Money Marketing
30 April 2008

  • In briefStandard Life's Hall retires in healthcare rejig

    1 May 2008

  • 1st - The Exchange see IFAs' rapid uptake in e-services

    2 May 2008

    Over a quarter of advisers have seen at least a 50 per cent increase in efficiencies since adopting e-services, revealed by 1st - The Exchange.

  • A commission conundrum

    30 Apr 2008

    PruProtect’s decision to boost the commission it pays advisers who sell its severity-based critical illness cover has come under fire this week.

  • A prescription for change

    1 May 2008

    Mike Izzard wants the Association of Medical Insurance Intermediaries to be a force for change. The new AMII chairman tells John Greenwood how he intends to make it happen

  • A shaw thing

    1 May 2008

    Annie Shaw is a freelance financial journalistTo One Aldwych Hotel for an early-morning briefing about Yorkshire Building Society's e-bond. After PR doyen David Holmes had wiped the dripping egg from our chins as we consumed the fare that the Northerners call "breakfast teacakes", communications cutie Tanya Jackson was anxious to dispel any myth that the new savings product was an "Eeh bah gum" bond although the not ungenerous interest rates did seem to go against ...

  • A world of value

    1 May 2008

    Each month we bring you the opinions of the managers of the funds most likely to be selected for pension portfolios through external fund links or Sipps. This month - SVM'S GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES fund

  • Abbey returns to market with exclusives

    1 May 2008

    Abbey will start offering exclusive deals to its key account partners on Friday after withdrawing from the market in March.

  • Aberdeen to purchase Goodman Property Investors for £89m

    6 May 2008

    Aberdeen Asset Management is to acquire Goodman Property Investors for an initial cash consideration of £89m.

  • ABI says new model insurers are needed

    1 May 2008

    The Association of British Insurers says life offices need to become "new model insurers" to be successful in the future.

  • ABI under fire for removing 10-day target on annuities

    1 May 2008

    Hargreaves Lansdown has accused the Association of British Insurers of abandoning its commitment to customer service by ditching its 10-day turn-round target for open-market annuity processing.

  • Adviser Fund Index - Sinking like a brick

    1 May 2008

    Sentiment towards commercial property has taken a dramatic downturn among the Adviser Fund Index panellists, according to the latest AFI survey.

  • Advisers warned not to ignore data risks

    1 May 2008

    The FSA is warning adviser firms that they must have systems and controls in place to protect clients' data from financial crime.

  • Aifa hailing report as victory for advice

    1 May 2008

    Aifa is claiming victory after the FSA took up many of its recommendations in its retail distribution review interim report.

  • Alliance & Leicester - Buy-to-Let Two Year Fixed Rate

    2 May 2008

    Alliance & LeicesterBuy-to-Let Two Year Fixed Rate

  • Alliance & Leicester - Five-Year Fixed Fee Saver

    2 May 2008

    Alliance & LeicesterFive-Year Fixed Fee Saver

  • Alliance & Leicester - Two-Year Fixed Rate

    2 May 2008

    Alliance & LeicesterTwo-Year Fixed Rate

  • AMI considering OFT involvement over lenders' dual pricing

    2 May 2008

    The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has told members it is considering seeking involvement from the Office of Fair Trading over lenders’ dual pricing strategies.

  • AMI warns lenders over direct deals

    1 May 2008

    The Association of Mortgage Intermediaries has stated it has "major reservations" over the recent move by lenders in offering substantially better rates through their direct channels.

  • Annuities fail flexibility test

    1 May 2008

    My many years of experience in advising individual and corporate clients about annuities and drawdown, advising insurance companies about product development and speaking with the Government and regulators leaves me in no doubt that drawdown will continue to replace annuities as the preferred option for many middle-Britain investors. That is, provided that clients get the correct advice and the industry continues to develop innovative products like variable annuities.

  • Annuity standards

    1 May 2008

    The Association of British Insurers says it has toughened up its standards for processing open market annuities by scrapping its 10-day turn-round rule in favour of insurers paying out funds by a selected retirement date.

  • Arc Capital & Income - Arc Fixed Income Plan 5

    2 May 2008

    Arc Capital & IncomeArc Fixed Income Plan 5

  • Arc Capital & Income - Stepped Kick-Out Plan 4

    2 May 2008

    Arc Capital & IncomeStepped Kick-Out Plan 4

  • Arc explores Anglo-American income

    2 May 2008

    Arc Capital & income has introduced its fifth fixed income plan, a capital-protected bond that provides monthly or annual income during a term of five years and three weeks.

  • 'At retirement' market to double in five years

    1 May 2008

    The 'at retirement' market is predicted to double to over 30bn a year within the next five years, according to Watson Wyatt. The firm predicts it will grow by 20 per cent a year over the next five years, creating opportunities for advisers distributing products designed to convert invested assets into income like conventional annuities, income drawdown, and variable annuities.

  • Auto motive

    1 May 2008

    Reports from the European Commission, confirmed by the Department for Work and Pensions, say employers will be able to auto-enrol employees into group personal pension plans without offending EU regulations on distance marketing. Although we still await definitive information, this is good news for pension providers and employers which sponsor GPPPs or who intend to set them up in 2012 as an alternative to personal accounts.

  • Axa fund recognises importance of people power

    2 May 2008

    AXA WF human capital is a Sicav with an unusual investment strategy based on the belief that people are a company’s most important asset.

  • Axa Investment Management - AXA WF Alpha Asian Bonds

    2 May 2008

    Axa Investment ManagementAXA WF Alpha Asian Bonds

  • Axa Investment Management - Axa WF Human Capital Fund

    2 May 2008

    Axa Investment ManagementAxa WF Human Capital Fund

  • Axa offers hotel rooms in Sipp

    1 May 2008

    Axa is offering its Sipp customers the chance to invest in hotel rooms through specialist investment company GuestInvest.

  • Back to the 70s with £100bn shortfall

    1 May 2008

    Checkmate Mortgages executive chairman Stephen Knight believes the UK mortgage market will suffer a £100bn shortfall of gross mortgage lending this year.

  • Bank of England warns overstated losses will delay recovery

    1 May 2008

    The Bank of England has warned that risk premia in some markets has become too high and is likely to contribute to the delay in the return of confidence and risk-taking.

  • 'Banks should concede defeat on fees'

    1 May 2008

    Which? is calling on banks to surrender in their legal battle with the Office of Fair Trading over charges.

  • Barclays boss warns of the dangers of not taking risks

    1 May 2008

    Barclays group chief executive John Varley has warned of the danger that risk management could turn to risk aversion as a result of the current confidence crisis.

  • Battle of the bonds

    1 May 2008

    The future of investment bonds is being questioned again as the capital gains tax changes provoke new debate over their suitability compared with investments in unit trusts and Oeics.

  • Big is beautiful, says Schroders

    1 May 2008

    Schroders managing director of UK retail Robin Stoakley believes the climate has changed to favour bigger investment firms as investors look for innovative and niche products.

  • Big lenders attacked on direct deals

    1 May 2008

    Mortgage brokers have hit out at Halifax, Nationwide and Cheltenham & Gloucester for offering substantially better rates through direct channels.

  • Black to the future

    1 May 2008

    The Black Report and the overhaul of Incapacity Benefit show health and wellbeing issues entering the mainstream. Now advisers need to take up the baton, says Helen Monks

  • BM Solutions' Tim Hague to join Birmingham Mids

    1 May 2008

    Birmingham Midshires has appointed Tim Hague as director of savings and investments.

  • Bradbury to hand over fund in promotion to head of equities

    1 May 2008

    Old Mutual Asset Management fund manager Ashton Bradbury is to step down from the £507m UK mid-cap select fund at the end of this year.

  • Bradford & Bingley slashes in-house adviser team to 40

    1 May 2008

    Bradford & Bingley has cut its in-house mortgage adviser team by around 100 to 40.

  • Bright Grey new business falls 19 per cent

    2 May 2008

    Bright Grey's new business levels have fallen by 19 per cent from £47m in the first quarter of 2007 to £38m in the same period this year.

  • Broker Talkback

    1 May 2008

    Was the Bank of England wrong not to include specialist lenders in its £50bn rescue package for banks?

  • Brokers fight back

    2 May 2008

    A war has begun. After weeks of frustration, watching several big lending players begin to even more aggressively undercut brokers through their direct channels, the intermediaries have decided enough is enough.

  • By definition

    1 May 2008

    As a child, I used to ask my mother what she had meant BY an earlier comment, she would retort with "just what I say" and I was no further forward. In short, no definition equals no clue.

  • Cable warns that storm is still building

    1 May 2008

    Vincent Cable says mortgage brokers should not be made the scapegoat for borrowers who get in financial trouble.

  • Cavanagh to look at buys as profits leap

    1 May 2008

    Cavanagh Group's profits leapt by 50 per cent to £1.5m last year from £1m in 2006.

  • Cazenove gets AAA rating on all European Oeics

    2 May 2008

    Cazenove Capital Management is to have the AA ratings on its European Oeic fund range upgraded to AAA by Standard & Poor's.

  • 'Challenging year' for Park Row

    1 May 2008

    Royal Liver says its adviser arm Park Row had a "challenging 2007". It lost around 100 advisers and closed 17 branches.

  • Chelsea temporarily withdraws intermediary products

    2 May 2008

    Chelsea will withdraw its intermediary product range from end of play today after receiving a high volume of mortgage applications from brokers.

  • Cheshire Building Society - 2-Year Discount

    2 May 2008

    Cheshire Building Society2-Year Discount

  • Cigna offers dental performance

    1 May 2008

  • Claim is the spur

    1 May 2008

    This really cannot go on. Last week, for the third or fourth week in a row, I got a set of emails from readers of this column telling me how much they agreed with my comments.

  • Clarkson Hill confident despite fall in profits

    1 May 2008

    Clarkson Hill saw profits fall from 11,591 to 6,439 for the six months ending in January.

  • Cofunds adds L&G multi-manager funds to platform

    2 May 2008

    Cofunds will be listing three Legal & General multi-manager funds on its platform this week, covering income, growth and balanced strategies.

  • Contrast, compare, despair

    1 May 2008

    Group risk providers need to adopt the technology practices of their pensions counterparts if they are to offer even basic standards of service, says Ian McKenna

  • Corporate advice mergers and acquisitions boosted by removal of taper relief on capital gains tax

    1 May 2008

    The removal of taper relief on capital gains tax at the end of the 2007/08 financial year has hastened a flurry of mergers and acquisitions in the corporate advice sector.

  • Counting on mortality

    1 May 2008

    Transfers will still be difficult to justify in the short term, but this could change as mortality assumptions are updated says John Lawson, head of pensions at Standard Life

  • Crunch bites as mortgage approvals are halved

    1 May 2008

    The number of house purchase approvals slumped by nearly 50 per cent in March compared with a year ago, says the British Bankers' Association.

  • Dalton backs local knowledge

    1 May 2008

    Dalton Strategic Partnership partner Richard Jones believes it can be a competitive advantage to have a local manager in an inefficient market.

  • Dalton reorganises Indian fund

    2 May 2008

    Dalton Strategic Partnership has created the Melchior Selected trust Indian opportunities fund by bringing its specialist Melchior Indian opportunities fund into its flagship offshore fund range.

  • Dalton Strategic Partnership - Melchior Selected Trust Indian Opportunities Fund

    2 May 2008

    Dalton Strategic PartnershipMelchior Selected Trust Indian Opportunities Fund

  • Death of Sir Derek Higgs

    1 May 2008

    Alliance & Leicester chairman Sir Derek Higgs died suddenly on Monday at the age of 64. He was the author of an influential report on corporate governance.

  • Diploma likely to be minimum standard

    1 May 2008

    Advisers will probably have to reach diploma or equivalent as the minimum standard, with the potential for higher requirements for specialist advice.

  • Distribution points

    1 May 2008

    Reduced consumer confidence is having an impact on investment and mortgage sales for advisers at a time when the regulatory burden is increasing.

  • Domestic upheaval

    1 May 2008

    The majority of emerging markets have not escaped the global liquidity crisis unscathed but there have not been any material changes in the fundamentals of emerging market economies. The factors underpinning growth remain in place.

  • Don't miss the next issue...Out June 2008

    1 May 2008

  • Don't price out the brokers

    1 May 2008

    Last month, Money Marketing ran an open letter from seven of the biggest mortgage distributors, calling on brokers to understand and make allowances for the strain being placed on lenders by current market conditions.

  • Drain on resources

    1 May 2008

    I have received a statement from my personal pension provider that seems to show that my fund at retirement will be worth less than it is today, even if it grows at 5 per cent a year. Can this possibly be right?

  • Ecclesiastical adds bond fund to ethical range

    2 May 2008

    Ecclesiastical Investment Management, formerly Allchurches Investment Management, has added an ethically screened bond fund to its range of socially responsible investment funds.

  • Ecclesiastical Investment Management - Amity Sterling Bond Fund

    2 May 2008

    Ecclesiastical Investment ManagementAmity Sterling Bond Fund

  • Em aims to swoop for three mortgage packager firms

    1 May 2008

    Em Financial is looking to snap up three mortgage packaging firms in a bid to take advantage of market conditions.

  • Equity release market resilient despite 13% fall in plans sold

    2 May 2008

    Bridgewater Equity Release claim the latest figures from Safe Home Income Plans show a resilient market for equity release products despite a 13 per cent fall in the number of plans being sold.

  • Eversheds cautions against FOS naming and shaming

    2 May 2008

    Lord Hunt’s recommendation for the Financial Ombudsman Services to introduce a name and shame system could portray firms in a misleading light, according to law firm Eversheds.

  • Ex-bank director joins FSA's post-Rock squad

    1 May 2008

    The FSA has appointed former Barclays group finance director Naguib Kheraj to bolster its supervision processes in response to the Northern Rock debacle.

  • Exceptions to the rule

    1 May 2008

    Despite the recent stockmarket turmoil, there are still some very good buying opportunities in the financial sector. Two of the best managers in the industry, Guy de Blonay and Philip Gibbs (no relation), manage excellent funds - New Star global financials and Jupiter financial opportunities respectively.

  • Exemption is not enough

    1 May 2008

    When the Government’s national scheme of Personal Accounts is launched in 2012, every employer in the UK will be affected, from the largest corporation to the small corner shop owner. There will be no place to hide, so it’s important that employers start to prepare now.

  • F&C sees £1.8bn outflow in Q1

    1 May 2008

    F&C is blaming uncertainty over its future for assets under management falling from £103.6bn in December 2007 to £101.8bn in March this year.

  • Fidelity warning on levelling down

    1 May 2008

  • Flexibility for front-end cash

    1 May 2008

    The FSA has made it clear that it still wants to stop product providers determining adviser remuneration but it is willing to offer greater flexibility on future payment arrangements, including front-loaded remuneration.

  • Four lessons for banks to heed from liquidity crisis

    1 May 2008

    A senior Bank of England director has warned that action must be taken by banks and regulators to strengthen the financial system's defences to liquidity risk.

  • FSA bans mortgage broker for false applications

    6 May 2008

    The FSA has banned South London mortgage broker Isah Attayi Mohammed for entering false information on mortgage application forms and submitting false mortgage applications to lenders.

  • FSA ditches risk scheme for PI

    1 May 2008

    The FSA has dropped its suggestion that advisers could face risk-based assessments to decide how much professional indemnity cover they should hold, with a flat rate now looking the likeliest option.

  • FSA expands insider dealing unit

    6 May 2008

    The FSA has more than doubled its insider dealing unit as part of its crackdown on illegal market activity.

  • FSA staff received same bonuses despite Northern Rock

    6 May 2008

    The FSA's senior management received the same amount as bonuses in the year 07/08 as the previous year, despite the regulator admitting to “deeply worrying” mistakes in its handling of Northern Rock.

  • Funds too small for drawdown

    1 May 2008

    I am speaking on behalf of annuities which I confess to being passionate about but I also believe there is a role for drawdown and variable annuities for the right consumers at the right time.

  • FundsNetwork signs up to sponsor Marketing-Hub

    1 May 2008

    Fidelity FundsNetwork is the first platform provider to sponsor corporate communications tool Marketing-Hub.

  • Get your voices heard

    1 May 2008

    Professionals are best positioned to know the positive benefits the private sector can bring to workplace issues

  • Goddard leaving Aifa after 10 years

    1 May 2008

    Aifa deputy director general Fay Goddard is to step down after working for over 10 years at the trade body and its predecessor.

  • Good advice alone will not get the

    1 May 2008

    Too many employees are not joining decent company pension schemes and this is proving a major headache for the pensions industry and the government, discusses Jo Cann of AXA.

  • Government races to safeguard defined-benefit pensions

    1 May 2008

    The Government is rushing in new rules to increase powers requiring employers to provide contributions to a pension scheme if their actions could threaten the security of members' pensions.

  • Govt to review HMRC pension system

    6 May 2008

    The Government has signaled a review of the HMRC pension system, which it admitted could be resulting in thousands of women missing out on a full state pension.

  • Group market needs own rules says FSA RDR chief

    2 May 2008

    The FSA says group issues need to be treated separately from individual firms and advisers in the group pensions market will not be pushed into fee-only business models.

  • Halifax says SVR not available for new customers

    2 May 2008

    Halifax has said it will no longer be offering SVR mortgages to new customers.

  • Hartford adds new funds to personal pension

    6 May 2008

    Hartford Life has added seven new funds and two new asset classes to its personal pension product.

  • House prices fall a further 1.1% in April

    30 Apr 2008

    House prices fell for the sixth consecutive month in April and prices now sit 1 per cent lower than this time last year, according to Nationwide.

  • House prices fell by 1.3% in April, says Halifax

    2 May 2008

    House prices fell by 1.3 per cent in April, according to the Halifax house price survey.

  • HSA launches Facebook service

    1 May 2008

    Healthplan provider HSA is launching a personal health and lifestyle planner on Facebook, the social networking website. The cashplan provider believes its HSA Personal Planner solution means individuals will no longer have to worry about missing a dentist or opticians' appointment.

  • HSBC Investments - Capital Protected Isa

    2 May 2008

    HSBC InvestmentsCapital Protected Isa

  • Hunt plan would bring FOS grinding to a halt

    1 May 2008

    Having just listened to Lord Hunt interviewed on BBC Radio Moneybox, I was immediately incensed when he referred to financial services participants as "players".

  • IFP says changes in plans blur channels

    1 May 2008

    The Institute of Financial Planning has slammed the FSA for dropping proposals to separate advisers into general advisers and financial planners.

  • IMA urges 50k for bank guarantee limit

    1 May 2008

    The Investment Management Association has called for the compensation limit for bank depositors to be increased from 35,000 to 50,000.

  • Incredible bulk

    1 May 2008

    Bulk buyout business is soaring, yet many advisers are ill-equipped to service their clients. James Phillipps takes a look at a growing market

  • Info hub from Friends Provident

    1 May 2008

  • Inside Track goes into administration

    1 May 2008

    Property investment firm Inside Track Seminars has been put into administration. Vantis managing director Jeremy French and director Glyn Mummery are joint administrators.

  • Insight prefers bonds to access financials

    1 May 2008

    Insight's multi-manager team is taking advantage of the fallout from the credit crunch by buying into bonds issued by banks.

  • Invesco Perpetual launches European High Income fund

    30 Apr 2008

    Invesco Perpetual has launched a European High Income Fund.

  • Investec launches new natural resources fund

    6 May 2008

    Investec Asset Management is launching what it claims is the first-ever UK-domiciled natural resources fund.

  • Investment trusts give Hasley the cutting hedge

    1 May 2008

    Hasley Investment Management is adding to the investment trusts of hedge funds holdings in its recently launched diversifier fund of funds.

  • Japan holds Far Eastern promise for M&G's Jane

    1 May 2008

    M&G multi-manager David Jane is boosting returns for investors in his multi-asset cautious fund by investing in parts of the market that other multi-managers are writing off.

  • Joe and the dragon

    1 May 2008

    Entrepreneurs' relief is on the face of it a very simple relief. Most people who have considered it will tell you that it delivers an effective rate of 10 per cent on chargeable gains of up to £1m made on the disposal of a qualifying business asset. Most will also probably know that the £1m limit is a cumulative lifetime limit.

  • JPMorgan Asset Management - Global Consumer Trends Fund

    2 May 2008

    JPMorgan Asset ManagementGlobal Consumer Trends Fund

  • Keydata publishes structured products guide

    6 May 2008

    Keydata has produced an educational guide to structured products as a tools advisers can use with their clients to demonstrate the benefits of the investment vehicle.

  • Kim lerche-thomsen

    1 May 2008

    Since Living Time was launched in November 2006, chief executive Kim Lerche-Thomsen has been keen to get the word out about a new way of pension planning.

  • Legal & General - International Index Tru

    2 May 2008

    Legal & GeneralInternational Index Trust

  • Lenders face a flash flood

    1 May 2008

    Amid widespread speculation that mortgage complaints could skyrocket due to the credit crisis, mortgage brokers will be relieved to hear that the vast majority are expected to involve lenders.

  • Lester Killipas takes on commercial director role at Sifa

    1 May 2008

    Sifa has appointed Lester Killipas as commercial director, effective immediately.

  • Lifesearch relaxed about RDR read-across

    6 May 2008

    In the midst of the Retail Distribution Review Interim Report hyper-activity that was last week Lifesearch said it was relaxed about the FSA extending the RDR to protection business, as long as proposals to distinguish advice from sales go ahead.

  • Lighthouse and Sumus merger effective today

    6 May 2008

    The merger of Sumus Group into Lighthouse becomes effective today, resulting in the de-listing of Sumus shares.

  • Lloyds TSB in no rights issue rush

    6 May 2008

    Lloyds TSB has moved to reassure the market that it has robust capital ratios and a strong liquidity and funding position in its Interim Management Statement issued today.

  • Lone voice called for 0.5% cut in base rate

    1 May 2008

    The Bank of England monetary policy committee voted 6-2 to cut base rate this month, with one member wanting an immediate 0.5 per cent reduction rather than the 0.25 per cent cut that took placeMervyn King, Rachel Lomax, John Gieve, Kate Barker, Charles Bean and Paul Tucker voted for the 0.25 per cent cut to 5 per cent while Tim Besley and Andrew Sentence wanted rates to remain at 5.25 per cent and David Blanchflower wanted a 0.5 per cent cut.

  • Lowes merges with local firm Premium Independent

    2 May 2008

    Newcastle-based Lowes Financial Management has merged with another local IFA firm, Premium Independent Financial Management and says more acquisitions will take place.

  • LV= teams up with Lighthouse to deliver new funds

    1 May 2008

    LV= Asset Management and Lighthouse have agreed a distribution deal for four proposed OEIC sub-funds.

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF Eastern Europe

    2 May 2008

    Lyxor Asset ManagementLyxor ETF Eastern Europe

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF Hong Kong

    2 May 2008

    Lyxor Asset ManagementLyxor ETF Hong Kong

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF MSCI Korea

    2 May 2008

    Lyxor Asset ManagementLyxor ETF MSCI Korea

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF Turkey

    2 May 2008

    Lyxor Asset ManagementLyxor ETF Turkey

  • McFall: Why buy a with-profits policy?

    30 Apr 2008

    Treasury Select Committee chairman John McFall has questioned why anyone would buy a with-profits policy when shareholders can "raid" the inherited estates created from the funds at any time.

  • Money Marketing Markets: ‘Oil and takeover talk greases the market's wheels’

    2 May 2008

    Given the extreme volatility witnessed since the start of the year, the past week must have come as something of a relief for many investors.

  • Mortgages Plc and Wave to temporarily stop lending

    30 Apr 2008

    Mortgages Plc and Wave have temporarily stopped new lending, after months of speculation about the future of the two firms.

  • Mortgages remain outside RDR

    1 May 2008

    The FSA has ruled out implementing the RDR in the mortgage market in light of current conditions but is keeping an open mind for the future.

  • Munich Re raising profile with marketing appointment

    1 May 2008

    Munich Re is recruiting a head of marketing for its UK life business in a bid to boost its profile in the market.

  • NDFA -Regular Fixed Income Plan April 08

    2 May 2008

    NDFARegular Fixed Income Plan April 08

  • New web portal launches for platform professionals

    6 May 2008

    'The Platforum' is a new web portal that launched today by Cicero Consulting and strategic advisers HM Consulting.

  • Northern Rock employees face loss of jobs and share savings

    1 May 2008

    Redundancy-threatened Northern Rock staff are this month facing up to the reality of potentially losing both their job and 10 years' savings in the company's employee share schemes.

  • Northern Rock to cut jobs this year

    1 May 2008

    Northern Rock has confirmed that the majority of the proposed 2,000 job cuts will happen this year.

  • Norwich Union - Income Drawdown Plan

    2 May 2008

    Norwich UnionIncome Drawdown Plan

  • Norwich Union brand axed in switch to Aviva

    1 May 2008

    The Norwich Union brand name is to be phased out in the next two years in favour of Aviva.

  • NU investment business down 34%

    1 May 2008

    Norwich Union's investment sales fell by 34 per cent to 436m in the first three months of the year from 657m last year.

  • Offshore opportunity

    1 May 2008

    Paul Scaff's letter about investment bonds is interesting but, as so many people do, he only seems to be interested in capital gains tax.

  • Old Mutual poised for sharp recovery in corporate bonds

    1 May 2008

    The corporate bond market looks set for recovery, with attractive valuations, says Old Mutual fund manager Stephen Snowden.

  • Overseas remortgage service from Conti

    1 May 2008

    Conti Financial Services is setting up an overseas remortgaging service on residential property across 15 countries.

  • PADA goes to Holyrood?

    1 May 2008

    Edinburgh is believed to be the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority's front runner location for the home of the body that is to administer personal accounts.

  • Parable of Telent

    1 May 2008

    Deficits on final-salary schemes are being given an increasing profile by analysts when valuing their sponsoring employers, yet profiting from reducing deficits is burdened with increasing regulation.

  • Paula Moore appointed Jupiter Unit Trust Managers joint MD

    1 May 2008

    Jupiter Unit Trust Managers has announced the appointment of Paula Moore as joint managing director, after Jane Petkovic stepped down from the role.

  • Pearl picks Stewart to meld Axial and RAM

    1 May 2008

    Pearl Group has appointed Resolution Asset Management chief executive Gavin Stewart to manage the firm's combined asset management business.

  • Persimmon halts new starts

    1 May 2008

    Housebuilder Persimmon has postponed starting work on its scheduled new sites after it revealed a slump of 18 per cent in sales volumes this year.

  • Personal Touch Financial Services hits out at lenders' dual pricing

    2 May 2008

    Personal Touch Financial Services has launched a "name and shame" gallery on its website to criticise those lenders that are directly undercutting the broking market.

  • Philbin flees F&C as IP turns to Europe

    30 Apr 2008

    Hot off the press is the news that F&C Asset Management is to lose half its multi-manager duo, Richard Philbin, with our own Chris Salih breaking the news before he headed off on holiday last night.

  • Philbin quits F&C for new Axa business

    1 May 2008

    F&C multi-manager co-head Richard Philbin is leaving the company after seven years to join Axa.

  • Pink Home Loans to cut up to 40 jobs

    30 Apr 2008

    Pink Home Loans has confirmed it will be making up to 40 jobs cut.

  • Platform restructures sales division

    6 May 2008

    Platform has restructured its sales division in a bid to take advantage of opportunities once stability returns to the market.

  • Ploughing the yield

    1 May 2008

    International income funds continue to attract more traction in terms of new launches. This is a result of a real sea-change in so far as international markets are paying an income at all.

  • Positive feedback

    1 May 2008

    Let's get over those gloomy winter nights and open our eyes to look at spring which is doing its best to raise spirits. Birdsong is waking us all and, on my morning walk with my dog Max, I have been interested to see daffodils, tulips and now bluebells popping up in gardens and riverbanks. The golf clubs have even had an airing (on the driving range, of course) before seeing the green grass of a proper golf course when the sun gets higher in the sky.

  • Prepare for the worst

    1 May 2008

  • Pressure predicted to hit pension savers

    1 May 2008

    Twenty-nine per cent of advisers expect clients to save less into their pensions this year due to market conditions, according to MetLife's adviser survey.

  • Product matters - Control at a price

    1 May 2008

    The concept underlying Aegon Scottish Equitable's investment control product is not unreasonable - it is an investment plan that provides some guarantees and certainty.

  • Professional landlords to snap up buy-to-let bargains

    1 May 2008

    Most mortgage brokers believe novice landlords will stop buying new properties this year, according to research by The Mortgage Works.

  • Protected rights help boost Suffolk Sipps

    1 May 2008

    Suffolk Life saw a record number of new Sipp applications in the first quarter of this year.

  • Protection industry would welcome extension of regime

    1 May 2008

    Lifesearch says it is relaxed about the FSA extending the RDR to protection business as long as proposals to distinguish advice from sales go ahead.

  • Protection money

    1 May 2008

    Capital protected products sound like the solution to today's volatile markets, but advisers remain sceptical as to their true value says Sonia Speedy

  • Put health on the balance sheet

    1 May 2008

    Occupational health professionals are urging the Government to take up Dame Carol Black's recommendation that employee health and wellbeing should be reflected on companies' balance sheets.

  • Quality street

    1 May 2008

    Today's self-doubt and procrastination in the mortgage market can be directly traced back to the "jam today" ethos of mortgage firms, happy to ride the gravy train even though they knew it would come to a sudden and abrupt halt.

  • Questions, questions

    1 May 2008

    Insurers - why do insurers call themselves manufacturers when they don't make anything? Why do providers keep on adding illnesses covered by their criticalillness policies they know will not result in a claim?

  • Rate war sends annuities to five-year high

    1 May 2008

    A rate war is raging in the annuity market with rates reaching a five-year high and an unprecedented 39 rate changes already this year.

  • RBS to stop paying share of lending fees to brokers for business introductions

    6 May 2008

    Royal Bank of Scotland Group is to stop paying a share of lending fees to intermediaries for business lending introductions.

  • RDR advances to next phase

    1 May 2008

    The Retail Distribution Review enters its next phase with the publication of the FSA's interim feedback statement expected soon. The bulk of the statement is likely to be a summary of the 900-odd responses to the discussion paper.

  • RDR Interim Report: Sifa hails new proposals

    30 Apr 2008

    Sifa has hailed the FSA’s RDR Interim Report claiming its proposals are very much in line with its response to the discussion paper.

  • RDR Interim Report: St James's Place fury over proposals

    30 Apr 2008

    St James’s Place is confident its hand will not be forced into changing business model because it says the RDR Interim Report will not progress in its current form.

  • Recovery position

    1 May 2008

    It is a natural reaction to be bearish amid current uncertainty over the depth and duration of the economic slowdown and investors have mostly flocked to defensive sectors. It is interesting that the normally cyclical commodities sector is trading at elevated prices despite recessionary concerns. Conversely, banks, retailers and housebuilders have been punished.

  • Report highlights wide variations in similar default strategies

    1 May 2008

    Similarly labelled default strategies are delivering very different results, and actively managed schemes are being beaten by passive funds, according to a new report from PensionDCisions.

  • Rescue fails to salvage specialists

    1 May 2008

    Mortgage commentators have hit out at the Bank of England's decision to exclude specialist lenders from its £50bn liquidity rescue package.

  • Royal London welcomes Pearl's acquisition of Resolution

    1 May 2008

    Royal London is breathing a sigh of relief over the final stage completion over Pearl's acquisition of Resolution.

  • Sales rise at Just Retirement

    1 May 2008

    Just Retirement sales rose by 12 per cent for its third quarter ending March 31 to 184.7m from 164.8m in the previous year.

  • Salt Commercial suspends new lending

    2 May 2008

    Salt Commercial has become the latest lender to suspend new lending.

  • Schroders expands income range

    2 May 2008

    Schroders has expanded its range of equity income products with a fund that boosts income though a more defensive derivative-based strategy than used in the Schroder income maximiser product.

  • ScotEq bond offers control for investors

    1 May 2008

    Aegon Scottish Equitable is offering a guaranteed onshore bond product to protect consumers against stockmarket volatility.

  • Seed scoops the champagne

    1 May 2008

    Congratulations to Andy Seed of Mercer who wins a case of 12 bottles of champagne after his name was drawn out of the hat of respondents to the Corporate Adviser Ultimate Default Fund 2008 survey.

  • Services firm buys Chancery

    1 May 2008

    Professional services firm RSM Bentley Jennison has bought Northampton IFA Chancery Group which has six advisers.

  • Simple income choice from NDFA

    2 May 2008

    NDFA has brought out a FTSE 100-linked structured product that provides a choice of annual or monthly income over a term of five years and six months.

  • Simply Biz mortgage business up 20% for Q1

    2 May 2008

    Simply Biz's mortgage lending is up 20 per cent in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period last year, despite a 50 per cent fall in the total mortgage market.

  • Simulate the market

    1 May 2008

    Neil Loney and Neil Beer, of PA Consulting Group, set out how to draw up a model to achieve a fundamental shift in rethinking customer retention.

  • Skandia's Mackay to head marketing at AJ Bell

    1 May 2008

    Skandia head of marketing Billy Mackay is leaving to join self-invested personal pension provider AJ Bell.

  • Spicerhaart to buy Tesco estate agency business

    30 Apr 2008

    Spicerhaart has confirmed it is in final negotiations for the purchase of Tesco's estate agency business, Tesco Property Market.

  • Standard Life ups UK life and pensions net inflows by 42%

    30 Apr 2008

    Standard Life’s UK life and pensions net inflows were up 42 per cent to £826m in the three months to 31 March 2008.

  • Stellar's inaugural fund to exploit Baltic States

    6 May 2008

    Stellar Asset Management's first launch is its Stellar Baltic States fund that will allow investors to exploit opportunities emerging from Eastern Europe.

  • Stern to head multi-asset investing at Standard Life

    1 May 2008

    Standard Life Investments has appointed Guy Stern as head of multi-asset management.

  • Stress test

    1 May 2008

    Stress in the workplace is one of those increasingly problematic areas which is taking up more and more pages in the press as each year goes on.

  • Striking a match

    1 May 2008

    We take treating customers fairly very seriously and two years ago we realised that we had to change the way we operate.

  • Survey points to inadequacies of IAS19 as liability indicator

    1 May 2008

  • Survival of the fittest, i.e. whole of market advisers

    2 May 2008

    With the smattering of IFA conferences held this week, plus Money Marketing’s own Retirement Summit, the adviser community was somewhat difficult to pin down to garner responses to the RDR Interim Report.

  • Swip swops Jupiter fund for JOHCM UK opps

    1 May 2008

    Scottish Widows Investment Partnership has made the first manager change on its fund of funds range by bringing in JOHCM Capital Management's UK opportunities fund to its select boutiques Fof.

  • Swiss Re wants to raise appeal of group protection

    1 May 2008

    The financial services industry must make group life, income protection and critical-illness cover more attractive to employers and employees, says Swiss Re.

  • Take heart

    1 May 2008

    Call me contra-cyclical if you will but the gloomier the news becomes, the more comfortable I feel. I was put in mind of how I have reacted to news in the past by appearing on the panel at the Association of Investment Companies' roadshow in Leeds last week. The trouble with doing repeat performances is that you often repeat yourself. And I had, according to at least one member of the audience.

  • The I in illness is isolation, and the crucial letters in wellness are we

    1 May 2008

    Author unknown, as quoted in Mimi Guarneri, The Heart Speaks: A Cardiologist Reveals the Secret Language of Healing

  • The ABC of AMC

    1 May 2008

    The Personal Accounts Delivery Authority is facing up to the same challenges on charges that the pensions industry has already had to address, says John Greenwood

  • The big question adviserzone

    1 May 2008

  • The Ethical Dilemma

    1 May 2008

    Green and ethical issues are never out of the headlines, yet employees have been slow to engage in SRI funds through pensions. Paul Farrow discovers this month's National Ethical Investment Week aims to change that

  • The generation gap

    1 May 2008

    I have just been in Monte Carlo debating many issues surrounding retirement planning. There is always a debate about how to get people saving for retirement but the real business involves "at retirement" options or inheritance tax, effectively a discussion of how people lucky enough to already have a big pot of money will plan for the years anywhere from 50 to over 70.

  • The offshore thing

    1 May 2008

    Investors from the UK put more money into the Luxemburg-based funds of Franklin Templeton Investments and HSBC Investments than their onshore ranges which suggests that offshore funds are becoming an increasingly important part of the UK market.

  • The prey of legal eagles

    1 May 2008

    Barrister Peter Hamilton of Pump Chambers makes some powerful observations in his recent Money Marketing article.

  • The road to recovery

    1 May 2008

    After a volatile first quarter, investors could be forgiven for thinking that the R-word spells recession.

  • The savings trap

    1 May 2008

    Personal accounts are aimed at ensuring that more people enjoy a comfortable retirement but the current mechanics of how means-tested benefits might interplay with the proposed scheme threaten to leave many worse off.

  • The State of our health

    1 May 2008

    Changes to state benefits are pushing the idea of workplace health into the mainstream. Advisers can now capitalise on this trend and make a stronger case to employers says Edmund Tirbutt

  • Tied turns as FSA splits the market

    1 May 2008

    Multi-ties could be stripped of their right to be called advisers as part of a radical shift in FSA thinking which sees the regulator acknowledge the value of whole of market advice.

  • Towergate buys Glasgow firm MacDonald Reid Scott Group

    30 Apr 2008

    Towergate has bought Glasgow-based insurance broker and financial advice firm MacDonald Reid Scott Group.

  • Track the IFA process online

    1 May 2008

    Standard Life is launching an online tool which follows the IFA process from beginning to end, taking much of the legwork out of adviser's investment recommendations.

  • Transact board urges against sale

    1 May 2008

    The heads of Transact have written to shareholders recommending that they vote against a potential trade sale or flotation due to the current market conditions.

  • Treasury launches inquiry into offshore firms

    30 Apr 2008

    The Treasury select committee is launching an inquiry into offshore financial centres, inviting written evidence of fitness for purpose.

  • Turkish delight for property investors

    1 May 2008

    Turkish property has increased in popularity with UK investors more than threefold over the past year, says Moneycorp.

  • UK life brands are a dying breed

    1 May 2008

    Aviva shook things up this week by announcing that the Norwich Union brand name is to be phased out in the next two years.

  • UK will avoid a full-scale recession, say lenders

    30 Apr 2008

    The Intermediary Mortgage Lenders’ Association’s latest member survey reveals that lenders believe the UK will avoid a full-scale recession.

  • Visible benefit

    1 May 2008

    New legislation is forcing employers to do more to safeguard their employees' eyesight. Sam Barrett looks into what it means for optical benefits

  • Wave Lending - Almost Prime Three-Year Fixed

    2 May 2008

    Wave LendingAlmost Prime Three-Year Fixed

  • White light

    1 May 2008

    This week, we published a White Paper on the credit crisis. It has been produced to set out the work that we have been doing behind the scenes, the latest state of the market and where we see the sector heading. As well as providing an economic analysis of the mortgage market, it also sets out the real value added by intermediaries in the mortgage market.

  • Whitechurch sends Windsor Life dossier to regulator

    1 May 2008

    Whitechurch has sent a dossier of evidence to the FSA to complain about Windsor Life's poor service levels.

  • Williams to develop Skandia wealth unit

    1 May 2008

    Skandia's new wealth management unit is to be headed by the chief executive of its UK business unit, Brett Williams.

  • Wilson wants IFAs to boycott platforms over re-reg

    1 May 2008

    Helm Godfrey managing director Bruce Wilson has called on advisers to stop using wraps until providers allow in specie re-registration.

  • Wrap still evolving

    1 May 2008

    We have already seen many false dawns for the age of wrap and we really are at the very beginning still.

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Is Mervyn King right to be concerned about Government support for the housing market?

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Money Marketing 7 June 2012


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