflation for pensioners double national rate, says Newcastle Building Society

    28 Jan 2008

    Inflation for pensioners will reach 7 per cent in 2008, more than double the estimated national inflation rate, according to Newcastle Building Society Equity Release Service.

  • Inflation is stacking up

    24 Jan 2008

    Providing financial advice to people approaching and in retirement may get even tougher if inflation re-enters the equation.

  • Investing retirement money in shares is a dangerous game, says Lincoln

    25 Jan 2008

    More than 1.8 million over-55s consider shares as an alternative to pensions, according to research by Lincoln Financial Group.

  • It has not been a good week

    23 Jan 2008

    They say bad luck comes in threes and this week was no exception for investment advisers as they were knocked back on three different fronts.

  • Jelf Group acquires three new businesses

    29 Jan 2008

    Jelf Group has announced its acquisition of Manson Insurance Group, Bartlett Davies Bicks Ltd and Carter & Co Risk Management Ltd, bringing its total amount of insurance and healthcare premiums to £320m.

  • Jupiter chief calls for investors to “hold their nerve”

    23 Jan 2008

    Jupiter Asset Management chief executive Edward Bonham Carter has called for investors to hold their nerve following the market downturn as the sharp decline could provide long-term buying opportunities in equities.

  • Keep your eye on the big boys, FSA

    25 Jan 2008

    If may be an unkind thought but I can’t help thinking that Zippy, George and Bungle could regulate the financial services industry during the good times.

  • Keep your eye on the big boys, FSA

    25 Jan 2008

    If may be an unkind thought but I can’t help thinking that Zippy, George and Bungle could regulate the financial services industry during the good times.

  • Land Registry figures show house price drop of 0.4 per cent in December

    29 Jan 2008

    Land Registry figures have shown that house prices in England and Wales dropped by 0.4 per cent in December, the first fall for England and Wales since August 2005.

  • Leading by example

    25 Jan 2008

    As Andrew Fisher gets appointed head of the leaders summit group at the Personal Finance Society, it may upset a few people.

  • Lean streets

    24 Jan 2008

    I am sure that the statistics will prove otherwise but it seems to me that there cannot have been many times when an industry has enjoyed a period of growth like that of the mortgage industry over the past 12 years.

  • Leeds Building Society - Three Year Fixed Rate

    24 Jan 2008

    Leeds Building SocietyThree Year Fixed Rate

  • Leeds Building Society - Two- Year Fixed Rate

    24 Jan 2008

    Leeds Building SocietyTwo- Year Fixed Rate

  • Leeds fixed strikes out alone

    24 Jan 2008

    Leeds Building Society5.54% Five Year Fixed

  • Lifetime achievement

    24 Jan 2008

    Long-term commitment is something where many people have a problem but that might be what borrowers selecting their next mortgage should be doing.

  • Loan fraudster facing jail term

    24 Jan 2008

    An employee of a personal loan company is facing a jail term after he swindled customers out of thousands of pounds.

  • Majority of Kilminster advisers move to A2O

    29 Jan 2008

    The majority of Kilminster Financial Management’s advisers have transferred to Alpha to Omega, increasing A2O’s staff to 110 advisers and its turnover to £16m.

  • McFall warns regulator over orphan cash

    24 Jan 2008

    Treasury select committee chairman John McFall is warning that the FSA could be in breach of competition rules by allowing insurers to use inherited estates to subsidise new business and pay misselling compensation.

  • Midas chooses Brixton for return to property

    24 Jan 2008

    Midas Capital has made an investment in UK commercial property after selling out of the sector over a year ago.

  • Moncrieff moves up at Clarkson Hill

    24 Jan 2008

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

  • Money Marketing Markets: A rollercoaster week for the “corporal Jones” FTSE

    25 Jan 2008

    Investors have endured a white-knuckle ride after one of the most volatile weeks in the FTSE’s history.

  • MPs agree to take a below-inflation pay rise of 1.9%

    25 Jan 2008

    MPs agreed yesterday to accept a below-inflation pay rise of 1.9 per cent instead of the 2.56 per cent increase recommended by the Senior Salaries Review Body, after pressure from Government and Tory leaders.

  • New PMI service launches for IFAs

    25 Jan 2008

    PMI Partners is offering intermediaries a new service to partner with its expertise in private medical insurance offering 33 per cent commission.

  • Noble Fund Managers - Noble Aim VCT Top Up

    29 Jan 2008

    Noble Fund ManagersNoble Aim VCT Top Up

  • Northern Rock management team bid details emerge

    29 Jan 2008

    Details of the independent rescue bid headed up by Northern Rock management team have emerged, with director Paul Thompson to meet the bank's big shareholders this week in a bid to drum up support.

  • NS&I reduces interest rates on its fixed rate savings products

    23 Jan 2008

    National Savings and Investments is today dropping the interest rates on a range of its fixed rate savings offers by up to 0.50 per cent a year.

  • NU academy offers support for diploma

    24 Jan 2008

    Norwich Union is setting up an academy aimed at helping financial advisers pass the Chartered Insurance Institute's diploma in financial planning or equivalent.

  • NU cuts protection rates

    28 Jan 2008

    Norwich Union has cut its rates for mortgage life insurance and term assurance. The firm has focused on providing affordable cover for sums assured of £175,000 and above and says the reprice is designed to help those feeling the effects of the credit crunch.

  • Nutcracker sweet

    24 Jan 2008

    It is a comedian's standard subject matter that the world of consumer protection is rife with stupid warnings - coffee cups that warn you they might contain hot liquids, bags of nuts that warn you they might contain ...you guessed it.

  • On the drink brink

    24 Jan 2008

    Financial journalist Edmund Tirbutt is offering IFAs a discount on his new book called Beat the Booze.

  • OPM eyes building interest from sovereign wealth funds

    24 Jan 2008

    OPM Fund Management expects UK commercial property prices to benefit from foreign investment through sovereign wealth funds.

  • Origo launches online registration service

    24 Jan 2008

    Origo is launching an online agency registration service to allow directly authorised adviser firms to set up trading relationships with numerous product providers using one electronic application.

  • Out for the discount

    24 Jan 2008

    The Northern Rock debacle and credit crisis have had a knock-on effect in the investment trust sector. Investment trust shares trade independently from their net asset values. The direction of prices is linked more to supply and demand than the performance of the underlying assets.

  • Pada launches consultation paper on charging for personal accounts

    29 Jan 2008

    The personal accounts delivery authority launched its consultation on choosing a charging structure to pay for personal accounts today.

  • Panic selling gets grip on markets

    24 Jan 2008

    The stockmarket saw the biggest fall since 9/11 this week as the FTSE 100 index plunged as low as 5,339 on Tuesday morning, wiping over £77bn off share values.

  • Paragon set to stop lending

    24 Jan 2008

    Paragon is expected to cease lending on February 28 because its warehouse loan facility is not being renewed. The facility, which funded new lending, failed to secure acceptable terms for the extension of its term but Paragon says assets already funded at that date will remain funded until they mature.

  • Paragon shareholders vote in favour of rights issue

    28 Jan 2008

    Paragon has confirmed that its shareholders have voted unanimously in favour of its proposed rights issue at its Extraordinary General Meeting today.

  • Parkwood ends Gresham bid

    24 Jan 2008

    Parkwood Property Investments has halted its attempts to oust the board of UK property company Gresham House. Shareholders at Monday's extraordinary meeting defeated resolutions to remove four of its directors with three Parkwood nominees.

  • Parliamentary adviser for ABI

    24 Jan 2008

    The Association of British Insurers has appointed Amy McLaren as parliamentary affairs adviser.

  • Parmenion aims at £15bn SSAS sector

    24 Jan 2008

    Parmenion Capital Partners is launching a small self-administered scheme with Premier Pension Services.

  • Partial sighted

    24 Jan 2008

    I have mentioned this before in a previous Money Marketing column so I will not bore you with the story again but a very good friend of mine recently had cause to thank his lucky stars that he had taken out critical-illness insurance a few years earlier.

  • Partnership offers annuity to smokers

    24 Jan 2008

    Partnership Assurance is offering an annuity exclusively for smokers aged over 50 who have smoked at least 10 cigarettes a day for the last 10 years or more.

  • Pilot proves case for generic deal

    24 Jan 2008

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

  • Precipice alert over new plans

    24 Jan 2008

    Product providers and advisers have urged caution over a new generation of precipice bonds, warning that investors must fully understand that capital is at risk to ensure the disasters of the past are not repeated.

  • Pre-X highlights benefit of CGT changes to advisers

    29 Jan 2008

    IFAs could offer their clients a significant saving on their investment should they choose to invest down the EIS route, that’s according to pre-IPO investment specialist Pre-X Capital Management.

  • Product matters

    24 Jan 2008

    The Virgin climate change fund should not be regarded a typical "green" climate change fund.

  • Pru shares rise on Chinese whispers

    24 Jan 2008

    Prudential's shares received a boost yesterday as reports that China's Ping An Insurance was looking to buy £7bn of Prudential shares emerged.

  • Prudential new business figures remain flat in 2007

    29 Jan 2008

    Prudential’s UK new business figures remained flat in 2007 at £897m on an annual premium equivalent basis.

  • Purnell takes over as Work and Pensions Secretary

    24 Jan 2008

    Former pensions minister and current Culture Secretary James Purnell has been appointed as Work and Pensions Secretary taking over from Peter Hain who quit on Thursday.

  • QCA accredits CII qualifications

    29 Jan 2008

    The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority has accredited the CII's certificate, diploma and advanced diploma in financial planning.

  • Regular income from Barclays

    24 Jan 2008

    Barclays has introduced the regular income bond, a capital-protected bond linked to the performance of the Dow Jones EuroStoxx 50 index for five years.

  • Rennison and Kelly to leave Thinc

    24 Jan 2008

    Thinc Group corporate strategy director Roderic Rennison and operations director Nick Kelly are leaving the firm after a senior management restructure.

  • Resolution directors to go in Pearl takeover

    23 Jan 2008

    Resolution chairman Clive Cowdery and the firm's other directors will resign after the merger with Pearl Group.

  • Rights and wrongs

    24 Jan 2008

    The final date to respond to Lord Hunt's review of the Financial Ombudsman Service passed on january 16. This particular review has, necessarily, been overshadowed by the RDR and got only 39 formal responses, 38 of which are shown as a matter of record on the Hunt review website www.thehuntreview.com.

  • Savills branching out with plans to build income by 70%

    24 Jan 2008

    Savills Private Finance has opened offices in Newcastle and Exeter and plans to increase its income by around 70 per cent over the next three years.

  • ScotEq and Widows join property fund clampdown

    24 Jan 2008

    Aegon Scottish Equitable and Scottish Widows have closed the door on their UK commercial property funds to prevent an exodus of investors.

  • Scottish Life adds 16 new funds to investment range

    25 Jan 2008

    Scottish Life has added four new investment partners and 16 new funds to its core investment range.  The new partners are Allianz Global Investors, BlackRock, HSBC and Newton, which join Artemis, Baillie Gifford and Invesco Perpetual among others as investment partners. 

  • Shadow pensions minister arrested after allegedly assaulting his children

    29 Jan 2008

    Shadow minister for work and pensions Nigel Waterson was arrested after allegedly assaulting his teenage son and daughter.

  • Shapiro to run best ideas fund for Collins Stewart

    24 Jan 2008

    Collins Stewart Fund Management is to start a UK best ideas fund under the management of David Shapiro.

  • Shoring up property foundations

    24 Jan 2008

    Scottish Widows has become the latest fund manager to impose restrictions on withdrawals from its commercial property funds amid growing concerns about dwindling cash reserves.

  • SJP new business up 23 per cent

    24 Jan 2008

    St James's Place saw new business figures increase 23 per cent last year from £349.1m to £428.6m.

  • Skin tumours most common pet insurance claim

    29 Jan 2008

    Skin tumours are the most common pet insurance claim, according to new research.

  • Societe Generale loses £3.7bn due to fraudulent trader

    24 Jan 2008

    French bank Societe Generale has uncovered a Paris-based trader who it says committed a fraud resulting in a loss of £3.7bn, according to reports.

  • 'Speed up annuities or face action by FSA'

    24 Jan 2008

    The Association of British Insurers says pension providers need to speed up transfer times for customers taking out annuities to avoid being hit by extra regulation.

  • Standard Life announces extra £800m of with-profits bonuses

    29 Jan 2008

    Standard Life has announced that an estimated £800m of bonuses will be added to its with-profits plans in 2008.

  • Standard service for £2m investors

    24 Jan 2008

    Standard Life has launched Standard Life Wealth, a discretionary investment management service targeting clients with over £2m to invest. The bulk of the business is expected through IFAs but it will also service clients directly.

  • Standing ovation

    24 Jan 2008

    The idea of maintaining a standing pensions commission to foster consensus across all stakeholders is a sound one. It is a shame that such an organisation was not in place before Adair Turner and his team started their deliberations.

  • Sub-Sahara duo from Cru

    24 Jan 2008

    Cru Investment Management has set up two sub-Saharan Africa products investing in the agriculture and food produce sectors.

  • Successful succession

    24 Jan 2008

    Many of last year's issues will continue to have an impact but there is one in particular that we must really get to grips with - succession planning.

  • Summary outlook

    24 Jan 2008

    I would like to consider the regular monitoring of the equity market as an aid to the financial adviser in considering whether or not equities can be expected to continue to offer comparable value with their current levels.

  • Sumus profits up by 76%

    24 Jan 2008

    Sumus profits rose by 76 per cent to £1.51m last year while revenue nearly doubled to £29.8m.

  • Take account of requirements for the RMAR

    24 Jan 2008

    In 2007 we undertook a review of electronic reporting, looking at how firms complete their retail mediation activities return, the issues they faced and what further help we could provide to make the submission process easier.

  • Technical drawing

    24 Jan 2008

    Among many papers issued by the FSA in the pre-Christmas rush was one on its investigation into whether the market meets the needs of older consumers. It was assessing what has become known as decumulation or using assets built up over a working lifetime to provide retirement income. This is mainly through three product groups - annuities, income withdrawal (unsecured and alternatively secured pensions) and equity release.

  • The best defence

    24 Jan 2008

    I am an experienced investor in my 80s but I have become concerned by recent volatility. I am mainly in income-producing funds but wonder what else I could invest in.

  • The media’s eyes are on the mortgage world

    25 Jan 2008

    Northern Rock continues to hog the headlines in what must be the most drawn out affair the mortgage industry has ever seen.

  • Threadneedle - Emerging Market Local Fund

    29 Jan 2008

    ThreadneedleEmerging Market Local Fund

  • Tipping points

    24 Jan 2008

    It is going to be a difficult year, with possible recessions in the UK and US. House prices are expected to fall by 5 to per cent in the UK and more in the US, so I think it is better to avoid these stockmarkets.

  • Tony Blair takes on advisory role at Zurich

    28 Jan 2008

    Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has signed an advisory agreement with Zurich Financial Services to provide guidance on international politics.

  • Towergate buys Britishinsurance.com

    23 Jan 2008

    Britishinsurance.com has been bought by Towergate for an undisclosed sum.

  • Trade bodies secure European Consumer Credit Directive amendment

    24 Jan 2008

    The AFB and AMI have claimed victory in securing an amendment to the European Consumer Credit Directive which would have banned the payment of commission.

  • Treasury Select Committee report to say 'no' to FSA being given insolvency powers

    25 Jan 2008

    The long-awaited Treasury Select Committee report on the Northern Rock crisis is set to be published tomorrow.

  • Trevor Matthews leaves Standard for Friends Provident

    29 Jan 2008

    Standard Life head of UK retail Trevor Matthews has resigned from the firm to join Friends Provident as the group's chief executive officer

  • TSC report attacks FSA for failing to supervise Northern Rock

    28 Jan 2008

    The Treasury Select Committee's report on the Northern Rock fiasco has attacked the FSA for failing in its duty as regulator.

  • Twin indices doubles options for NDFA

    29 Jan 2008

    NDFATwin Option Kick Out Plan

  • Unsecured deals on ration, says Jacobs

    24 Jan 2008

    Pension adviser Richard Jacobs has accused Axa of operating a rationing system when offering unsecured pensions to clients with protected rights money.

  • Virtual Net expands GI panel

    25 Jan 2008

    IFA network Virtual Net has added Berkeley Alexander to its general insurance panel taking the number of providers it has links to up to six.

  • Warren Buffett buys up 3% of Swiss Re

    24 Jan 2008

    Billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway group has taken a three per cent holding in the world's largest reinsurer, Swiss Re.

  • Wave of criticism for climate fund

    24 Jan 2008

    Advisers have slammed Virgin Money's new climate change fund, claiming it has an excessive charging structure and can easily invest in companies that damage the environment.

  • Which? slams 'useless' cover

    24 Jan 2008

    People could be wasting thousands of pounds on useless insurance, according to a new guide produced by Which?

  • Widows sexes up ads for 2012 Olympics

    24 Jan 2008

    Scottish Widows is running a new advertising campaign featuring Olympic 2012 hopefuls.

  • Woolwich - Five Year Fixed Rate

    29 Jan 2008

    WoolwichFive Year Fixed Rate

  • YFM Private Equity - British Smaller Companies VCT Top Up

    24 Jan 2008

    YFM Private EquityBritish Smaller Companies VCT Top Up

  • Yousefi in warning for small lenders

    24 Jan 2008

    Wave director of sales and distribution Mehrdad Yousefi says small lenders may have to pay a premium for wholesale funding once the market stabilises.

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