Money Marketing
26 September 2007

  • 50-50 On US recession, says Bolton

    27 Sep 2007

    Fidelity fund star Anthony Bolton says he is still bearish on the market and warns there is a 50/50 chance that the US will fall into recession.

  • A bird's eye view of buyouts and exits

    27 Sep 2007

    Bankhall has produced guides for IFAs who are considering buying other adviser businesses or selling their own as an exit strategy.

  • A matter of trust

    1 Oct 2007

    The average investment trust has returned 33 per cent more than its unit trust counterpart over the past five years. Sonia Speedy ponders whether advisers should be looking more closely at the asset class

  • A nasty surprise

    1 Oct 2007

    Regardless of whether or not the implications for the group market have been laid down in black and white yet, the way the FSA is heading with this paper is clear. And in the strange new world of principle-based regulation, it would seem that the regulator only has to think something for it to start becoming applicable.

  • A round of applause for Investec

    28 Sep 2007

    Investec Asset ManagementGlobal Extension Fund

  • A Shaw thing

    27 Sep 2007

    Sam Shaw is a reporter on Money Marketing

  • A standout deal from the Coventry

    28 Sep 2007

    Coventry Building Society5.99% Offset Fixed Rate

  • Abbey £25k loan deal with 100% mortgage

    27 Sep 2007

    Abbey is piloting a 100 per cent loan to value product, with the option of a £25,000 secured loan.

  • ABI warns FSCS protection for large deposits is unnecessary

    1 Oct 2007

    ABI director general Stephen Haddrill has written to the Chancellor Alistair Darling warning that reforms to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme “must not distort the market for savings or remove all risk”.

  • Acorn Corporate Finance - Dynamo Property Investment

    2 Oct 2007

    Acorn Corporate FinanceDynamo Property Investment

  • Acronym and acrimony

    27 Sep 2007

    Last week's comment piece in Money Marketing in which Towry Law chief executive Andrew Fisher suggested that Aifa really stands for Amalgamation of Ignorant Flat Earth Advocates is unlikely to win him many friends among readers of this newspaper.

  • 'Act now to end public-sector disparity'

    27 Sep 2007

    The disparity between public and private sector pensions must be addressed to prevent a future right-wing Government using the issue as an excuse to destroy public sector pensions, say the LibDems.

  • Active v Passive: Where do you stand?

    1 Oct 2007

    The question of whether paying for active fund management is money well spent sits at the core of the debate of the role of investment advice on pensions. Paul Farrow reports

  • Adviser Fund Index

    27 Sep 2007

    The Adviser Fund Index panellists are upbeat on the long-term outlook for Asia Pacific excluding Japan. According to last month's mid-season questionnaire, eight out of 16 respondents expect Asia Pacific to outperform the other major equity regions over the next five years.

  • Advisers get boost from consolidation

    27 Sep 2007

    Nearly three-quarters of advisers say pension consolidation business has grown since A-Day.

  • Aegon on tour again after protection seminar success

    27 Sep 2007

    Aegon is to hold more business protection seminars for IFAs after good feedback from advisers.

  • Aifa demands clarity on personal accounts

    1 Oct 2007

    Aifa is raising the issue of the potential for advisory paralysis because of the risk of retrospective action in the run-up to the introduction of personal accounts.

  • Aifa says Which? research raises serious questions about the RDR

    28 Sep 2007

    Aifa says the recent Which? research into financial advice raises serious questions about the direction of the retail distribution review.

  • Alliance & Leicester - Two YEar Fixed 6.23% FeeSaver

    28 Sep 2007

    Alliance & LeicesterPrime Mortgage - Two Year Fixed 6.23% FeeSaver

  • Allianz unleashes eco-trends fund

    28 Sep 2007

    Allianz Global Investors has made its RCM global eco-trends fund available to retail investors.

  • Anger over double standards on Northern Rock

    1 Oct 2007

    The Government has been accused of double standards for guaranteeing an unlimited bail-out of Northern Rock savers.

  • Annuities shake-up on the cards

    1 Oct 2007

    The Treasury is set to announce progress on reform of the annuity-buying process. John Greenwood finds that support for change is growing

  • Arc Capital & Income - Arc Fixed Income Plan 2

    2 Oct 2007

    Arc Capital & IncomeArc Fixed Income Plan 2

  • Arc follows the bull and the bear

    28 Sep 2007

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

  • Aviva chief Thiam in Pru move

    27 Sep 2007

    Aviva chief executive officer (Europe) Tidjane Thiam is joining Prudential as group finance director.

  • Axa Framlington aims to mitigate IHT

    28 Sep 2007

    Axa FramlingtonIHT Service

  • Axa plans for wrap platform

    27 Sep 2007

    Axa has confirmed it will bring a wrap platform to market in early 2008. The firm says it will be a phased roll-out and it the wrap market could grow to be worth 250bn by 2009/10.

  • Axa reopens access to wealth of experience

    28 Sep 2007

    Axa FramlingtonEquity Income Fund

  • Axa snaps up ICAS to expand employee well-being cover

    1 Oct 2007

    Axa, the acquisitive insurer, has bought ICAS International Holdings, a global provider of employee support and well-being services.

  • Bad days at Northern Rock

    27 Sep 2007

    Tanya Powley charts the events that led to queues of panicked savers outside Northern Rock branches last week and examines how the situation could affect bank funding policy in future

  • Bank may have spent £3bn on Rock prop

    27 Sep 2007

    The Bank of England may have supported Northern Rock to the value of £2.9bn through its lender of last-resort facility, according to New Star economist Simon Ward.

  • Bank swerve steadies nerve

    27 Sep 2007

    The Bank of England has performed a dramatic U-turn by saying it will pump £10bn into the money markets in to ease the liquidity crunch and reduce three-month Libor.

  • Banks shun second Bank of England money auction

    2 Oct 2007

    Banks have shunned the Bank of England’s second £10bn money auction, it has emerged.

  • Barclays defines returns

    28 Sep 2007

    Barclays has brought out a capital-protected bond that provides a choice between five-year, five -year early kick-out and a three-year term.

  • Barclays links to Eurostoxx for income

    28 Sep 2007

    Barclays has introduced the regular income bond that is linked to the performance of the Dow Jones Eurostoxx 50 index over five years.

  • BBA warns Darling deposit guarantee changes could harm industry

    28 Sep 2007

    The British Bankers’ Association has warned the Government not to rush through proposals to reform the deposit protection scheme in the light of Northern Rock as it could create unnecessary industry burden without helping consumers.

  • BDO Stoy Hayward targets ugly ducklings

    28 Sep 2007

    The Hyde Park Fund from BDO Stoy Hayward Investment Management aims to raise up to £30m to invest in ‘ugly duckling’ central London properties that can be turned into prime residences.

  • Beagles to take six month sabbatical from JO Hambro

    2 Oct 2007

    JO Hambro UK equity income manager Clive Beagles is taking a six month sabbatical from fund management.

  • Best cellars

    27 Sep 2007

    As in the world of wine, investment tastes are inclining towards the emerging nations

  • Bolton calls for Darling's resignation

    27 Sep 2007

    Edeus chief executive Michael Bolton has called on the Chancellor to resign over his handling of the Northern Rock crisis and has lashed out at the Bank of England.

  • Borrowers to benefit as rates reduce

    27 Sep 2007

    Mainstream borrowers will be the winners in this current economic climate despite claims that the sub-prime turmoil is spreading to the prime UK mortgage market.

  • BraveArt shows off young Scottish talent

    27 Sep 2007

    Standard Life's BraveArt exhibition has been showcasing the artistic talent of Scotland's top art colleges.The four schools taking oart in the exhibition, held at the Truman Brewery during London Design Week earlier this month, were Glasgow School of Art, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee, Edinburgh College of Art and Gray's School of Art in Aberdeen.

  • Broker Talkback

    27 Sep 2007

    Do you think the FSA is to blame for the credit crunch?

  • Brokers feeling sub prime bite

    27 Sep 2007

    A survey of two thousand mortgage brokers has shown that more than half of mortgage brokers expect to lose more than 10 per cent of their sub prime business due to the repricing of products.

  • Burdett and Potter funds open for business

    1 Oct 2007

    Thames River new multi-manager duo Gary Potter and Robert Burdett have launched their first tranche of funds following their high profile move to the firm.

  • C&G coo Joy Griffiths to replace managing director Jon Pain

    1 Oct 2007

    Cheltenham & Gloucester has confirmed that chief operating officer Joy Griffiths will be replacing Jon Pain as managing director of mortgages.

  • CII urges FSA to boost professionalism in its RDR response

    2 Oct 2007

    The CII is calling for a single set of standards, a new complaint system and harsher sanctions to build professionalism in the industry in its first response to the FSA's Retail Distribution Review discussion paper.

  • CLI launches new portfolio bond

    1 Oct 2007

    Canada Life International has announced the launch of a new portfolio bond, the first of four products in CLI’s ‘dimensions’ product range, to be released in November.

  • Climate fund starts at the tipping point

    27 Sep 2007

    Schroders is to launch its climate change fund this week under the management of Simon Webber and Matthew Franklin.

  • Close Bros suspends specialist mortgage business

    27 Sep 2007

    Close Brothers has suspended the operations of its specialist lender Close Mortgages.

  • Crunch the numbers

    27 Sep 2007

    A pension lump sum gives a client the opportunity to lift the burden of a mortgage

  • CSAM distributes multi-asset fund

    28 Sep 2007

    Credit Suisse Asset Management has expanded its fund of funds range with the Multi-Manager Multi Asset Distribution Fund.

  • CSAM multi-asset fund shows promise

    28 Sep 2007

    Credit Suisse Asset ManagementMulti-Manager Multi-Asset Distribution Portfolio

  • Darling and King backed over Rock

    27 Sep 2007

    A Money Marketing poll found that 59 per cent of advisers do not believe that Chancellor Alistair Darling should resign over the Northern Rock debacle and 72 per cent do not believe Bank of England governor Mervyn King should quit.

  • DB Mortgages product changes mean it will not honour previously accepted DIPs

    26 Sep 2007

    DB Mortgages has introduced a higher credit score pass threshold for all new business as well as capping maximum sub-prime loan to values at 75 per cent.

  • Deal with the ppi problems

    27 Sep 2007

    Simon Burgess, Britishinsurance. com managing director, calls for providers of payment protection insurance to put their houses in order and show that self-regulation can work in the business sector

  • Defining moment

    1 Oct 2007

    Defined-contribution schemes are dominating the market as final-salary schemes wither. James Phillipps looks at the involved process of switching schemes or running parallel ones and the decisions that employers need to make

  • Dental arithmetic

    1 Oct 2007

    Demand for dental benefits is rocketing and with new providers moving into the market, now is the time for advisers to clean up, says Sam Barrett

  • 'Devil is in lack of detail'

    27 Sep 2007

    Fidelity head of IFA channel Peter Hicks tells John Lappin that many of the aims within the RDR paper are laudable but it has clouded too many issues, and calls on IFAs to exert pressure to ensure its good intentions are brought to the fore

  • Directgov helps in search for lost pensions

    27 Sep 2007

    Directgov has set up a free pension tracing service aimed at people it believes are losing out on pension entitlements worth thousands of pounds.

  • 'Discontented consumers need with-profits service'

    27 Sep 2007

    The Financial Services Consumer Panel is calling on the FSA to introduce a limited advice service for with-profits policyholders through specialist firms and trade bodies.

  • Don't miss your chance to enter the first Corporate Adviser industry awards

    1 Oct 2007

    The inaugural Corporate Adviser awards ceremony will take place at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Tuesday 19 February 2008.

  • Dynamo homes in on Ukranian property

    28 Sep 2007

    Dynamo property investment aims for growth by investing in properties and property developments in the Ukraine. It is available to Sipp and SSAS investors as an exempt unit trust and also as a limited partnership for high-net-worth and certified sophisticated clients.

  • Entrepreneurs fear red tape will get worse

    1 Oct 2007

    Three-quarters of Britain's entrepreneurs expect the regulatory environment for SMEs to become more rather than less burdensome over the next three years, according to new research by Bank of Scotland Business Banking.

  • Equitable Life calls for member votes on with profits annuity transfers

    28 Sep 2007

    Equitable Life is writing to all policyholders to update them on the transfer of £1.8bn of with profits annuity policies to Prudential.

  • ETF Securities looks forward to the future

    28 Sep 2007

    ETF Securities has added to its range of exchange traded commodities on the London Stock Exchange, giving investors access to commodities to commodity futures prices linked to the Dow Jones-AIG Commodity 3 Month Forward Indices.

  • Excellent effort by excellenthealth!

    1 Oct 2007

    Ssas clients should watch out for potential tax charges on unpaid rent on properties held within schemes where the property is let back to the company, says Rowanmoor Pensions.

  • Fed cuts but faces dilemma

    27 Sep 2007

    The US Federal Reserve's decision to slash the funds rate by 50 basis points has been welcomed but fund managers warn the cuts are only likely to b a temporary measure due to inflation concerns.

  • Fidelity starts EMEA trend

    28 Sep 2007

    Fidelity InternationalFidelity Funds Emerging Europe, Middle East and Africa Fund

  • First State builds on infrastructure

    2 Oct 2007

    First State Investments has brought out the global listed infrastructure fund, an Oeic that invests in infrastructure and related securities.

  • First-timers bear brunt of sub-prime problems

    27 Sep 2007

    Only 2 per cent of the UK population who could get a mortgage before the US sub-prime crisis will not now be able to.

  • Florida focus for fund

    27 Sep 2007

    Ascent Fund Managers is introducing a fund that will invest in residential property on Florida's Gulf Coast.

  • 'Four pieces of legislation led to fiasco'

    27 Sep 2007

    Bank of England governor Mervyn King called for major changes to banking regulation during a fierce grilling from the Treasury select committee.

  • FSA changes compensation scheme to cover 100% of depositors' claims up to £35,000

    1 Oct 2007

    The FSA has increased the limit of Financial Service Compensation Scheme cover for deposits to 100 per cent of the first £35,000 of each depositor's claim.

  • FSA ends multi-manager visits

    27 Sep 2007

    The FSA says it has completed its planned visits to 10 adviser firms as part of its multi-manager thematic work, as first revealed by Money Marketing, and says it will publish the findings in November.

  • FSA highlights changes to unit-linked investment regime

    28 Sep 2007

    The FSA is to introduce changes next month to allow life insurance companies to invest in a wider range of unit-linked assets.

  • FSA issues Dear CEO with-profits warning to insurers

    27 Sep 2007

    The FSA has sent a Dear CEO letter to insurers warning it has uncovered worrying practices in both open and closed with-profit funds involving the standards of governance and run-off plans.

  • FSA queries reasons for recommending Sipps

    27 Sep 2007

    The FSA has raised concerns that investors are being sold self-invested personal pensions when a personal pension or stakeholder may be equally appropriate and potentially cheaper.

  • FSA refunds due if partially to blame for RDR, says Clarkson Hill

    2 Oct 2007

    IFA groups should be refunded their FSA fees if the regulator is sharing the blame over the problems of retail distribution, says Clarkson Hill Group.

  • FSA says PPI firms still failing to treat customers fairly

    26 Sep 2007

    The FSA has announced four Payment Protection Insurance firms will be subject to further investigatoin and a further 20 cases may also be investigated as a result of its latest PPI selling standards review.

  • FSA sends out liquidity questionnaire to firms in light of credit crunch

    27 Sep 2007

    The FSA has confirmed it has sent out liquidity questionnaires to banks and building societies asking for details of how they plan to fund future mortgage commitments following the Northern Rock crisis.

  • FSA to assess all small firms on TCF

    2 Oct 2007

    The FSA has announced a new programme of measures to increase its contact with small firms and to ensure they are embedding Treating Customers Fairly principles in their business practices.

  • FSA warns dubious PPI sellers it is cracking down

    2 Oct 2007

    After two weeks sailing the Turkish coast in 30 degree heat I am back in London and my focused attention is again on the protection world and the focus is still on PPI misselling.

  • GMAC-RFC says it is not mystery lender which has faced margin calls

    2 Oct 2007

    GMAC-RFC says it is not the mystery lender which has faced a margin call from two US investment banks.

  • Godiva Mortgages -Self-Cert 5.99% Fixed to 30.09.09

    28 Sep 2007

    Godiva MortgagesSelf-Cert 5.99% Fixed to 30.09.09

  • Government red tape hampering drive to deliver clearer pension statements, says ABI

    1 Oct 2007

    The ABI says its members are being hampered in their ability to deliver clear yearly pension statements by a burdensome regulatory regime which forces companies to use irrelevant information.

  • Growing pains

    27 Sep 2007

    Equity income funds that focus on yield at the expense of growth are bound to disappoint

  • Guaranteed disgrace

    27 Sep 2007

    Government rescue contrasts with its treatment of pension victims

  • Gym will fit it for Pru cover

    27 Sep 2007

    PruProtect this week set up its first product, offering wholeof-life cover and critical-illness cover with the option of severity-based payments.

  • High hopes

    27 Sep 2007

    Seven staff from Chelsea Building Society are embarking on a challenge to climb the 15 highest mountains of Wales in just two days.

  • Howorth's way

    1 Oct 2007

    Aside from a full service corporate advisory service, JLT Benefit Solutions has built a unique relationship with Paternoster and developed its own group Sipp through a strategic stake in FundsDirect. No wonder managing director Duncan Howorth thinks the firm deserves a higher profile. Helen Monks finds out more

  • HSBC Alternatives announce management changes

    2 Oct 2007

    HSBC Alternatives Investments Ltd. has appointed Nigel Webber as the group’s new chief investment officer following the departure of Barbara Rupf Bee to the firms investment arm.

  • HSBC creates a new foundation

    28 Sep 2007

    HSBC Bank International has brought out Foundation 2 - the healthcare bonus fund.

  • HSBC looks at wrap links for OpenFunds

    27 Sep 2007

    HSBC Investments is considering future distribution links with wrap platforms for its HSBC open global return and HSBC open global distribution funds.

  • Hunt starts role at Lehman Brothers

    26 Sep 2007

    Paul Hunt has officially joined Lehman Brothers as director of marketing for its residential mortgage brands in the UK.

  • IAF Securities aims for natural enhancement

    28 Sep 2007

    Wealth manager IAF Securities has linked up with structured product provider IDaD to launch the natural resources enhanced return plan.

  • IAF Securities widens door to commodities

    28 Sep 2007

    IAF SecuritiesNatural Resources Enhanced Return Plan

  • Ilott joins Fidelity's multi-manager arm

    1 Oct 2007

    Former Bates Investment Services head of communications Paul Ilott has joined Fidelity International as investment communications consultant for its multi-manager business.

  • IMA appoints Sears as director, wholesale

    28 Sep 2007

    The Investment Management Association has appointed Guy Sears as its new director, wholesale following a restructure of its senior management team.

  • IMA bids to figure out fund formula for yield standard

    27 Sep 2007

    The Investment Management Association is looking at devising a standardised way of calculating yield for the UK equity income sector.

  • IMA gives thumbs up to new property regime

    1 Oct 2007

    The Investment Management Association has given the Treasury a stamp of approval over its discussion paper over tax payments in property funds.

  • Imagine the panic if review boosts banks

    27 Sep 2007

    I feel that you have been too kind on the regulator, Bank of England and the Treasury over the Northern Rock affair.

  • IMS exits Artemis fund amid quant concerns

    27 Sep 2007

    Multi-manager IMS has replaced Artemis European with the T.Rowe Price European ex UK equity fund within its global select fund.

  • In a Nutt shell

    27 Sep 2007

    Jupiter income has recently celebrated its 20th birthday. It has had just four managers over this time, if you count the caretaker manager between January and April 2000. The fund really hit the headlines after William Littlewood took it over in December 1990.

  • In the hot seat

    27 Sep 2007

    It had not been an easy summer for the chairman of Betelgeuse Investment Funds. Turmoil in the credit markets and a particularly volatile period for shares had not helped demand for its products. Nor had it made life any easier for its managers, operating in conditions where share prices could swing violently in a single day.

  • Infinity returning to sub-prime

    27 Sep 2007

    Infinity Mortgages has confirmed it will be returning to the sub-prime market this week but has compressed its loan to value in its wider adverse range.

  • Investment advisers stick with equities despite global turmoil

    1 Oct 2007

    Investment advisers still have confidence in equities despite recent volatility in global markets, with large cap companies predicted to perform best in the coming year, according to a recent survey.

  • Isle of Man aims to attract hedge funds

    27 Sep 2007

    The Isle of Man has launched a new fund proposition to attract more hedge funds in an effort to double its funds under administration to $100bn over the next three years.

  • It's a small world

    27 Sep 2007

    Global portfolios have undergone something of a renaissance of late. Five years ago, there were some 118 portfolios in the Investment Management Association's global growth sector while today there are around 162 with a three-month track record.

  • Just Retirement business booms

    27 Sep 2007

    Just Retirement's new business sales rocketed by 127 per cent this year.

  • Keep calm after the storm

    27 Sep 2007

    Apologies for the crass use of a classic REM song but It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) sums up the situation at present. If the prophets of doom are to be believed, in a month's time, the market will be in meltdown and some major lenders will be no more.

  • Keep it real for price statistics

    27 Sep 2007

    The mortgage industry should not focus on year-on-year figures or seasonally adjusted prices in house price indexes, says John Charcol senior technical manager Ray Boulger.

  • Kensington to tighten loan criteria after profit warning

    27 Sep 2007

    Investec has issued a profit warning for Kensington Group following recent money-market volatility.

  • Kingston joins BDO pensions and benefits team

    1 Oct 2007

    BDO Stoy Hayward Investment Management is growing its corporate pensions and benefits team with the appointment of Robert Kingston as a senior pensions consultant, to be based in the Midlands.

  • L&G abolishes customers' ongoing need to disclose

    1 Oct 2007

    Consumers no longer have to notify Legal & General of any changes to their health or circumstances between the time they submit their protection application and when their policy starts.

  • Lenders could take chance to cut proc fees

    27 Sep 2007

    Mortgage lenders could use the current market problems to cut the cost of acquisition and reduce procuration fees for brokers.

  • Lending to individuals in August lower than in July says Bank of England

    1 Oct 2007

    The increase in total net lending to individuals in August at £9.5 bn was below the increase in July and below the previous six month average, according to latest statistics from the Bank of England.

  • LibDems rule out cross-party challenge to means-test

    27 Sep 2007

    The LibDems claim that means-testing could undermine pension personal accounts but say they are unlikely to align with the Tories on the issue.

  • Liquidity shields Asian markets

    27 Sep 2007

    Strong liquidity in Asian markets means that investors will be less affected by the credit turmoil that has hit the US, UK and Europe.

  • Luckraft names good, bad and ugly in credit crisis

    27 Sep 2007

    Axa Framlington equity income manager George Luckraft has compared the banking sector with the good, the bad and the ugly.

  • 'Malicious glee at misfortunes'

    27 Sep 2007

    Robert Sterling managing director Kevin Duffy believes Northern Rock has been the subject of schadenfreude by other UK mortgage lenders.

  • Management needed policy for disaster recovery

    27 Sep 2007

    Leading mortgage brokers say Northern Rock's management must take responsibility for the narrowness of its funding policy and for failing to have a disaster recovery plan.

  • Marino Valensise appointed to CIO at Barings

    1 Oct 2007

    Baring Asset Management has appointed Marino Valensise as chief investment officer, replacing Michael Hughes.

  • Martin Currie in equity deal

    27 Sep 2007

    Martin Currie has sold almost 25 per cent of its equity to fund manager Crestview and Lord Rothschild in a move aimed at providing the liquidity to tie in managers through equity stakes.

  • McAteer says ICOB proposals likely to be detrimental to consumers

    1 Oct 2007

    Consumer advocate Mick McAteer says the FSA’s proposed changes to the ICOB regime will be detrimental to consumers and the market rather than ensuring their needs are met more effectively.

  • McCarthy and Sants to face MPs' questions

    27 Sep 2007

    The FSA and Treasury are to be hauled in front of the Treasury select committee to explain their role in the Northern Rock fiasco as MPs turn up the heat on the regulator.

  • McFall blasts 125% mortgages

    27 Sep 2007

    Treasury select committee chairman John McFall has fired a warning to lenders over practices such as 125 per cent and six-times salary mortgages.

  • Members missing out in DC schemes

    1 Oct 2007

    Members of defined contribution pension schemes could be missing out on up to an additional 70 per cent in retirement income, according to Hewitt's annual DC survey.

  • Meteor Asset Management - Pendulum Commodities Plan

    28 Sep 2007

    Meteor Asset ManagementPendulum Commodities Plan

  • Meteor strives for pot of gold at end of Rainbow

    28 Sep 2007

    Meteor Asset ManagementRainbow

  • Meteor swings in line

    28 Sep 2007

    Meteor Asset Management has brought out the pendulum commodities plan, which aims for growth linked to a basket of five equally weighted Standard & Poors Goldman Sachs commodities indices. These are the S&P GSCI Agriculture Excess Return, S&P GSCI Energy Excess Return, S&P GSCI Industrial Metal Excess Return, S&P GSCI Livestock Excess Return, S&P GSCI Precious Metals Excess Return.

  • MetLife Europe - Investment Bond

    28 Sep 2007

    MetLife EuropeInvestment Bond

  • Michael Kalen

    27 Sep 2007

    The president and chief executive of Hartford Life in Europe is an extreme sports fan who thrives on stepping outside his comfort zone and he brings that same sense of venture to business with a determination to succeed in the UK with the firm's third-way products Interview by Will Henley

  • Misleading claims won big payouts

    27 Sep 2007

    Many people who received compensation from the pension review provided misleading information to the regulator and should never have received a payout, according to an ex-PIA director and leader of the review.

  • Morningstar cautious on Newton income

    27 Sep 2007

    Morningstar says it will not recommend the £1bn Newton income fund, citing manager Christopher Metcalfe's unimpressive retail record and lack of experience in running international stocks.

  • Mortgage Trust says valuations for new builds to go to its own surveyors department

    2 Oct 2007

    Mortgage Trust now requires that valuation instructions for all new build flats and conversions are submitted to its surveyors department.

  • Mortgages plc in adverse rethink

    27 Sep 2007

    Mortgages plc has suspended all its heavy and unlimited adverse products in its latest criteria change. It will also be reducing maximum loan to value on its medium adverse range from 85 per cent to 80 per cent and maximum LTVs on its light adverse from 85 per cent to 90 per cent.

  • Mortgages Plc to withdraw adverse buy-to-let products

    28 Sep 2007

    Merril Lynch subsidiary Mortgages plc has announced it will be pulling all of its adverse buy-to-let products from October 2.

  • Multi mangled

    27 Sep 2007

    Britain's most popular multi-manager is failing to shine on performance

  • New appointment at Gartmore

    26 Sep 2007

    Gartmore has announced the appointment of Hamish Chamberlayne to the role of investment analyst on its global equities team.

  • New Star announces record first half results

    28 Sep 2007

    New Star Asset Management has revealed record first half returns this year with net UK retail sales up 54 per cent to £1.1bn.

  • Norwich & Peterborough makes tracks

    28 Sep 2007

    Norwich & PeterboroughOne-Year Fixed/Tracker Rate

  • NU critical illness claims stats up to 86%

    2 Oct 2007

    Norwich Union paid out 86 per cent of critical illness claims in the first half of 2007 compared to 75 per cent in 2005 according to its latest Critical Insurance Claims Report.

  • NU launches scheme to combat absenteeism

    1 Oct 2007

    Norwich Union Healthcare is launching an absence management solution to enable its clients to tackle absenteeism and speed return to work.

  • NU opens academy for underwriters

    27 Sep 2007

    Norwich Union has started an academy to boost its underwriters' skills and improve service levels for advisers and customers.

  • OBSR takes full ownership of Forsyth-OBSR Ratings Service

    26 Sep 2007

    Old Broad Street Research Limited has announced it is taking over the Forsyth-OBSR Ratings Service it previously operated as a joint venture with Forsyth Partners Limited.

  • Octopus fishes for smaller companies

    28 Sep 2007

    Octopus InvestmentsCF Octopus Opportunities Fund

  • Off the beaten track

    27 Sep 2007

    Investors are increasingly turning to exchange traded funds for simple and inexpensive access to a diverse range of assets and markets from UK firms to global infrastructure projects and soft commodities, says Philip Scott

  • Operational limitations holding back investment managers, says Morse

    26 Sep 2007

    Investment managers want to use a wider range of derivatives in increasing volumes but the majority are being held back by operational limitations, according to a new survey by Morse.

  • Out of context

    27 Sep 2007

    "I love those freefone numbers - not the porn or the horoscopes, the other ones."

  • Over three million relying on property to fund retirement

    1 Oct 2007

    Around 3.2m people are relying on property to fund their retirement while 33 per cent of UK adults are not making any provision for their retirement says Baring Asset Management.

  • Packager Em financial says DB Mortgages move 'no surprise' as it looks to protect brand

    27 Sep 2007

    Packager Em financial managing director Roger Morris says he was unsurprised by DB Mortgages' latest announcement that it will not honour previously accepted DIPs following its recent product changes.

  • Paradigm Mortgage Services launches with 500 individuals signed up

    1 Oct 2007

    Paradigm Mortgage Services has officially launched to market today, with 500 individuals already signed up.

  • Pearl confirms continued Resolution interest and sets out valuation criteria

    28 Sep 2007

    Pearl says it is still interested in making an offer for Resolution and believes the proposed merger with Friends Provident will not create the best value for shareholders and will expose them to significant risks.

  • Pension pressure for Brown

    27 Sep 2007

    Prime Minister Gordon Brown faced a fierce attack from the Tories and pension campaigners over his treatment of victims of occupational scheme collapses in the first-ever Tory fringe event at a Labour conference.

  • Pension schemes run by over-50s men, says survey

    1 Oct 2007

    Company-sponsored pension schemes in the UK are overwhelmingly governed by men over the age of 50, according to latest research from Hymans Robertson.

  • PHP launches employee health support scheme

    1 Oct 2007

    Private Health Partnership is launching an employee support scheme designed to give employees and their families information, advice and healthcare counselling.

  • Pick of the bunch

    27 Sep 2007

    I started my own firm in 2000. As a directly authorised IFA, I had the choice of which platforms to work with, including Skandia, Cofunds, Fidelity FundsNetwork and Transact.

  • Plan for £500k IHT threshold

    27 Sep 2007

    LibDems have backed scrapping higher-rate pension tax relief and raising the inheritance tax threshold.

  • Planning for gold

    27 Sep 2007

    Julie Lord, managing director of Cavendish Financial Management, says both the certified and chartered financial planner qualifications are valuable and hopes to see an end to bickering over which is best so the profession can develop and move ahead

  • Platform cuts conforming rates by 0.50 per cent

    26 Sep 2007

    Platform has cut its conforming range rates by up to 0.50 per cent on its prime, self-cert, buy-to-let and house plus products.

  • Police follow broker fraud cash trail to the Gold Coast

    27 Sep 2007

    Police believe that a senior financial adviser jailed for six years in 2004 for defrauding clients out of more than 1.75m may have hidden some of the money away in Australia.

  • Policy is priority

    27 Sep 2007

    No news escaped from the Gleneagles life & pensions summit held last week. This was the event at which Callum McCarthy chose to fire the starting pistol of the retail distribution review last year.

  • Portavista platform to boost commission

    27 Sep 2007

    Capita Enabler has launched its platform proposition, with Bankhall the first firm to white-label the offering.

  • Positive Solutions forms new role of mortgage manager

    2 Oct 2007

    Positive Solutions has appointed Paul Rignall to oversee the development and expansion of its mortgage intermediary business.

  • Preferred writes to packagers to clarify which criteria will apply to re-offer cases

    2 Oct 2007

    Preferred has written to packagers and brokers to clarify its policy regarding which product range and criteria will apply to cases requiring re-offer after the October 5 cut-off date.

  • PSigma unveils details for American fund

    26 Sep 2007

    PSigma’s new American growth will hold some 45 to 60 stocks when it comes to market next month under the management of James Abate.

  • Put your questions to our expert panel

    27 Sep 2007

    With just over three months until the end of the retail distribution review consultation period, Money Marketing is inviting readers to submit their queries to our expert panel.

  • PwC expects short term falls

    1 Oct 2007

    The financial services sector should expect a fall in business volumes, income and profitability over the coming three months in the wake of the credit crunch, according to CBI and PricewaterhouseCoopers.

  • Rate expectations

    27 Sep 2007

    We need innovation rather than restriction in the annuity sector

  • RDR interest boosts registrations at MM Live Manchester

    27 Sep 2007

    This year's Money Marketing Live Show in Manchester on October 30 is heading for an all-time record.

  • Regulator refusing to give clear view on RDR

    27 Sep 2007

    Last week, I attended the Aifa Bristol directors' dinner. I don't think anyone, except perhaps the chair Chris Cummings and guest speaker Jeremy Evans, who is an associate from the FSA's RDR team, has actually read all 110 pages of the FSA's RDR discussion paper.

  • Regulatory framework needs to be scrutinised, says BBA

    1 Oct 2007

    Reform of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme must not distract policymakers from learning the real lessons of the Northern Rock affair, according to the British Bankers’ Association.

  • Resolution calls for clarity on rival bidders

    28 Sep 2007

    Resolution has requested that the firms takeover panel sets a timetable for possible bidders to clarify their positions on the firm ahead of its merger with Friends Provident.

  • River runs deep at WdB

    27 Sep 2007

    Williams de Broe has topped up its holding in River and Mercantile UK equity smaller companies across three of its multi-manager Assetmaster funds.

  • Rock and a hard place

    1 Oct 2007

    Northern Rock is a reminder of the way the public responds to negative messages - something that advisers must overcome

  • Rock deal should have been secret

    27 Sep 2007

    I suspect that your columns will be full of comments arguing about how the crisis at Northern Rock should have been handled. I cannot help wondering if the entire matter could have been dealt with far more satisfactorily by the trio in question - the Bank of England, the FSA and HM Government?

  • Rock facing dilemma on saving or loan rate

    27 Sep 2007

    Northern Rock faces a tough decision over whether to try to lure back savers with attractive deposit rates or focus on providing competitive rates for its mortgage products.

  • Rock weighs heavy on fund firms

    27 Sep 2007

    The crisis at Northern Rock has had massive implications for fund managers as they consider their next moves, report Chris Salih

  • Rolling with the Rock

    27 Sep 2007

    Once upon a time, a chief executive who presided over a crash in share price following a run on his bank and a humiliating request for funds from the Bank of England would have resigned. A Chancellor who oversaw a run on a bank would have resigned. A Bank of England governor who failed to anticipate the crisis would have departed.

  • Royal London Asset Management - UK Smaller Companies Fund

    1 Oct 2007

    Royal London Asset ManagementUK Smaller Companies Fund

  • Schroders looks to next big theme

    28 Sep 2007

    Schroders has brought out the global climate change fund to take advantage of an investment theme that the company regards as one of the biggest of the next 20 years.

  • Scottish Widows offers Key Worker solution

    28 Sep 2007

    Scottish Widows BankKey Worker Mortgage - Two-Year Fixed

  • Showing the Way to income

    28 Sep 2007

    Way GroupWay Income Plan

  • Sipp option withdrawn from Tomorrow's closed book of policyholders

    2 Oct 2007

    Swiss Re the administrator of Tomorrow's closed book of pension policies is withdrawing the self-investment option from its deferred Sipps from January 1 2008.

  • Skandia best ideas steps up

    28 Sep 2007

    Skandia Investment Management has taken its manager of managers best ideas range a step further with a fund that can make money in falling markets by shorting derivatives.

  • Skandia Investment Management - UK Strategic Best Ideas Fund

    1 Oct 2007

    Skandia Investment ManagementUK Strategic Best Ideas Fund

  • Skandia offers portfolio with protection

    28 Sep 2007

    Skandia MultiFundsProtected Portfolio Investment

  • Skandia takes the long and short route

    2 Oct 2007

    Skandia Investment ManagementUK Strategic Best Ideas Fund

  • Skipton Building Society - Five-Year Base Rate Tracker Capped Mortgage

    28 Sep 2007

    Skipton Building SocietyFive-Year Base Rate Tracker Capped Mortgage

  • Skipton Building Society - Three-Year Base Rate Tracker Capped Mortgage

    28 Sep 2007

    Skipton Building SocietyThree-Year Base Rate Tracker Capped Mortgage

  • SLI fund draws on European and ethical skills

    28 Sep 2007

    Standard Life Investments will draw on the expertise of its SRI and European equities with the launch of its European equity ethical fund.

  • Smart thinking

    27 Sep 2007

    Smart devices, effectively phones that you can use to run your life, are going to be one of the major items that phone companies will be pushing in the run up to Christmas.

  • Spa sets sail on MarketGrader

    28 Sep 2007

    Spa International, a specialist provider of exchange-traded funds, has brought three ETFs to the UK market that aim to replicate three MarketGrader indices.

  • Specialist sector's reign comes to end

    27 Sep 2007

    Poor sales of property and natural resources have brought an end to the specialist sector's 19-month reign as the best seller, according to the IMA's August figures. Specialist came third behind UK all companies and cautious managed.

  • Spiers steps down as Bestinvest director

    27 Sep 2007

    Bestinvest founder John Spiers has quit as a director after selling his majority stake to private equity firm 3i.

  • Splintered raises money

    28 Sep 2007

    Splintered FilmsSplintered EIS

  • Split heirs

    27 Sep 2007

    When it a split trust appropriate in business protection?

  • SPML makes further criteria changes and hikes rates by a further 0.75 per cent

    27 Sep 2007

    SPML has followed Preferred and made further criteria changes to its product range as well as hiking rates by a further 0.75 per cent.

  • Staff think employers don't care about stress

    1 Oct 2007

    A significant 48 per cent of employees believe their employer doesn't care how stressed they are at work, according to new research commissioned by healthcare provider HealthSure.

  • 'Stop sniping over certified and chartered planner status'

    27 Sep 2007

    Cavendish Financial Management financial planner Julie Lord has called for an end to industry in-fighting over whether certified or chartered financial planner status should be the benchmark but reserves most of her fire for the Chartered Insurance Institute.

  • Swap shop

    27 Sep 2007

    Samantha Downes explains how falling swap rates have allowed lenders to lower fixed rates this month, reflecting optimism that the base rate has peaked for the moment

  • Swing of things

    27 Sep 2007

    Amid recent turmoil in world stockmarkets, advisers are quite rightly recommending investors to diversify into assets other than equities. The property market is looking less profitable than it was and bonds are still unattractive so where do investors go?

  • The flexibility factor

    1 Oct 2007

    Many organisations want group risk products tailored to their needs. Advisers feel that providers are not being flexible enough but providers argue that intermediaries are not taking advantage of the products offered. Debbie Lovewell reports

  • The pension picture

    27 Sep 2007

    The Money Marketing Live conference and exhibition at Manchester's G-Mex on October 30 focuses on the pension issues, with contributions from 50 speakers and 85 exhibitors. Key industry figures will speak in the Money Marketing Pensions Arena and you could win a Mazda MX-5

  • The special ones

    27 Sep 2007

    Those of you who have talked football with me know that I support Partick Thistle. Some years ago we found ourselves intertwined with the ubiquitous Ken Bates. Luckily, we escaped but for some time we had the services of the Chelsea reserves as and when needed. As such, I have to admit to an interest in the Blues and this week's management change caught my attention, briefly supplanting the Northern Rock issue.

  • Thomsons Online sees 54% boost in turnover

    1 Oct 2007

    Thomsons Online Benefits increased group turnover by 54 per cent from 3.8m in 2005 to 5.9 in the year to the 31 December 2006.

  • Thumbs up for New Star

    28 Sep 2007

    New StarEuropean Value Fund

  • Tied advisers struggling to give good advice, says Which?

    27 Sep 2007

    More than two thirds of tied financial advisers fail to pass all the benchmarks for giving good financial advice, according to the results of an investigation by Which?.

  • Timberlake leaves Standard Life following an internal restructure

    2 Oct 2007

    Standard Life head of media relations for life and pensions Peter Timberlake has left the life office following an internal restructure which meant his role was merged with another.

  • To have and have not

    27 Sep 2007

    Liz Mancini reports that there is a growing divide in pension provision but hopes are rising that personal accounts could boost saving

  • Tories back urgent reforms

    27 Sep 2007

    The Tories have written to Chancellor Alistair Darling offering to co-operate with any urgent action taken to reform banking regulation in the aftermath of the Northern Rock debacle.

  • Tories bring out the sweeteners

    1 Oct 2007

    The Conservatives have begun to play their hand, possibly a little earlier than originally planned, in Blackpool this week with a series of concrete policy statements to the electorate.

  • Tories promise compensation to collapsed pension scheme victims within three months of return to power

    1 Oct 2007

    The Conservatives kicked off the Party Conference last night by pledging to payback victims of collapsed pension schemes within three months of the Party returning to power, according to reports.

  • Tories propose IHT threshold as £1m

    1 Oct 2007

    The Conservative party has pledged to raise the inheritance tax threshold to £1m in a bid to free middle England from the death tax.

  • Tories to raise stamp duty threshold for first-time buyers

    1 Oct 2007

    The Conservatives have pledged to abolish stamp duty for first-time buyers on homes costing up to £250,000.

  • Tory proposal to up IHT threshold to £1m is unrealistic says Skandia

    2 Oct 2007

    The Conservative's proposal to increase the inheritance tax threshold to £1m is aimed at "grabbing headlines and winning votes" according to Skandia.

  • Tripartite failed first big test, says CBI

    27 Sep 2007

    The tripartite arrangement between the Bank of England, the FSA and the Treasury that was designed to maintain financial stability failed its first big test, according to the CBI.

  • Trust founders on the rock

    27 Sep 2007

    Nicola York looks at whether Northern Rock can make a comeback

  • Under cover

    27 Sep 2007

    Apathy and lack of knowledge makes the public buy poor products

  • Wake up to the new flex era

    1 Oct 2007

    Firms are being drawn to flexible benefits yet IFAs seem to be in denial about the opportunities that this new avenue of business will bring. Rachel Gordon warns that advisers need to get their business into gear or risk losing out

  • Wave caps maximum buy-to-let LTV at 85 per cent

    28 Sep 2007

    Wave has announced a number of criteria changes including reducing buy-to-let maximum loan to values from 90 per cent to 85 per cent.

  • What is in a name

    27 Sep 2007

    It seemed fitting that in a week when Money Marketing hosted a roundtable on boutiques another one announces its intention to come to market and challenge some of the big houses for its market share.

  • 'Where does generic advice begin or end?'

    27 Sep 2007

    The proposed generic advice service risks a misselling scandal due to difficulties identifying the boundary between generic and regulated advice, warns a senior Treasury select committee member.

  • Will Northern Rock’s management team face the docks?

    28 Sep 2007

    The turmoil in the money markets is still the key issue on everyone’s minds in the mortgage world this week.

  • Witan appoints third global manager

    27 Sep 2007

    Witan has appointed Thomas White International Ltd to manage a £150m mandate within the group’s investment trust £1.5bn.

  • Woolwich and Abbey are set to break up Rock share

    27 Sep 2007

    Woolwich and Abbey have been tipped as two balance sheet lenders that could seize a big part of Northern Rock's market share.

  • Woolwich deal good ata stretch

    28 Sep 2007

    Woolwich First Time Buyer Two Year Fixed Rate

  • World according to SmartGarp

    27 Sep 2007

    Not long ago, the typical multi-manager was tending a plain vanilla portfolio of unit trusts. The Ucits III, Col and Nurs legislation has created an environment that allows far more sophisticated strategies.

  • Wynne-Jones to exit Assureweb

    27 Sep 2007

    Assureweb director of sales and marketing Stephen WynneJones is leaving at the end of October.

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