Money Marketing
28 February 2007

  • Cowman resigns as Pru proposition chief

    1 Mar 2007

    Prudential head of proposition development Paul Cowman has resigned. He was appointed to the newly-created position last August, having been head of protection.

  • Tesco closes 50-year bond after two hours

    1 Mar 2007

    Tesco has issued a 50-year corporate bond but had to close the book after just two hours after high demand from pension funds. The bond has a yield of 5.23 per cent compared with 4.06 per cent on the equivalent Government bond.

  • 3i is linked with bid for Foxtons

    1 Mar 2007

    Private equity firm 3i has been linked with a bid for estate agency firm Foxtons, which includes mortgage broker Alexander Hall. Foxtons has been valued at around 400m.

  • 68% Say Pru claim data is damaging

    1 Mar 2007

    Sixty-eight per cent of respondents who took part in a Money Marketing online poll agreed that Prudential has damaged the protection industry by publishing flawed claim data and 32 per cent disagreed.

  • Abbey chief Hunt joining Paradigm mortgage arm

    1 Mar 2007

    Abbey key relationship director Bob Hunt is leaving after 13 years to head Paradigm Mortgage Services.

  • Abbey courts near-prime borrowers

    1 Mar 2007

    Abbey has denied it is already operating in the near-prime market despite offering deals to borrowers with county court judgments.

  • ABI says NPSS start-up costs quadruple official estimates

    1 Mar 2007

    ABI's Haddrill claims that implementation figures may have been underestimated by as much as 100m.

  • Abroad range of reits

    1 Mar 2007

    Gregor Watt looks at the international aspects of Reits.

  • Advisers are looking nine years younger

    1 Mar 2007

    The idea that the IFA market is dominated by advisers approaching retirement has been exploded as a myth by FSA research, which shows the average age of advisers is 46.

  • Aegon sets up cautious ethical and small-cap UK opps funds

    1 Mar 2007

    Aegon Asset Management is offering the UK's first ethical cautious managed fund.

  • AIC slams listing move amid fears of a splits' repeat

    1 Mar 2007

    The AIC has launched a blistering attack on FSA proposals to relax listing rules and has got the backing of a growing coalition of politicians and trade bodies who warn that the splitcap debacle could be repeated.

  • Aifa and CII welcome FSA exam proposals

    2 Mar 2007

    Aifa and the CII have welcomed FSA proposals to retain the existing exam regime for advisers.In a consultation paper published this week, the FSA announced plans to keep the current exam structure while reducing the Training and Competency sourcebook to a third of its size.The FSA says its long term goal is to remove the requirements but due to concerns about T&C levels in the sector it would not be appropriate to remove such prescriptive rules at this time.Aifa says examinations ...

  • Alliance & Leicester - Near-Prime - 2 year Fixed Rate 5.84%

    1 Mar 2007

    Alliance & LeicesterNear-Prime - 2 year Fixed Rate 5.84%

  • AMI warns mortgage brokers of imminent TCF deadline

    2 Mar 2007

    The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has issued a reminder to mortgage intermediary firms that there is just a month to go until the FSA’s TCF implementation deadline.

  • Are days numbered for IR20?

    1 Mar 2007

    Tax planning. Simon Hildrey says the decision in the Gaines-Cooper case last year has brought into question the ability of non-residents to rely on the concessions in HMRC guidance.

  • Arjent aims to build by finding solutions

    1 Mar 2007

    New advice firm Arjent IFA has launched with 10 registered individuals and aims grow to 150 by the end of 2008.

  • Axa is aiming to widen channels

    1 Mar 2007

    Axa is planning to boost its distribution through organic growth and acquisitions.

  • Axa removes MVRs on with profits bonds

    5 Mar 2007

    Axa has removed market value reductions on its with profits bonds and announced improved with profits bonus rates for many of the 1.3 million customers investing in the Axa Sun Life With Profits Fund and the Sun Life Assurance Society With Profits Fund.

  • Bank of America aims for UK niche

    1 Mar 2007

    Bank of America has added its name to the growing list of US investment banks targeting a move into the UK mortgage lending market.

  • Bare necessities

    1 Mar 2007

    Our panel of experts give their views on bare trusts, highlighting their attractions, limitations and restrictions.

  • Big sellers don't bring big returns

    1 Mar 2007

    The UK all companies and equity income sectors dominate Isa sales but rarely provide the best-performing funds in any given year.

  • Broker Talkback

    1 Mar 2007

    Will it be possible for the Government to offer relevant generic advice for personal accounts in the workplace?

  • Building up to disaster?

    1 Mar 2007

    It is a good six months since the doomsayers started calling the top of the property market in earnest but figures from the Investment Management Association show property funds still powering ahead, representing more than 80 per cent of inflows into the specialist sector in 2006 with retail sales of £3.6bn.

  • Burdett and Potter set for Thames River

    5 Mar 2007

    Thames River Capital has announced that it is to hire the multi-manager duo of Robert Burdett and Gary Potter

  • Buxton unfazed by global market falls

    28 Feb 2007

    Schroders head of UK equities Richard Buxton says he believes the currentstock market volatility is not the start of an extended correction in theUK. He says that the combined factors of a loss of confidence in China coupledwith some disappointing economic data from the US has ruffled feathers inthe US, China and emerging markets. But despite some fall back in the UK he believes this is a short termphenomenon. He says: “We are unfazed by these ...

  • Capital gains tax bills could stem outflows

    1 Mar 2007

    Capital gains tax could prevent Credit Suisse's fund of funds' range from losing millions of pounds in outflows in the wake of the departure of Robert Burdett and Gary Potter from the firm, says Hargreaves Lansdown head of research Mark Dampier.

  • Cashing in on new Russian revolution

    1 Mar 2007

    Ichose Russia as my favourite equity market for last year and have done so again this year. Now, I realise that this is an area where you should not put a big portion of your portfolio, yet it often seems to be an emerging market that performs best in a given year. I think Vietnam was the best last year.

  • Chris Gillies

    1 Mar 2007

    Part of the Zurich community for over 20 years, the managing director of Zurich Intermediary Group plans to spend 2007 orchestrating a comprehensive e-platform and overseeing a new protection range designed to establish it as a major player. He also believes in helping the wider community as a keen supporter of charities for disabled and disadvantaged people. Interview by Helen Pow.

  • Cirencester Friendly Society - Income Assured Plus

    1 Mar 2007

    Cirencester Friendly SocietyIncome Assured Plus

  • Cobalt buys up Square Mile Finance

    1 Mar 2007

    The deal marks the latest chapter in Cobalt's growth and it is likely to continue on the acquisition trail. Last November, it became one of the founding members of broker alliance Concordia.

  • Cofunds search picks out clients under the limit

    1 Mar 2007

    Cofunds has built an Isa search facility within its platform to allow advisers to identify clients who have not used their full Isa allowance.

  • Comedy turn

    1 Mar 2007

    London's Comedy Store sold its fair share of jugs of warm beer last week when the Money Marketing team was kindly escorted by various bigwigs from The Money Portal to witness the Cutting Edge night.

  • Correspondent's Week

    1 Mar 2007

    This week by Greater Manchester Weekly Newspapers commercial journalist Tony Todd.

  • Coventry BS to launch broker-only arm

    5 Mar 2007

    Coventry Building Society will launch a specialist intermediary mortgage arm called Godiva Mortgages later this month.

  • Cowman joins Just Retirement to head up new protection venture

    1 Mar 2007

    Just Retirement is to enter the protection market later this year and has recruited Prudential's head of proposition and development Paul Cowman to head up the new venture.

  • Crop formations

    1 Mar 2007

    And still the market continues to rise - or at least it was on the up last week. With six-year highs being posted on a regular basis, it is worth trying to gauge what is driving the market.

  • Dividend discipline

    1 Mar 2007

    Matthew Craig analyses the steady success of equity income funds.

  • Downing Corporate Finance - Electra Kingsway VCT C Shares

    1 Mar 2007

    Downing Corporate FinanceElectra Kingsway VCT C Shares

  • Drive the car of your dreams

    1 Mar 2007

    Money Marketing readers are being offered the chance to win the car of their dreams for a weekend by taking part in our latest salary and benefits survey.

  • Edeus launches remortgage range

    6 Mar 2007

    Edeus has today launched a set of remortgage-only adverse and adverse self-cert products.

  • Edeus turns the screws on high-street lenders

    1 Mar 2007

    Mortgage lender Edeus has launched a blistering tirade against direct-selling companies in an advertising campaign designed to attract brokers.

  • F&C's Scott calls Q1 correction ahead of time

    28 Feb 2007

    F&C UK income growth manager Ted Scott says the dramatic sell off in global equities in the past couple of days was bound to come following the strong returns particularly towards the end of 2006.

  • Fair and square

    1 Mar 2007

    What changes to a firm's systems and processes will be necessary to show compliance with the FSA's treating customers fairly principles from April? Kenneth Underhill, a partner, and Robbie Constance, a barrister, at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain, outline the challenges.

  • Fidelity - FF Asia Pacific Property Fund

    1 Mar 2007

    FidelityFF Asia Pacific Property Fund

  • Fidelity cuts Pep and Isa transfer charges

    1 Mar 2007

    Fidelity has waived its charges on Pep and Isa transfers into selected Fidelity funds and has launched a free Pep and Isa withdrawal facility, enabling investors to have a sum of their choice paid automatically into their bank account.

  • Finance Finder UK chooses Dashboard for case management

    1 Mar 2007

    Finance Finder UK has selected Dashboard as the exclusive provider of their case management system.

  • Food for thought for Close

    1 Mar 2007

    Close Investments has introduced the imperial pub company enterprise investment scheme, an EIS looking to raise up to £8m.

  • Former Equitable Life directors found guilty of misconduct

    2 Mar 2007

    A disciplinary tribunal of the Institute of Actuaries has found three former directors of Equitable Life guilty of misconduct and breaching The Actuarial Profession's rules.

  • Friends Prov adds bare trust to DGP

    28 Feb 2007

    Friends Provident has added a bare trust to its discounted gift plan to provide wider flexibility to IFAs and their clients for inheritance tax planning purposes.

  • FSA censures car dealer over PPI sales

    1 Mar 2007

    The FSA has continued its crackdown on payment protection insurance sales by imposing a public censure on Cathedral Motor Company, a franchised car dealer selling PPI on an advised basis, for failures relating to its sales of PPI.

  • FSA fines Regency on pension advice

    1 Mar 2007

    The FSA has fined Regency Investment Services 14,000 for advice failings around income withdrawal.

  • FSA sets out proposals for stripped down T&C handbook

    28 Feb 2007

    The FSA has set out proposals for a shorter and more outcome-focused training and competence sourcebook that will apply only to retail firms and business.

  • Generalist practitioner

    1 Mar 2007

    Close Ventures managing director Patrick Reeve has a record that is second to none in the venture capital trust sector. All his trusts, which have been in existence for five years or more, have shown profits and his first generalist trust is up by 88 per cent over five years and 156 per cent over 10 years to January 1, 2007.

  • Glorious Talmud

    1 Mar 2007

    New cautious funds prove the historically known worth of spreading assets.

  • Government is guilty

    1 Mar 2007

    Four pensioners who lost their final-salary schemes when their employers went bust have won a High Court victory against the Government.

  • Greenshields appointed to Standard Life Assurance Board

    5 Mar 2007

    Standard Life Assurance has appointed Ray Greenshields to the Board of the company as a non-executive director with effect from March 1.

  • Group dynamics

    1 Mar 2007

    James Salmon says Clerical Medical's decision to quit group pensions indicates the difficulties of operating in a competitive market where squeezed margins, uncertain profitability and the launch of personal accounts cast a shadow over future business.

  • Hartford bridges annuity and drawdown divide

    1 Mar 2007

    Hartford Life claims to be the first provider in the UK market to have successfully bridged the void between annuities and income drawdown with a product which pays out a minimum guarantee for life.

  • HBOS maintains 21 per cent mortgage market share

    28 Feb 2007

    HBOS maintained its mortgage market share of 21 per cent in 2006.The UK’s largest mortgage lender saw gross advances up from £60.6bn in 2005 to £73.6bn last year, representing a 21 per cent increase, which was slightly above the market average.The group also saw underlying profit before tax up 19 per cent to £5.7bn.

  • Heroes welcome

    1 Mar 2007

    I am sure that you will all be able to visualise the scene in a film where the hero is trapped in a lift with the walls, ceiling and floor moving inwards to attempt to crush him.

  • Hip providers in CML clash

    1 Mar 2007

    The Association of Home Information Pack Providers has clashed with the Council of Mortgage Lenders over the CML's delay in responding to the consultation on Hips.

  • Homing devices

    1 Mar 2007

    Continuing to examine IHT in connection with residential property and ways of identifying potential clients in this area.

  • IFA to fight key seat for Tories in election

    1 Mar 2007

    Candidate aims to bring financial services experience to Westminster.

  • IFAs find the fountain of youth

    1 Mar 2007

    When you woke up this morning did you feel almost 10 years younger?

  • IMA calls for cut in payment cap

    1 Mar 2007

    The proposed contribution cap on personal accounts should be cut to £3,000 to keep the scheme outside the scope of regulated advice, says the Investment Management Association.

  • 'Indemnity is costing us huge Sipp opportunity'

    1 Mar 2007

    Hargreaves Lansdown co-founder Peter Hargreaves says the financial industry's reliance on indemnity commission means providers and advisers are missing out on a huge opportunity with Sipps.

  • Inertia Partnership goes into liquidation

    1 Mar 2007

    The High Court has placed The Inertia Partnership LLP into liquidation after the East Sussex company assisted boilerroom operations which were unlaw-fully promoting and selling shares to UK consumers.

  • Insight beats cash with low volatility fund

    1 Mar 2007

    Insight's multi-asset diversified target return fund has marked its second anniversary with performance figures showing it has delivered a 16.1 per cent return since launch.

  • Intelliflo launches client portal

    1 Mar 2007

    IntelliFlo has launched a unique client portal available to all users of Intelligent Office at no extra cost.

  • Interest rates tarnish property's investment status

    2 Mar 2007

    Interest rate rises have impacted significantly on people's belief in property as an investment category, reveals Standard Life.

  • Investec Asset Management - Balanced Managed Fund

    5 Mar 2007

    Investec Asset ManagementBalanced Managed Fund

  • James Hay gets Sipp authorisation

    1 Mar 2007

    James Hay has received confirmation of its FSA authorisation for Sipp business from April 6.

  • Job description

    1 Mar 2007

    In 2006, US markets produced disappointing returns for UK-based investors. Having seen good progress elsewhere and with some of the riskier markets looking stretched, is it time to rebuild weightings once again?

  • Kensington Mortgages - Prime Buy-To-Let Three-Year Fixed

    1 Mar 2007

    Kensington MortgagesPrime Buy-To-Let Three-Year Fixed

  • Kensington Mortgages - Prime Verified Two Year Tracker

    1 Mar 2007

    Kensington MortgagesPrime Verified Two Year Tracker

  • L&G stars with six accolades for protection

    1 Mar 2007

    Legal & General won six of the 11 Lifesearch awards last week, including best overall provider and most improved provider.

  • Leeds Building Society - 100% Fee Free 3 Year Fixed Rate

    1 Mar 2007

    Leeds Building Society100% Fee Free 3 Year Fixed Rate

  • Lenders to back down in exit fee row

    28 Feb 2007

    Borrowers appear to have won the first phase of their battle with mortgage lenders over "unfair" exit fees.

  • LibDems call for new property levy

    5 Mar 2007

    The LibDems are examining proposals for an annual 1 per cent levy on residences over £1m to pay for tax cuts for the less well-off.Speaking at the party’s spring conference in Harrogate, Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable said the move would be aimed at the “super rich” who he believes do not pay there fair share of tax by taking advantage of avoidance schemes.Cable said the extra revenue would be used to raise current inheritance tax and stamp duty rates to help “those on modest means ...

  • Lifetime skills

    1 Mar 2007

    Research into the potential of the lifetime mortgage market provides compelling evidence pointing at a significant growth in its popularity which is not driven purely by the growth in the value of housing.

  • Major upheaval

    1 Mar 2007

    Specialist lenders are successfully grabbing market share, says Guy Anker.

  • Make allowances for IHT

    1 Mar 2007

    Families can shelter thousands of pounds from IHT by using the available allowances and exemptions.

  • Manchester BS buys Whiteaway Bank

    1 Mar 2007

    Manchester Building Society has bought Whiteaway Laidlaw Bank, a commercial bank offering facilities to small businesses and personal customers.

  • Maple syrup to sweeten Asian portfolio

    1 Mar 2007

    Skandia Investment Management has awarded a 37m Asian equity mandate to Maple Brown Abbott.

  • Market correction brings welcome reassessment of risk

    6 Mar 2007

    The bull market of the last four years has lulled investors into accepting more risk for lower returns, that's according to William De Broe fund manager and head of fund research Dan Kemp.

  • Matching model

    1 Mar 2007

    The financial services industry is founded upon and perpetuates jargon, obfuscation and generally an unwillingness or inability to confront the obvious. This has the dual benefit of keeping the client in the dark and the adviser in business and wrap is just the latest gizmo to get worked up about, so thank heaven for Transact.

  • Merchant goes for revamp

    1 Mar 2007

    Merchant Investors, has relaunched its self-invested personal pension, having revamped its range of fund links and changed the charging structure to ensure investors only pay for the services they use.

  • Merchant Investors - Self-Invested Pension Portfolio

    2 Mar 2007

    Merchant InvestorsSelf-Invested Pension Portfolio

  • MetLife - Trustee Investment Plan

    1 Mar 2007

    MetLifeTrustee Investment Plan

  • MetLife secures Sipp audience

    1 Mar 2007

    The European arm of US-based MetLife has made its UK debut with the introduction of a self-invested personal pension and a related trustee investment plan.

  • MGM Assurance - MGM Adventurous Managed Fund

    1 Mar 2007

    MGM AssuranceMGM Adventurous Managed Fund

  • MGM Assurance - MGM Cautious Managed Fund

    1 Mar 2007

    MGM AssuranceMGM Cautious Managed Fund

  • MGM is next to set up mortgage club

    1 Mar 2007

    MGM Home Finance is planning to start a mortgage club next week.

  • 'Mifid nightmare' could pose threat to independent label

    1 Mar 2007

    European commissioner Charlie McCreevy has raised doubts over the future of the payment menu and FSA-required advi-ser labels such as independent and whole of market after warning that Mifid could turn into a "practical nightmare".

  • Miton's Arcturus shines in first two months

    1 Mar 2007

    The value of MitonOptimal's multi-asset Arcturus fund increased by 2 per cent in its first two months since launch and the company is hailing multi-asset investing as the future of multi-manager funds.

  • Mobius says correction was expected

    1 Mar 2007

    Templeton Asset Management chief executive Dr. Mark Mobius says the recent market correction should have been expected after four years with literally no interruptions.

  • Morningstar buys S&P fund data business in £28m deal

    1 Mar 2007

    Standard & Poor's is selling its mutual fund data business to rival Morningstar in a £28.24m cash deal.

  • Mortgage Brain to host packager forum

    1 Mar 2007

    Mortgage Brain and the Mortgage Trading Exchange will be holding an exclusive packager forum, at the Cavendish Conference Centre in London on March 23.

  • MP warns generic advice in doubt after court case

    1 Mar 2007

    Labour MP Anne Begg has warned that last week's high court ruling on occupational pensions endangers the ability to provide generic advice for personal accounts.

  • MPC Investors - MPC Convertibles Fund

    1 Mar 2007

    MPC InvestorsMPC Convertibles Fund

  • MPC Investors - MPC Strategic Reserve Fund

    1 Mar 2007

    MPC InvestorsMPC Strategic Reserve Fund

  • Muirhead backs Dampier on allocation

    1 Mar 2007

    Sifa managing director Ian Muirhead has defended Hargreaves Lansdown head of research Mark Dampier's comments on asset allocation, claiming that advisers do not have the expertise to make any geographic calls.

  • Name and shame the lawbreakers

    1 Mar 2007

    Open letter to Walter Merricks, Chief Ombudsman, Financial Ombudsman Service

  • Nationwide rethinks intermediary team

    1 Mar 2007

    Nationwide is set for a major restructure of its intermediary mortgage top brass in a move it says will enhance its service to brokers.

  • NDF Administration - Extra Growth Plan February 07

    1 Mar 2007

    NDF AdministrationExtra Growth Plan February 07

  • NDF plans for Isa season

    1 Mar 2007

    The NDF 7 per cent fixed income plan February 07 is one of three new structured products NDF Administration has brought out for this year's Isa season.

  • Net business

    1 Mar 2007

    Sarah Hall looks at how IFAs are finding new clients by using websites.

  • New kids on the block

    6 Mar 2007

    There seems to be an abundance of new talent set to enter the protection market this year and I'm not talking about all the good looking protection commentators out there.

  • NHS pension black hole up by 61bn

    1 Mar 2007

    The NHS pension scheme's black hole has risen by 61.2bn in two years to a total liability of 165.4bn, according to Government documents revealed this week by the Conservatives.

  • No Greek tragedy

    1 Mar 2007

    Andrew Georgiou, 29-year-old Greek boss of online financial services outfit Only.co.uk, carried off the Young Entrepreneur of the Year gong at Dragons' Den guru Duncan Bannatyne's glittering Sharp Edge Awards, pipping 500 other young hopefuls.

  • Nomura International - Japan Strategy 80% Protected Fund

    1 Mar 2007

    Nomura InternationalJapan Strategy 80% Protected Fund

  • Non-exec trio join Norwich & Peterboro'

    1 Mar 2007

    Norwich and Peterborough Building Society has appointed three new non-executive directors to its board.

  • NU move is delaying wrap cash

    1 Mar 2007

    Norwich Union has admitted it has been holding back on IFAs' commission payments for up to eight weeks due to admin problems with its Lifetime wrap proposition.

  • Old Mutual operating profits rise by 22%

    1 Mar 2007

    Old Mutual's adjusted operating profits rose by 22 per cent to 1.69bn last year from 1.39bn in 2005, boosted by the 3.3bn acquisition of Skandia last year. But chief executive Jim Sutcliffe warns that rand currency weakness and increasing investment in some businesses will reduce profit growth this year.

  • Online threat creeping up on advisers

    1 Mar 2007

    Online portals and websites are a growing threat to IFAs as people's first port of call when researching financial products, according to Teamspirit.

  • Only 19% are ready for the TCF deadline

    1 Mar 2007

    Only one five mortgage advisers has so far met the FSA's requirement to embed treating customers fairly principles into their business, less than a month from the deadline.

  • Operating profits up at St James's Place

    1 Mar 2007

    St James's Place has reported a 54 per cent increase in operating profit to 176m for the year ended December 31, 2006. New business profits were also up by 71 per cent to 115.2m.

  • Out of Context

    28 Feb 2007

    "I'm being asked to make a cup of coffee for a colleague. I've never made a cup of coffee in my life."

  • PI crisis for street-trader chasers

    1 Mar 2007

    Claim-chasers will struggle to obtain PI cover as specialist underwriters see them as "opportunistic street traders" that are damaging their IFA clients, says a leading PI broker.

  • Platform is making progress towards Poso

    1 Mar 2007

    Platform is likely to provide instant offers for brokers by the end of the year.

  • Portman sells offshore business to Scarborough

    6 Mar 2007

    Scarborough Building Society is to buy Portman Building Society’s Guernsey-based offshore business Portman Channel Islands Limited.

  • PosSol beats record with over 100 recruits in February

    5 Mar 2007

    Positive Solutions has announced its best monthly recruitment performance ever in its 10-year history with 104 intermediaries signing up.

  • Potter and Burdett quit in new blow for Suisse

    1 Mar 2007

    Gary Potter and Rob Burdett have both resigned as joint heads of the Credit Suisse multi-manager business with immediate effect.

  • Power tools

    1 Mar 2007

    Over the last month, there has been an intense debate in Money Marketing concerning the correct approach to asset allocation. Much of the discussion has focused on the correct interpretation of Brinson, Hood and Beebower's seminal 1986 work on the subject, The Determinants of Portfolio Performance, and its subsequent updates.

  • Principle puzzle as FSA decides to keep RU64

    1 Mar 2007

    The industry has attacked the FSA's decision to retain the controversial RU64 rule, claiming it shows a lack of trust in the sector and conflicts with the regulator's move to principles.

  • Principles and RU64

    1 Mar 2007

    The FSA has decided to retain RU64, a clumsy regulatory device intended to force advisers to sell low-cost stakeholder pensions rather than higher-cost up-frontcharging old-style contracts.

  • Property investment firm Cordatus launches

    6 Mar 2007

    Cordatus Partners Limited the specialist real estate investment management firm has launched into the UK market.

  • Relief over FSA exam move

    5 Mar 2007

    The FSA's decision to retain existing examination requirements for advisers has been welcomed by the industry with both Aifa and the CII expressing support for the decision to maintain the status-quo.

  • Retention seekers must strike the right balance

    1 Mar 2007

    Retention fees have become something of a hot potato in recent months.

  • Righteous Ros wins battle

    1 Mar 2007

    Twice a year, the state decides to honour people who have either have performed a "vital" service for the community over many years or have enough spare change to donate to a political party and can afford to buy themselves a knighthood or some such title.

  • Rock-solid reputation

    1 Mar 2007

    Climb every mountain to put our industry on the moral high ground.

  • Royal London - Ethical Bond Trust

    1 Mar 2007

    Royal LondonEthical Bond Trust

  • Save and sound

    1 Mar 2007

    The public must be convinced that they will not be disadvantaged for saving.

  • Schools of thought

    1 Mar 2007

    Whatever investment theory you subscribe to, is the debate more than purely academic??

  • Schroders - Schroder ISF Global Emerging Market Opportunities Fund

    1 Mar 2007

    SchrodersSchroder ISF Global Emerging Market Opportunities Fund

  • Sesame launch retirement planning seminars

    1 Mar 2007

    Sesame is to host a series of 21 technical seminars to provide advisers with an insight into pre and post-retirement markets.

  • Sesame turns to Cofunds for Isa drive

    1 Mar 2007

    Sesame has ditched Funds-Network in favour of Cofunds as its preferred platform to support its Isa campaign.

  • Shift of gear

    1 Mar 2007

    Chris Salih examines why investment trusts have become less popular vehicles for fund firms despite offering considerable advantages for managers.

  • Sinner winner

    1 Mar 2007

    The "sindustry" of adult interest investments is proving to be a lucrative diversifier for seasoned alternative investors, says price comparison site BeatThatQuote.com.

  • Sipp through the fingers

    1 Mar 2007

    Are advisers going to miss out on yet another golden opportunity?

  • Skandia says investment success beats charge cuts

    1 Mar 2007

    Skandia says a successful investment strategy would outstrip the Government's claimed 25 per cent improvement on pension values from cutting fund charges.

  • SLB launches self-employed range

    1 Mar 2007

    Standard Life Bank has today launched a mortgage range for self-employed customers, offering discounted and fixed rate mortgages with flexible features. The Freestyle Self-Employed products will provide what it describes as fast track access to funds, now offering up to 85 per cent loan-to-value without requiring verification of income.

  • Standard adds gift plan trust to IHT range

    1 Mar 2007

    Standard Life has added a discounted gift plan absolute trust to its range of inheritance tax planning vehicles.

  • Standard Life appoints new Chairman

    1 Mar 2007

    Standard life chairman Sir Brian Stewart will step down from the Board in May this year and will be succeeded by deputy chairman Gerry Grimstone.

  • Standard rethinks client contact policy after talks with Aifa

    1 Mar 2007

    Standard Life has revised its process for contacting with-profits policyholders after being accused of undermining IFAs.

  • Standard says it will not compete with IFAs

    1 Mar 2007

    Standard Life says it will not compete with IFAs despite promoting its wrap direct to clients.

  • Steady state

    1 Mar 2007

    Helen Pow reports on new figures which show that although cash totals fell slightly last year, the lifetime mortgage universe is expanding slowly but surely as the market widens geographically and clients, advisers and lenders take care over the amounts of money released.

  • Survey shows satisfaction

    1 Mar 2007

    The Association of British Insurers is urging the FSA to slash paperwork after its first customer impact scheme showed people's preference for dealing with call centres rather than written communication.

  • Sweeping claims over HBOS stance

    1 Mar 2007

    I refer to the article in a recent edition of Money Marketing attributing comments to Stuart Bernau of Nationwide Building Society which made my blood boil. Indeed, I have taken a week to calm down before writing this.

  • T. Bailey Asset Management - All Funds

    1 Mar 2007

    T. Bailey Asset ManagementAll Funds

  • Thames River touted as Potter and Burdett plot thickens

    1 Mar 2007

    Speculation has been running riot today about where ex-Credit Suisse duo Gary Potter and Robert Burdett will move to with a number of industry commentators touting Thames River as the most likely destination for the pair.

  • The Asp sting

    1 Mar 2007

    The pension sector is waiting for the Budget in the hope that the situation on seemingly ill-fated Asps is finally resolved, reports Clare Bettelley.

  • The Co-op to sell equity release

    5 Mar 2007

    The Co-Op is to start selling equity release through a partnership with Retirement Plus.

  • The cutting hedge

    1 Mar 2007

    Kira Nickerson examines the traditional view of hedge funds as being opaque, complicated and expensive but finds little evidence that they influence markets to the detriment of retail investors while recent research by Barclays Capital suggests that hedge fund strategists generally justify their high fees.

  • The nature of the East

    1 Mar 2007

    Rumblings in the belly of the Asia markets could erupt this year in a painful downturn.

  • The stoch market

    1 Mar 2007

    Retirement planning. Steven Whalley, head of marketing for investment products at Aegon Scottish Equitable, looks at how stochastic modelling can be used to consider the possible scenarios for investors taking regular income in retirement.

  • The whole tooth

    1 Mar 2007

    Evolve Financial Planning IFA Andrew Collett says commission, whether it is paid to a dentist or an adviser, it not a dirty word and a fact of everyday life.

  • Threadneedle China manager says correction is healthy

    28 Feb 2007

    Threadneedle’s Far East fund manager Gigi Chan has described the 9 percent fall in the Shanghai Composite Index as a healthy correction after avery strong run of performance. He says: “The market has soared by around 50 per cent since November and itappear that investors have taken rumours of the authorities’ liquidityreductions measures as an excuse to take profits. “A degree of education is required [In China] to make investors aware thatstock markets ...

  • Three new GI offers target loan advisers

    1 Mar 2007

    Thousands of advisers will soon have access to three new mortgage-related general insurance offerings which will compete against existing players such as Paymentshield.

  • Top Gere

    1 Mar 2007

    It's been a while since we had a Diary lookie-likey and this week, as featured on the small screen that is MMTV, we couldn't help but notice the resemblance between Paul Hogarth and the officer/gentleman that is Richard Gere. If ever there was a man who also deserved a Pretty Woman, we think Hogie is certainly in the running.

  • Tories call for cross-party funding pact

    1 Mar 2007

    The Conservatives have called for urgent talks with the Government in the aftermath of the High Court ruling to agree ways of providing extra funding for victims.

  • Towry keeps clients after move to fees

    1 Mar 2007

    JS&P Towry Law says it has lost just five advisers and no clients after moving to a feeonly model.

  • Triple Point Investment Management - TP70

    1 Mar 2007

    Triple Point Investment ManagementTP70

  • Two thirds of IFAP members missing out on consumer web links

    1 Mar 2007

    Over two thirds of IFA Promotion members are not ensuring consumers searching online for independent financial advice can find their firm’s contact details, says the organisation.It says a third of members have signed up to its online marketing package which ensures web and email addresses are displayed and enabled allowing instant online access.But it says IFAs that have not signed up are not getting vital links to their firm’s services in front of the consumer.IFAP is offering ...

  • Unicorn chases Aim

    1 Mar 2007

    UK smaller companies specialist Unicorn Asset Management is aiming to raise up to £20m through a new category of shares in its Aim venture capital trust.

  • UnumProvident and Personal Group launch voluntary group IP plan

    5 Mar 2007

    UnumProvident has linked up with employee benefit provider Personal Group, to market a new voluntary group income protection policy.

  • Valentine's Day...

    1 Mar 2007

    Valentine's Day was only a short while ago but has that prompted Standard Life to branch out into dating services? According to another well known pink paper, Julie Hutchinson (sic) has moved into a role as a "date planning specialist".Well, Julie (HutchISon), if your talent in the world of dating is on a par with the expertise you have in tax law and estate planning, we have all got plenty of single friends looking for love who might give you a call.

  • Vicious circle

    1 Mar 2007

    One of the downsides for lenders working in arguably the most competitive mortgage industry in the world is that profit margins are constantly shrinking.

  • Whittaker reassures investors 2007's FYSE might end near 7,000

    28 Feb 2007

    New Star’s joint chief investment officer Stephen Whittaker has reassuredinvestors that corrections are a natural and healthy aspect of stockmarkets. Commenting on falls in markets worldwide and the impact on the UK this year,Whittaker says that despite increased volatility he sees no reason why theUK will not finish the year in positive territory this year and “probablynear the 7,000 mark”. He says: “Corrections are a natural and more importantly healthy ...

  • With-profits bonus battle

    1 Mar 2007

    Prudential, Legal & General and Liverpool Victoria are vying to prove their market-leading credentials.

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