Money Marketing
5 November 2009

  • Axa trial shows Britain is heading for pension stone age

    5 November 2009

    As part of Axa’s national campaign to promote saving, 14 people are to see if they can live on the state pension for a week.

  • 900 Branches to be put on market

    5 November 2009

    The break-up of Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland will create new standalone banks representing nearly 10 per cent of UK retail banking by 2013.

  • A costly lesson

    5 November 2009

    FSA director of financial capability Chris Pond was harping on yet again in a recent speech about the need to educate consumers in financial matters. I am sure that he is right in principle but:

  • ABI wants easier route for simplified advice

    5 November 2009

    The Association of British Insurers and Personal Finance Society say there should be lower qualification requirements for limited advice.

  • Adviser Fund Index

    5 November 2009

    Conservative Shadow Chancellor George Osborne said last week he would call on the Treasury and the FSA to clamp down on bank bonus payments.

  • Advisers back bank revolution

    5 November 2009

    Advisers say the restructure of Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds holds the potential to bring “a revolutionary change”.

  • Aegon links up with Old Broad Street and Mercer

    5 November 2009

    Aegon has teamed up with Old Broad Street Research and Mercer to offer a new investment proposition to corporate and individual clients.

  • After the great divide

    5 November 2009

    Nicola York and Christopher Jarvis on Northern Rock’s restructure and what it means for the industry

  • Aifa in simple clash with ABI

    5 November 2009

    Aifa believes a simplified sales process should only be allowed if firms are banned from using the word advice.

  • Alternative fund clients wary of European directive

    6 Nov 2009

    Less than 2 per cent of clients believe the alternative investment fund management directive will benefit them.

  • Alternative thinking

    5 November 2009

    Isas and other Uk and offshore tax-effective investments which could be considered as pension alternatives

  • Aviva makes cases for dropping provider responsibility for IFA charges

    5 November 2009

    Aviva is calling for the FSA to drop plans to make providers responsible for monitoring the suitability of individual IFA charges.

  • AWD widens product literature checks

    6 Nov 2009

    Firm to review providers’ product literature to other investment areas, not just structured products.

  • Balance out the pension priorities

    5 November 2009

    As pension saving has moved from defined benefit towards defined contribution or personal pensions, investment risk, longevity and inflation have become issues that pension savers are having to deal with themselves. In the first of a four-part series, Annie Shaw looks at how the retirement saving landscape has changed and how pension savers can manage the risks involved

  • Bonus ban could see staff exodus

    5 November 2009

    Cavendish Asset Management senior fund manager Paul Mumford is warning that a salary restriction on bonuses at Lloyds TSB and RBS could lead to an exodus of staff.

  • Boulger calls for waiver on non-advised business

    5 November 2009

    John Charcol senior technical manager Ray Boulger says borrowers who take out products under non-advised sales should sign a form confirming they understand they have not been given advice.

  • BP Marsh fund overlooked, says SVM

    5 November 2009

    The SVM balanced managed fund is holding BP Marsh & Partners because multi-manager SVM believes the private equity fund’s 50 per cent discount to net asset value is unjustified.

  • Brain set for consumer system

    5 November 2009

    Mortgage Brain is launching a business-to-consumer sourcing system in 2010. The web-based proposition will allow consumers to source, compare, select and enquire about mortgages.

  • Bulk decision hits Standard sales but Sipps shine

    5 November 2009

    Standard Life life and pension business fell by 23 per cent in the first nine months of this year to £7.3bn from £9.4bn in the same period of 2008.

  • Call to action

    5 November 2009

    The FSA and insurers totally miss the point on our profession

  • Cargo cult is loading up

    5 November 2009

    Port traffic is finally rising but do markets care anyway?

  • Childless cohabitees are set to get half their partner's estate

    5 November 2009

    The Law Commission is proposing to give unmarried childless couples who live together for two years automatic entitlement to half their partner’s estate if they die without a will.

  • Complaints over banks top a million again

    5 November 2009

    The total number of complaints about misleading advice have increased 19 per cent in the six months to the end of June this year while those levelled against IFAs have fallen slightly.

  • Consumer protection campaign cash decision deadline extended

    5 November 2009

    The deadline for firms to decide on funding the £5m Consumer Protection and Insurance Engagement Campaign has been extended.

  • Cost calculations

    5 November 2009

    IMA head of communications Ginny Broad says there is no evidence that hidden costs drag down fund performance.

  • Dog pound

    5 November 2009

    The majority of the funds on Bestinvest’s latest Spot the Dog list are UK-invested. Chris Salih reports

  • Fitch warns FSA mortgage reforms may backfire

    5 November 2009

    Fitch Ratings has warned that the FSA’s proposed reforms to the mortgage market could mean greater use of manual underwriting, pushing up costs for lenders and these in turn are likely to hit borrowers.

  • Fraud case remand

    5 November 2009

    Former Burns Anderson IFA Grahame Whitehead, who is accused of a £8m fraud, has been remanded in custody until December.

  • From Sweden with love

    5 November 2009

  • FSA outside the law?

    5 November 2009

    It would seem yet again that the FSA appears to be regulating outside UK law, especially regarding the RDR requirement for IFAs who have not already done so to gain level 4 qualification by the end of 2012.

  • FSA took a year to act over GMAC-RFC fees

    5 November 2009

    The FSA has fined GMAC-RFC £2.8m for failing to treat its customers fairly on arrears and repossessions.

  • Government wants views on default retirement age

    5 November 2009

    The Government is calling for businesses and individuals to submit evidence on the default retirement age to feed into the review taking place next year.

  • Group sets out value aims for pension choice

    5 November 2009

    The Pensions Income Choice Association says the process for annuity purchase must be reviewed and wants a register of IFAs willing to deal with pension pots under £50,000.

  • How firms failed regulator's literature test

    5 November 2009

    Hannah Stodell takes a look at plan manager failings around marketing literature for structured products backed by Lehmans.

  • HSBC axing 1,700

    5 November 2009

    HSBC is to cut 1,800 jobs in the UK, with the biggest cuts in its credit card and collection operation.

  • IHT shock on personal accounts

    5 November 2009

    Hargreaves Lansdown says companies and individuals will look to alternative pension schemes rather than risk a hefty tax charge following news that lump sum death benefits from personal accounts will potentially be liable for inheritance tax.

  • Insight plays it safe with derivatives

    5 November 2009

    Insight Investment’s multi-asset team believes its strategy of using derivatives to hedge risk and isolate investment exposure to particular parts of the market will be useful if markets decline because it can see no obvious safe havens.

  • Insynergy with stars

    5 November 2009

    The Insynergy Odey fund has the rare quality mark I look for in investments

  • Integrate expectations

    5 November 2009

    “If you work for a platform or wrap provider and have a heart condition, blood pressure or similar ailment, it is probably best to move to the next article.”

  • Key issues to boost business

    5 November 2009

    Lee Jones and Christopher Jarvis survey the equity-release scene and find that despite some firms pulling out in recent months, the sector has held up well and could forge ahead in 2010 with advisers leading the way

  • Licence plan to focus on specialists

    5 November 2009

    The Securities & Investment Institute is calling for the FSA to introduce a restricted licensing system for specialist advisers already working at QCF level four or above in their relevant area.

  • Metlife has list of UK targets

    5 November 2009

    American provider on the look out for UK acquisitions.

  • MM leader: Scare tactics need to stop

    5 November 2009

    With the RDR consultation process closing last week, the industry had one final chance to convince the FSA of the merits of their various causes.

  • MMR could see arrears increase

    5 November 2009

    Moody’s warns that stricter underwriting standards following the FSA’s mortgage market review could push up arrears as it will be more difficult for non-prime borrowers to remortgage, leaving them vulnerable to interest rate rises.

  • Moan Rangers

    4 Nov 2009

    Rob Reid says advisers should stop moaning and get on with studying for exams.

  • MP parallels

    5 November 2009

    Don’t fall off your chair but I do have some sympathy with the MPs’ expenses’ debate.

  • Newton's Russon looks for value in non-cyclicals

    5 November 2009

    Newton UK equities manager Ben Russon is seeking opportunities in non-cyclical parts of the UK equity market and is steering clear of financials and stocks with domestic consumer exposure.

  • Nine-month fund sales smash record for full year

    5 November 2009

    Equities regain lead over bonds with absolute return taking over as the top sector for retail business

  • Northern soul

    5 November 2009

    James Smith’s boutique view takes a look at North Investment Partners.

  • Out of context

    5 November 2009

    “I came in on Monday morning and there were beachballs all over my desk.”

  • Penny Shepherd

    5 November 2009

    The chief executive of the trade body for ethical and environmental investment believes strongly in the virtues of sustainable investment and points out that ethical investors have proved remarkably durable over the years while green concepts are now becoming mainstream Interview by Lee Jones

  • Pension possibilities

    6 Nov 2009

    The pension options open to an investor approaching 50 with £1m in a Sipp fund

  • PFS backing alternative assessments

    5 November 2009

    The Personal Finance Society has thrown its weight behind work-based assessments and has submitted a proposed model for alternative assessments to the FSA.

  • Protection to escape commission ban

    5 November 2009

    Advisers likely to continue to receive commission on protection policies post-RDR.

  • Pru price policy sees volume fall

    5 November 2009

    Prudential UK sales were down by 22 per cent in the third quarter at £157m, following lower volumes of individual annuities, equity-release and corporate pension business.

  • Quarter of IFAs look to buy firms

    5 November 2009

    Over a quarter of IFA firms are looking to buy adviser businesses in the next year, according to the Owen James IFA performance benchmark report.

  • Ray Boulger: Figuring out FSA

    5 November 2009

    Boulger warns the FSA’s Mortgage Market Review could lead to confusion over non-advised sales.

  • RDR could hit Middle England

    5 November 2009

    Axa warns the RDR may further limit advice for certain groups.

  • Redefine time is positive part of RDR

    5 November 2009

    “It strikes me, again, that what Aifa is doing is playing to the IFA public gallery”

  • Regulator is taking hindsight approach to counterparty risk

    5 November 2009

    Advisers have attacked the FSA’s decision to impose a retrospective review of the structured product market following its investigation into Lehman-backed plans.

  • Regulators in threat to block master trusts

    5 November 2009

    The FSA and The Pensions Regulator have threatened to write new rules preventing a rush to master trusts to dodge retail distribution review requirements.

  • Reit rebound sees OPM outperform

    5 November 2009

    The OPM property fund outperformed the IMA property sector average by more than 20 per cent in the six months to October 1, after benefiting from its investment in real estate investment trusts.

  • Relevant knowledge

    5 November 2009

    I wonder if I might invite Jeremy Newbegin to re-read my letter (October 22). I have never claimed that exams are the be all and end all of professionalism.

  • Restricting the market

    5 November 2009

    Openwork believes the FSA’s “restricted advice” label could put people off seeking financial advice.

  • Robin McDonald: Worry lines

    5 November 2009

    “Fund managers are paid to worry. So at a time when our fellow investors appear optimistic, what is there to worry about?”

  • Room for improvement

    5 November 2009

  • Seegers quits in Barclays' shake-up

    5 November 2009

    Barclays retail and commercial banking head Frits Seegers has quit after control of his commercial lending unit was handed to group president Bob Diamond in a surprise restructure. Barclaycard chief executive Antony Jenkins will take over retail banking in the UK, Europe and emerging markets while Diamond will lead commercial banking and keep control of investment banking and wealth management.

  • Sesame reshuffles PMS and Bankhall after takeover

    5 November 2009

    Sesame Bankhall Group has appointed David Golder as managing director of Bankhall and John Malone as chairman of PMS after the acquisition of the firm by Sesame.

  • Skandia faces advisers' anger

    5 November 2009

    Advisers have criticised Skandia’s decision to close its nine regional offices and scale back its salesforce, saying the move will see IFAs move away from the firm.

  • Skills council turmoil brings exam concern

    5 November 2009

    Syndaxi Chartered Financial Planning is calling for the FSA to take over development of QCF level 4 exam standards if job losses at the Financial Services Skills Council cause delay.

  • Space oddity

    5 November 2009

    Tom Baigrie gives an update on his attempts to turn his dream of a protection marketing campaign into a reality.

  • Stick to the timetable

    5 November 2009

    John Lawson says auto enrolment is happening in 2012, whoever is in power.

  • Structural faults

    5 November 2009

    The regulator’s attack could see structured products shunned

  • Swinton is told to refund 480,000 PPI policies

    5 November 2009

    The FSA has fined high-street insurance broker Swinton Group £770,000 for serious failings in its advised sales of single-premium payment protection insurance.

  • Thames River shifts to strategic bonds

    5 November 2009

    Thames River’s multi-manager team has moved further into the strategic bond sector, citing greater opportunities than in the corporate bond area.

  • The sour taste of Lehman

    5 Nov 2009

    The FSA is to embark on a wide-reaching review into the structured product market after uncovering significant advice failings in nine of the 11 advice firms sampled in its probe into Lehman-backed plans.

  • Threadneedle's White has value view of banks

    5 November 2009

    Threadneedle financials specialist Chris White says banks could make a 15 per cent return on equity on a three to four-year view.

  • Tough acts

    5 November 2009

    Invest in the companies that have got going and taken a hard-headed approach to the recession

  • Towry Law paid £1 to buy £35m loss-maker Ed Jones

    5 November 2009

    Towry Law paid just £1 to take over the UK arm of Edward Jones which made a loss of £35m last year.

  • Turner bites the silver bullet on bank reform

    5 November 2009

    FSA chairman Lord Turner says the UK must stop searching for a “non-existent silver bullet” in attempts to solve the banking crisis.

  • Underwriting success

    5 November 2009

    The modern underwriter has the ability to add value to the business of their distributors

  • US on the road to recovery

    5 November 2009

    The US economy has taken a major step to recovering from recession with an increase of 3.5 per cent in GDP in the third quarter.

  • Walker rues executive trend

    5 November 2009

    Sir David Walker, who is leading the Walker review into corporate governance, told MPs it is “regrettable” there has been a reduction of executives on company boards in recent years.

  • Webb wants Omo to be the default through third party

    5 November 2009

    Liberal Democrat Shadow Works and Pension Secretary calls for Omo to be default for customers approaching retirement.

  • Woolley takes over as Polar Capital chief exec Kary quits

    5 November 2009

    Polar Capital chief executive Mark Kary has resigned from the company after four years to pursue other opportunities.

Poll

Will Greece leave the euro?

Current Issue

Advanced search