Money Marketing
6 June 2007

  • £1bn flotation looms as Moneysupermarket hires investment bank UBS

    6 Jun 2007

    Moneysupermarket.com has appointed investment bank UBS as its main financial adviser sparking rumours that the price comparison website’s £1bn flotation is looming.

  • Aegon Scottish Equitable extends life cover to age 75

    8 Jun 2007

    Aegon Scottish Equitable has increased its group life cover to age 75 after the FSA’s abolition of the Age 70 rule came into force yesterday.

  • CML urges N Ireland to tackle housing

    7 Jun 2007

    The Council of Mortgage Lenders' Northern Ireland chairman Derek Wilson has urged the NI assembly to tackle the shortage of affordable homes. He says the assembly should implement some of the reforms proposed in Sir John Semple's report on affordable housing such as Homebuy.

  • Ex-HBOS man joins Uinsure as MD

    7 Jun 2007

    Former HBOS general insurance deputy chief executive Simon Stevens has joined Uinsure as managing director. The new general insurance proposition for mortgage advisers has been set up by former Bankhall joint chief executive Simon Taylor.

  • Invesco offers retail share for fund

    7 Jun 2007

    Invesco Perpetual has added a retail share for the institutional UK strategic income fund managed by Mark Barnett. Minimum investment is £500 or £20 a month, compared with an institutional minimum of £250,000, and the fund can be held in an Isa.

  • 7IM in move to Lyxor

    7 Jun 2007

    7IM has replaced the iShares FTSE 100 exchange traded fund with the new lower-cost Lyxor ETF FTSE 100 in its multi-manager portfolios.

  • 90% of advisers oppose contract-out ban

    7 Jun 2007

    Ninety per cent of advisers are against the Government's plan to scrap contracting out of the state second pension on a money-purchase basis, according to the latest poll on pension guru Steve Bee's BeeHive website.

  • A conservative approach from Leeds

    8 Jun 2007

    Leeds Building SocietyThree Year Fixed Buy-To- Let

  • A Premier league plan

    7 Jun 2007

    Premier Fund Managers has introduced the European growth plan, a capital-protected bond that could mature earlier than its six-year term.

  • A Shaw thing

    7 Jun 2007

    Sam Shaw is a reporter on Money Marketing

  • Abbey - Three Year Fixed Rate Mortgage

    8 Jun 2007

    AbbeyThree Year Fixed Rate Mortgage

  • Abbey re-enters 100 per cent mortgage market

    8 Jun 2007

    Abbey has re-entered the 100 per cent mortgage market with a new product set to be launched on 13 June.

  • ABI to conduct review of life and pension fund sectors

    12 Jun 2007

    The ABI has launched a review of its life and pension fund sectors which categorises over 6,000 unit-linked life and pension funds.

  • Abroad spectrum

    7 Jun 2007

    Our panel of experts give their opinions on offshore funds and the business benefits for advisers.

  • Advisers warned to stick with the systems

    7 Jun 2007

    The FSA has warned that the majority of advisers should retain the payment menu and initial disclosure document to ensure they are complying with the information requirements of Mifid.

  • Age 70 rule abolished from today

    6 Jun 2007

    The abolition of the Age 70 rule comes into force today allowing Icob advisers to sell life policies maturing after the age of 70.

  • All credit to Suisse

    7 Jun 2007

    It is fair to say I have been particularly outspoken in my criticism of the debacle at Credit Suisse. During my 23 years in financial services, I have never seen a group of Credit Suisse's stature implode quite so spectacularly. The failure of upper management to understand the UK retail market and take heed of advice from their extremely able people on the ground was remarkable. However, that is all in the past and it seems that some common sense is being applied.

  • All the fun of the share

    7 Jun 2007

    Advisers must be quick on their toes to operate in the area of pensions and divorce.

  • Altmann welcomes Lords vote

    8 Jun 2007

    Pensions consultant Ros Altmann has welcomed this week's House of Lords vote on the Pensions Bill, saying victims now look more likely to be eligible for 90 per cent minimum protection.

  • Atlantis appoints two co-chairmen

    6 Jun 2007

    Atlantis Investment Management has appointed Yang Liu and Tony Jordan as co-chairmen of the London arm.

  • Attractive return emerges from Morgan Stanley

    8 Jun 2007

    Morgan StanleyEmerging Markets Growth Plan

  • Aviva wins World Diversity Leadership Summit award

    7 Jun 2007

    International savings, investments and insurance group Aviva was awarded the Global Diversity and Innovation award at the World Diversity Leadership Summit in New York.

  • Axed menu is evidence of failure of depolarisation

    7 Jun 2007

    SimplyBiz says the FSA's decision to end the payment menu and initial disclosure document is further proof that depolarisation has been a failure.

  • Bank of Scotland data lost in post

    7 Jun 2007

    Details of 62,000 Bank of Scotland mortgage customers were on a disk lost in the post.

  • Bankhall works out bond redress

    7 Jun 2007

    Bankhall has added a new feature to its complaint-handling facility to work out investment bond redress calculations, including precipice bonds. The facility currently calculates figures for compensation on mortgage endowments.

  • Baring Russia open to UK investors

    7 Jun 2007

    Baring Asset Management has made its Russia fund available to UK investors.

  • Barings proposes fully-funded occupational pension scheme

    12 Jun 2007

    Baring Asset Management has called on the Government to introduce a fully-funded occupational pensions system in the UK to be managed along the lines of the Dutch civil servants fully-funded scheme ABP.

  • Base rate to stay at 5.5 per cent this month

    7 Jun 2007

    The Bank of England has decided to hold the base rate at 5.50 per cent this month, it has been announced.

  • BDO investment arm appoints risk benefits director

    8 Jun 2007

    BDO Stoy Hayward Investment Management has appointed Rebekah Haymes as risk benefits director, based in the group’s London office. Haymes previously worked for Hymans Robertson LLP, where she headed up the risk and healthcare team after spending 16 years in senior roles with PricewaterhouseCoopers, PIFC and SunAlliance. Haymes will be responsible for the management of the firm’s risk and healthcare business across the UK and for the ongoing development of BDO Stoy Hayward ...

  • Benefit boost for income protection

    7 Jun 2007

    LV= has revamped its income protection product by increasing maximum benefits by over 80 per cent to 150,000.

  • Best sellers

    7 Jun 2007

    Samantha Downes talks to Skandia IM's Jamie MacLeod about the record success of its UK best ideas and global best funds.

  • Beta blockers

    7 Jun 2007

    Entering the fifth year of the bull market, it is astonishing to look at the returns that have been generated for investors since 2003. More surprising still has been the relative performance of active managers over the most recent phase of the upswing. Countless academic papers have highlighted the weaknesses of active management, yet the Investment Management Association's global growth sector has beaten the FTSE World index for two consecutive calendar years, a feat it had not previously ...

  • Bill of fare

    7 Jun 2007

    Digesting the contents of this year's Finance Bill.

  • BlackRock appoints international marketing head

    7 Jun 2007

    BlackRock has appointed Martin McGovern as director of international marketing.

  • BM move to pay rate could spark BTL shift

    7 Jun 2007

    BM Solutions is making an aggressive move to gain a bigger share of the buy-to-let market by shifting to calculating rental income on pay rate.

  • BM Solutions appoints four BDMs

    7 Jun 2007

    BM Solutions has appointed four new business development managers.

  • BNP Paribas and Winterflood Securities launch two new funds

    12 Jun 2007

    BNP Paribas and Winterflood Securities have launched two new closed-ended investment funds in conjunction with Harewood Structured Investment PCC Limited. The EURO high income fund aims to deliver high income and capital stability to investors with an annual yield of 7.5 per cent from an equally-weighted portfolio of 20 European shares. It pays income to investors via quarterly distributions.

  • Brett Williams

    7 Jun 2007

    The chief executive of Skandia UK Business Unit says the thinking behind the Selestia venture was consumer behaviour and the use of technology in everyday life. He says investors come to IFAs for solutions, not products, and that companies which fail to embrace technology and use it in a 21st Century way will not survive Interview by Sam Shaw.

  • Bric iShares ETF launched

    7 Jun 2007

    Barclays Global Investors has brought out the iShares FTSE Bric 50 exchange traded fund, bringing the total number of ETFs in the iShares range to 49.

  • Bric iShares ETF launched

    7 Jun 2007

    Barclays Global Investors has brought out the iShares FTSE Bric 50 exchange traded fund, bringing the total number of ETFs in the iShares range to 49.

  • Bright ideas

    7 Jun 2007

    Bright Grey has focused on establishing itself as a quality provider since launching its menu protection plan in 2003. This was reinforced by the automatic inclusion of its Helping Hand service for policyholders, emphasising that claimants need more than just financial support.

  • Broker Talkback

    7 Jun 2007

    Is the FSA right to scrap the payment menu and initial disclosure document?

  • Building blocks

    7 Jun 2007

    The performance of the UK commercial property sector is likely to be less than in the past few years but returns still look likely to be between 6 and 9 per cent in 2007. Well managed international property in selected areas should prove a much better bet. John Duffield, who usually gets things right, has invested millions of pounds of his own family money into overseas property. His New Star has launched an international property fund which has already proved to be a huge success. ...

  • Burns Anderson moves into S Wales

    7 Jun 2007

    Burns-Anderson IFA has opened a new branch in Cardiff Bay, its first office in South Wales. It will be run by husband and wife Lee and Morwenna Clarke.

  • Burns-Anderson adds Money Partners Touch to panel

    6 Jun 2007

    Burns Anderson has added Money Partners Touch to its lender panel.

  • Call for ABI to reveal recycled business

    7 Jun 2007

    The Association of British Insurers has been challenged to reveal how much new business is recycled after its latest figures showed that new life and pension sales leapt by 21.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2007.

  • Capita Enabler announce free seminars for advisers

    6 Jun 2007

    Technology proposition Capita Enabler will hold a series of free seminars on wealth enablement for advisers this June and July.

  • Capita in servicing deal with Resolution

    7 Jun 2007

    Capita Group has signed a 580m contract to become a strategic outsourcing partner of Resolution.

  • Caris conundrum

    7 Jun 2007

    Calling all wordsmiths (apart from us, that is). Peter Hargreaves has presented readers with a linguistic challenge.

  • Cavendish chief lights up bookshelves

    7 Jun 2007

    Cavendish Asset Management chief executive Julian Lewis has written his first novel, a children's fantasy story set in colonial India and modernday Scotland.

  • Cavendish Grant goes as Chartwell rebrands

    7 Jun 2007

    Chartwell has brought its four business channels under its own banner, ending the Cavendish Grant brand.

  • Chinese pressures

    7 Jun 2007

    It is looking as though the long awaited correction to the Chinese stock market is under way. Wednesday last week felt distinctly uncomfortable - for a while, that is. Having shed more than 70 points from the FTSE 100 in early trading as a reaction to the sell-off in China - due to the trebling of stamp duty there - we finished the day barely changed.

  • Close Brothers brings fund management arm under umbrella

    6 Jun 2007

    Close Brothers has continued to align its investment management business by bringing Close Fund Management (CFM) into the Close Investment brand under the management of chief executive Rufus Warner.

  • Close pub EIS awaits last orders

    8 Jun 2007

    Close Investments is offering investors a last chance to invest in a pub enterprise investment scheme before new rules are introduced that put a question mark over the diversity of future issues.

  • Close silent on speculation

    7 Jun 2007

    Close Investments refuses to comment on industry speculation that managing director of sales and marketing Stuart Alexander has left the firm.

  • Cofunds adds two funds to Luxembourg range

    12 Jun 2007

    Cofunds has added Norwich European property fund and Templeton Asian growth fund to its platform.

  • Consumer confidence high in May says Nationwide

    7 Jun 2007

    Consumer confidence in May increased from nine points to 99, the highest point since November 2005, according to the Nationwide Consumer Confidence Index.

  • Credit Suisse appoints Ezendam as healthcare portfolio manager

    12 Jun 2007

    Credit Suisse has announced the appointment of Anne Marieke Ezendam as a healthcare portfolio manager for the asset management business. Ezendam will join as a director and will be responsible for managing the global pharma, biotech and healthcare funds from her base in London.

  • Critical measures

    7 Jun 2007

    Helen Pow on how regulation and the industry's efforts have cut income protection complaints.

  • Dawnay Day Quantum - European Stockmarket Maximiser

    12 Jun 2007

    Dawnay Day QuantumEuropean Stockmarket Maximiser

  • Day of the Mifid

    7 Jun 2007

    For reasons that are perhaps entirely under-standable, many of our member firms have found it difficult to work up even the remotest interest in the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive.

  • Don't make a meal of menu

    7 Jun 2007

    Advisers who have welcomed the removal of the payment menu from their lives would do well to consider what alternative the regulator may be planning.

  • DSP goes for Asian advantage

    7 Jun 2007

    Dalton Strategic Partnership has introduced the Melchior Pan Asian Advantage Fund, which aims for growth by investing in a portfolio of 45-75 Asian stocks excluding Japan.

  • Dunstan Thomas launches Sipp guide

    8 Jun 2007

    Dunstan Thomas has produced a guide for Sipp providers and advisers called Opportunities in a Regulated World’.

  • Ease of communication

    7 Jun 2007

    It is mildly heartening to learn that the FSA cannot get away with ignoring European law. Had it taken the trouble to undertake anything in the way of consultation, a great many people in the UK financial services industry would have told it that the menu and initial disclosure document were highly unlikely to be the most effective means of clarifying for consumers the issues of advisory status or commission.

  • Eastern promise

    7 Jun 2007

    When investors are confronted with the idea of emerging Europe as an investment theme, the idea that probably springs to mind is risk. But risk is relative and can be turned around as opportunity. Arguably, there is more risk involved in investing in a developed market company at a high valuation compared with an emerging market company on a low valuation. This was evidenced in the early part of this decade when being invested in some emerging markets could give relative safety. ...

  • Edeus - Self Cert Two Year Tracker

    8 Jun 2007

    EdeusSelf Cert Two Year Tracker

  • Edeus - Two Year Buy-To-Let Tracker

    8 Jun 2007

    EdeusTwo Year Buy-To-Let Tracker

  • Edeus announces Deutsche Bank funding deal

    11 Jun 2007

    Edeus has announced a deal with Deutsche Bank that will give them access to £500m via a Deutsche Bank warehouse funding line, allowing the diversification of its funding base and an increase in liquidity.

  • Energy-assessors.com to close over Hip shambles

    8 Jun 2007

    Energy-assessors.com has confirmed it has closed down following the Government’s last minute U-turn over home information packs.

  • Enhanced performance

    7 Jun 2007

    The expertise required to advise on equity release is magnified when dealing with clients who may qualify for enhanced deals, says Gregor Watt.

  • Equitable wraps up University Life sale

    7 Jun 2007

    Equitable Life has completed the sale of its subsidiary University Life Assurance Society to Reliance Mutual.

  • Ex-LV= advisers go to Thinc

    7 Jun 2007

    Two-thirds of the former LV= advisers have rejected the self-employed contracts offered at Lighthouse and moved to Thinc after the mutual closed its IFA arm.

  • F&C offers lifestyle choice

    7 Jun 2007

    F&C has introduced four ‘lifestyle’ funds of funds that combine the multi-manager skills of Richard Philbin and his team with a risk-profiling tool to determine asset allocation.

  • Factory forecast

    7 Jun 2007

    The effects of a factory gate pricing system without regulatory changes.

  • Far horizons

    7 Jun 2007

    I have recently been struck by what seems to be a sea change taking place in UK investment attitudes. Having worked in UK financial services for over 25 years, there is a lot that we can be proud of in terms of setting standards for the rest of the world. Over the years, however, it has always struck me how UK-centric investors and their advisers have been when it comes to investment products, advice and regional asset allocation. Whether investing in equities, bonds, balanced ...

  • Fast or Watt?

    7 Jun 2007

    Money Marketing news editor James Phillips and features editor Gregor Watt were guests of Henderson Global Investors for a track day at Palmer Sport racing in Bedfordshire last week.Along with 30 lucky IFAs, the two hacks were given to opportunity to drive - and skid off into the grass - some of the fastest cars they have ever seen.Although he has no plans for a change of career, Watt recorded the day's third-fastest lap time in a Porsche 911 JP3.

  • Favard joins New Star on European property acquisitions

    7 Jun 2007

    New Star Investment Funds has appointed Charles Favard as European property acquisitions manager, effective this month.

  • Fears that IFAs will raise commission levels

    7 Jun 2007

    Scrapping the payment menu and initial disclosure document will give IFAs a licence to take higher commission rates, especially on pension products, says a leading IFA.

  • Fees frame

    7 Jun 2007

    Clare Bettelley looks at multi-manager fees and explains how the established players have adapted their styles.

  • Few advisers believe personal accounts will stimulate saving

    7 Jun 2007

    Over three-quarters of advisers believe pension perso-nal accounts will lead to more money being recycled rather than generate new savings.

  • Fidelity challenges pension providers

    8 Jun 2007

    FidelityFidelity Retirement Income Fund

  • Fidelity leads City boost for Tories

    7 Jun 2007

    Fidelity has pumped £365,000 into the Conservative Party's coffers in the last three years, according to Electoral Commission figures.

  • Fidelity targets income for life

    7 Jun 2007

    Fidelity has brought out a fettered fund of funds range that will allow people to build up savings for their retirement and draw a rising income from these assets at a date of their choice.

  • Financial Express launches analysis package for Asian advisers

    6 Jun 2007

    Financial Express has launched a new fund research and analysis package to provide Hong Kong-based advisers with access to fund information, to be called Analytics.

  • First Trust IFA chooses IntelliFlo

    6 Jun 2007

    First Trust IFA has chosen Intelligent Office from IntelliFlo to provide front and back office technology for its team of advisers.

  • Focus launches CRM system

    8 Jun 2007

    Focus Solutions Group is launching an integrated front office and customer relationship management solution, integrated with Oracle CRM solutions, into the EMEA financial services market.

  • FoHFs see strong first quarter, says S&P's

    7 Jun 2007

    Funds of hedge funds delivered all positive returns, according to Standard & Poor’s Fund Services' latest update on the sector.

  • Friends purchase of Sesame gains FSA approval

    11 Jun 2007

    Friends Provident's acquisition of Sesame received FSA approval on Friday, arming the group with a strong platform to enhance service for advisers, says Sesame chief executive Patrick Gale.

  • FSA bans insurance broker David King

    8 Jun 2007

    The FSA has banned David William King from managing, controlling or having significant influence over any person or companies allowed to carry out FSA regulated activities.

  • FSA continues to focus on private equity risks

    11 Jun 2007

    Market abuse and conflicts of interest continue to be the most significant risks involved with private equity, says the FSA.

  • Gartmore moves to European property

    7 Jun 2007

    Gartmore has diversified the commercial property exposure within its multi-manager balanced and cautious funds by investing in Europe but has stopped short of further diversification through hedge funds and private equity.

  • Get clients ready for the fixed-rate crunch

    7 Jun 2007

    Mortgage brokers should be preparing for some difficult conversations with their clients, with up to a million homeowners' two-year and three-year fixed-rate deals set to end in the next 12 months.

  • Green giants

    7 Jun 2007

    The news that fund management giants Schroders and Jupiter are gunning for green money with new fund launches shows ethical funds are finally coming of age.

  • Growing a hybrid

    7 Jun 2007

    Chris Salih analyses satellite holding Investec balanced managed fund.

  • Halo, goodbye

    7 Jun 2007

    Fee-based advisers are under attack for having 'holier than thou' attitudes, says Nicole Blackmore.

  • Harrison to analyse Aegon performance

    7 Jun 2007

    Aegon Asset Management has recruited Anne Harrison from Fidelity for the newly created role of head of performance.

  • HBOS admits to failures in retention strategy

    12 Jun 2007

    HBOS has admitted its experimental retention strategy introduced last year has failed to deliver leading to a large dip in its lending share to less than 10 per cent.

  • Helm Godfrey clashes with Selestia in legacy fund row

    7 Jun 2007

    Helm Godfrey is trying to haul £4m off Selestia and threatening legal action if it refuses to re-register its clients' Isa and Pep holdings off the platform.

  • Hidden agenda in review

    7 Jun 2007

    You make up your mind, then you kid everyone with a consultation paper or a review. Whatever the results, it matters not because the decision has already been taken. All they want is to pretend otherwise.

  • Hips revisions slammed by industry

    12 Jun 2007

    Ministers were accused of exacerbating the "chaotic" situation surrounding home information packs after revised regulations were released yesterday by the Department of Communities and Local Government.

  • House prices continue to rise

    11 Jun 2007

    The average house price in the UK rose to 209,454 in April up from 206,890 in March and annual house price inflation was up 0.4 per cent according to the Department for Communities and Local Government.

  • HSBC adds external funds to enhance DC offering

    7 Jun 2007

    HSBC Investments has made 15 funds from external providers available within its bundled defined-contribution offering.

  • HSBC creates solid foundation

    7 Jun 2007

    HSBC Bank International has introduced the Foundation 1 resources bonus fund, a capital-protected fund that aims for annual income over a three-year term in the form of bonus payments.

  • HSBC expects further jitters in China

    7 Jun 2007

    HSBC is warning that China could see heightened volatility for several months following market falls which started last week.

  • In default

    7 Jun 2007

    Default funds must break with tradition and become more flexible.

  • Insurers refuse cover after post-natal case

    7 Jun 2007

    A broker has criticised Legal & General and Norwich Union after they refused to provide term cover for a pregnant woman who had previously had post-natal depression.

  • Intelligent mortgage from Pink

    7 Jun 2007

    Pink Home LoansIntelligent Finance Fees Assisted Offset Remortgage

  • Investec picks Parker for blue chip

    7 Jun 2007

    Investec has appointed Jonathan Parker as co-manager for the 120m UK blue-chip fund alongside Christine Baalham. He joined Investec this year from M&G.

  • It's a living thing

    7 Jun 2007

    Hartford Life marketing and distribution managing director John Enos on why living benefits could be a £20bn a year market and the implications for advisers.

  • JPMorgan Asset Management - Core Japan Behavioural Finance Fund

    12 Jun 2007

    JPMorgan Asset ManagementCore Japan Behavioural Finance Fund

  • Judicial review is only route open to IFAs

    7 Jun 2007

    I write regarding your comments published on the front page of Money Marketing on May 31 regarding "well rehearsed IFA grievances" and "only being accountable through the complex judicial review process yet advisers are not having any problems using this route".

  • Jupiter gives US fund a facelift

    7 Jun 2007

    Jupiter has extended its range of international income funds by changing the objective and the name of one of its funds to become the Jupiter North American income fund.

  • Kensington is aiming to grow with Investec deal

    7 Jun 2007

    Kensington Group is looking to more than double distribution following its sale to South African investment bank Investec for £270m last week.

  • Kilminster fined £42,000 for TCF failings

    11 Jun 2007

    The FSA has fined network Kilminster Financial Management £42,000 for management and complaints handling failings from January 1, 2004 to August 23, 2006.

  • L&G IM makes two new appointments

    12 Jun 2007

    Legal & General Investment Management has appointed Georg Grodzki as head of credit research and Patrick Vogel as head of European credit portfolio management on its active fixed Income team.

  • L&G Sipp with the kitchen sink

    8 Jun 2007

    Legal & GeneralGroup Portfolio Plus Self-Invested Personal Pension

  • Land of the fee-free

    7 Jun 2007

    Investec, the South African bank, emerged last week as the surprise bidder for Kensington Group with a deal that values the lender at around 283m. Kensington has had a fairly tough time of late and its share price has halved since this time last year but hopefully this acquisition will mark a new chapter for the sub-prime lender. It is good to see that Investec plans to keep and grow the brand.

  • Lighthouse launches risk profiling tool

    12 Jun 2007

    Lighthouse has launched a psychometric risk profiling tool for its advisers in partnership with Distribution Technology.

  • Lords set to back pension victims

    7 Jun 2007

    'Let us hope Gordon Brown has the courage to finally end this scandal'

  • LV= targets retirement market in deal with Tomorrow

    7 Jun 2007

    LV= has made a distribution agreement with retirement specialist Tomorrow, formerly GE Life, that will see it offer co-branded products from July with the option to acquire the business wholly in December.

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF FTSE 100

    8 Jun 2007

    Lyxor Asset ManagementLyxor ETF FTSE 100

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF FTSE 250

    8 Jun 2007

    LyxorAsset ManagementLyxor ETF FTSE 250

  • Lyxor Asset Management - Lyxor ETF FTSE All-Share

    8 Jun 2007

    Lyxor Asset ManagementLyxor ETF FTSE All-Share

  • Lyxor stirs up ETF market

    7 Jun 2007

    Lyxor Asset Management, a subsidiary of Societe Generale, has entered UK market with three exchanged-traded funds, including the first ETF to track the FTSE All Share index.

  • Macquarie Bank Group - CF Macquarie Global Infrastructure Securities Fund

    8 Jun 2007

    Macquarie Bank GroupCF Macquarie Global Infrastructure Securities Fund

  • Macquarie Bank Group - CF Macquarie Global Private Equity Securities Fund

    8 Jun 2007

    Macquarie Bank GroupCF Macquarie Global Private Equity Securities Fund

  • Macquarie Bank Group - CF Macquarie Global Property Securities Fund

    8 Jun 2007

    Macquarie Bank GroupCF Macquarie Global Property Securities Fund

  • Macquarie seeks out the alternatives

    7 Jun 2007

    The European arm of the Australian Macquarie Bank Group has entered the UK IFA market with three funds investing in alternative asset classes.

  • Make it personal

    7 Jun 2007

    Someone must be prepared to cover people's losses through generic advice.

  • Man from Skandia

    7 Jun 2007

    My business is modelled on pensions and investment. Four years ago, I looked at a number of wraps available in the market that could support my business. I opted for Skandia.

  • Man of the moment

    7 Jun 2007

    Fund management Brian Donegan, finance director for foreign direct investment on the Isle of Man, explains how the island is forging ahead to realise its fund management ambitions.

  • man widens the spectrum

    7 Jun 2007

    Man Investments has expanded its Man AP capital-protected product range with the introduction of Man AP Spectrum.

  • Matrix feeds Asian property fund

    8 Jun 2007

    The Matrix Group has brought out the Matrix Asian property income fund, which will aim to generate a rising income and capital growth by investing in a portfolio of Asian property, utilities and infrastructure securities.

  • Meteor Asset Management - Galaxy Protected Commodities Plan - Dollar Denominated Version

    12 Jun 2007

    Meteor Asset ManagementGalaxy Protected Commodities Plan - Dollar Denominated Version

  • MetLife adds bond

    8 Jun 2007

    The European arm of US-based MetLife has added a unit-linked investment bond to its product range.

  • Mom's the word

    7 Jun 2007

    Four-page special report opens with Helen Pow looking at a crowded marketplace and finding opinion split on whether advisers are copping out by using multi-managers or giving clients the best option.

  • Money Portal chooses Intelliflo systems

    7 Jun 2007

    The Money Portal has struck a deal with Intelliflo that will see its 1,200 advisers use the technology company's Intelligent Office as their front and back-office systems.

  • Moneysupermarket.com CEO buys co-founder's near 50 per cent stake

    7 Jun 2007

    A holdings company set up by moneysupermarket.com CEO Simon Nixon has acquired co-founder Duncan Cameron's almost 50 per cent stake in moneysupermarket.com.

  • More advisers seeking the Midas touch

    7 Jun 2007

    Midas Capital says 92 IFA firms invested in its funds for the first time in April, continuing the trend towards a broadening of its investor base.

  • Morgan builds with Bric

    7 Jun 2007

    Morgan Stanley has introduced the emerging markets growth plan, a capital-protected bond providing exposure to Brazil, Russia, India and China over a five-year term.

  • Mortgage interest payments hit 15-year high

    12 Jun 2007

    Mortgage interest payments for first-time buyers and home movers have reached their highest levels for 15 years, according to figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

  • Most firms expect levelling down

    7 Jun 2007

    The Association of Consulting Actuaries is warning of a "pension apartheid" after its research found widespread concern among companies that personal accounts will damage existing provision.

  • Mott makes May debut in cautious index

    7 Jun 2007

    The Adviser Fund Index panellists brought 20 new funds into the Cautious AFI during last month's rebalancing.

  • MVRs prevent clients moving out of W-Ps, says Skandia

    7 Jun 2007

    Market value reductions are the biggest barrier to clients who are considering transferring away from with-profits, according to a survey by Skandia.

  • NDF sets out to impress

    8 Jun 2007

    NDF AdministrationNDF Growth Kick Out Plan April 07

  • Nearly 12m have never reviewed their pension plans, says BAM

    11 Jun 2007

    Nearly 12 million people have never reviewed their pension plans and a further 1.37 million people have not reviewed them in the last five years, according to research by Baring Asset Management.

  • Nearly half of pension funds in surplus

    7 Jun 2007

    The last four years have seen over £100bn wiped off pension fund deficits, which reached their lowest level in May since the FRS17 accounting standard was introduced six years ago.

  • New ground from New Star

    8 Jun 2007

    New StarInternational Property Fund

  • New Star identifies optimum property holding

    11 Jun 2007

    New Star have revealed that 87 per cent of IFAs think clients with moderate risk profiles should consider holding at least 5 per cent in direct commercial property.

  • New Star launches globe trotting property fund

    7 Jun 2007

    New Star has brought out an Oeic that invests directly in commercial property on a global basis, with a small amount invested in property securities including Reits to provide liquidity.

  • New trading platform launches for property and financial transactions

    8 Jun 2007

    A new online system for property and financial transactions has been developed in the North East.

  • NU Fofs make it onshore

    7 Jun 2007

    Norwich Union has brought three offshore funds of funds onshore to increase accessibility for IFAs.

  • On and off the menu - the timeline

    7 Jun 2007

    January 2002

  • Only a third back NU orphan plans

    7 Jun 2007

    Only one-third of Norwich Union with-profits policyholders believe the proposed reattribution of the company's inherited estate is a good idea and 41 per cent say they do not have enough information to form an opinion, according to research by YouGov.

  • Onslaught at FSA as menu is axed

    7 Jun 2007

    'One irrational U-turn after another,' says former retail chief Severn.

  • Origin of the in-specie

    7 Jun 2007

    Summit in Nice gets to grips with serious issue of in-specie transfers.

  • Out of Context

    7 Jun 2007

    "If no one is on top of me, whipping me, I won't do anything."

  • Pensioners victorious in House of Lords

    7 Jun 2007

    Pensioners who lost their savings when company schemes collapsed won a huge victory in the House of Lords last night.

  • 'Personal accounts may hit group protection'

    7 Jun 2007

    Swiss Re is warning that personal accounts could damage the group protection market and increase the protection gap.

  • Pink extends commission offer

    11 Jun 2007

    Pink Home Loans has extended its 10 per cent secured loans commission enhancement until the end of August.

  • Premier offers safety net for property investors

    7 Jun 2007

    Premier Asset Management has introduced a protected pan-European property plan.

  • Premier protects property fund

    7 Jun 2007

    Premier Fund Managers has brought out the Premier Protected Property Plan, a capital-protected bond linked to the performance of the Premier Pan European property share fund for six years.

  • Premier shares in property fund

    12 Jun 2007

    Premier Fund ManagersPremier Protected Property Plan - Limited Editions No 36

  • Prepare for impact

    7 Jun 2007

    The demise of the payment menu comes as no surprise and, given the failure of the initial disclosure document as a means of status declaration, its removal can hardly be a surprise either.

  • Prioritise enduring power of attorney, says pi Financial

    8 Jun 2007

    Families with older relatives should act fast to establish an enduring power of attorney before changes to the rules complicate the process, warns pi financial dixon sutcliffe & Co.

  • Protection industry has reasons to rejoice and worry

    12 Jun 2007

    There were a number of reasons to celebrate this week but also a major issue emerged that led many in the protection industry to feel a bit down in the dumps.

  • Prudential turns hand at inflation beating

    8 Jun 2007

    PrudentialPrudential Managed Defensive Fund

  • Public favour direct hedge fund access

    7 Jun 2007

    Only 10 per cent of people think access to hedge funds should be restricted to professional investors, with most favouring wider public access.

  • Purnell welcomes call for the merging of FOS and PO

    6 Jun 2007

    Pensions minister James Purnell has welcomed the Thornton Review findings including calls for the Financial Ombudsman Service to be combined with the Pensions Ombudsman.

  • Radical reform of personal accounts needed, says PPI

    11 Jun 2007

    Personal accounts are in need of reform if they are to prevent certain high risk groups of consumers from missing out on a good rate of return, according to research from the Pensions Policy Institute.

  • Rate rises dampen mortgage approvals

    7 Jun 2007

    Evidence is building that the mortgage market is slowing in response to rising interest rates.

  • Reasonable effort from Prudential

    8 Jun 2007

    PrudentialPrudential Cautious Managed Growth Fund

  • Red tape to stay for protected rights

    7 Jun 2007

    The different treatment of protected rights and pensions built up from other savings is set to remain in a new amendment that has been inserted into the Pensions Bill 2007.

  • Resolution in outsource agreement with Capita

    7 Jun 2007

    Resolution is to outsource much of its admin and back office to Capita in a 580m deal.

  • Resolution to build for 130/30 demand

    7 Jun 2007

    Resolution head of sales and marketing Jonathan Polin says the firm is looking to build a series of 130/30 products to meet growing demand.

  • Retention wrangle

    7 Jun 2007

    Helen Pow says the argument is raging over retention but more lenders will start offering fees.

  • Rock and rolling right to the top

    8 Jun 2007

    Interesting news this week has seen Northern Rock roll into second place in the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ preliminary results for the top 30 biggest lenders in 2006, in terms of gross mortgage lending.

  • Rock rolls in as UK's second biggest lender

    7 Jun 2007

    Northern Rock has leapfrogged Abbey and Lloyds TSB to become the second-biggest lender in terms of gross mortgage lending, Money Marketing can reveal.

  • Royal London wins £212m mandate from The Pensions Trust

    11 Jun 2007

    Royal London Asset Management has been selected to manage a £212 million fixed interest mandate on behalf of The Pensions Trust which operates in the charitable, social, educational, voluntary and not-for-profit sectors.

  • S&P 'is on right track' with new fund ratings

    7 Jun 2007

    Advisers say decision by rating agency gives recognition to fund managers' track records.

  • Safety in numbers?

    7 Jun 2007

    There looks to be an increasing amount of consolidation on the horizon with Sumus having just made its latest acquisition, announced along with its six-monthly results.

  • Schemes need to serve over default lines

    7 Jun 2007

    Scottish Life is backing calls for pension schemes to take more responsibility for defined-contribution investment strategy in a bid to meet the needs of scheme members.

  • Schroder stocks up on high yielding equities

    7 Jun 2007

    Schroders has introduced its global equity income fund, an Oeic that aims for a rising level of income and capital growth by investing in high yielding stocks around the world.

  • Schroders - Schroder Global Equity Income Fund

    8 Jun 2007

    SchrodersSchroder Global Equity Income Fund

  • Schroders takes global equity trek

    8 Jun 2007

    SchrodersSchroder Global Equity Income Fund

  • Shakespeare moves up at Park Row

    7 Jun 2007

    Park Row commercial director Carey Shakespeare is being promoted to sales and marketing director from July 1 following the departure of national sales director Kevin Paterson to Enterprise after six years with the firm.

  • Smith & Williamson EIS targets Welsh pubs

    7 Jun 2007

    Smith & Williamson is aiming to raise up to £8m for the British Country Inns 4 enterprise investment scheme which will invest in pubs in Wales and the Welsh borders.

  • Standard adds eight funds to life and pensions range

    8 Jun 2007

    Standard Life has added eight new external funds to its life and pensions range from a providers including Macquarie, Investec, JP Morgan, Schroders and UBS.

  • Standard Life Investments private equity fund of funds raise £760m

    11 Jun 2007

    Standard Life Investments has raised £760m from the closure of two of its private equity fund of funds.

  • Sub-prime signals

    7 Jun 2007

    Tanya Powley on the FSA's concerns over a sub-prime downturn.

  • Suitability changes bring confusion

    7 Jun 2007

    The complexity of updating and integrating domestic and European rules on investments and advice was underscored last week with the publication of the FSA's intentions on simplifying its rulebook on conducting investment business.

  • Sumus eyes more acquisitions after taking Deverill Black stake

    7 Jun 2007

    Sumus has paid 750,000 for a controlling stake in Bristol IFA Deverill Black & Co.

  • Swiss Re life and health chief is sectioned

    7 Jun 2007

    Alberto Izaga, a senior executive and board member of Swiss Re, was arrested on Sunday and remains in custody after his two-year-old daughter was found seriously injured in his central London flat.

  • T Bailey piles into Mott's new fund

    7 Jun 2007

    T Bailey has become the latest investment firm to throw its backing behind Bill Mott's new PSigma equity income fund.

  • Take your choice

    7 Jun 2007

    Should IFAs be boldly going into the fund universe or is it better.

  • The heat is on

    6 Jun 2007

    With climate change an on-going issue for everyone across the globe, it seemed a question of when, as opposed to if, a fund management firm would decide to launch a vehicle that revolves around the arena.

  • The investment climate is changing as Jupiter and Schroders add green funds

    7 Jun 2007

    Schroders and Jupiter are tapping into the growing demand for green funds with both set to bring climate change funds to the market.

  • Thomas quits Skandia for Axa wrap

    7 Jun 2007

    Skandia investment marketing manager Ian Thomas is leaving the firm to join Axa, where he will head its new wrap proposition working alongside Paul McMahon.

  • Thornton wants watchdogs merged

    7 Jun 2007

    The Thornton review has recommended that the Pensions Ombudsman should be merged with the Financial Ombudsman Service to achieve economies of scale.

  • Threats to advisers and the RDR take centre stage at PIMS

    11 Jun 2007

    Emerging threats to the IFA market, the retail distribution review and future wrap strategies were the major talking points onboard this year’s PIMS.

  • Train of thought

    7 Jun 2007

    One of the most common mistakes I come across when talking to adviser firms about their technology installations is the failure to properly provide for the cost of training when planning their project. Although software is often presented as being easy to use out of the box, just like any other consumer durable, the reality can be vastly different.

  • Transact shuts option plan

    7 Jun 2007

    Transact is closing its share option scheme to advisers from July 31 but says the action will not apply retrospectively.

  • Trenchard takes over Niznik role

    7 Jun 2007

    Standard Life has recruited First State fund manager to Casper Trenchard to replace Mark Niznik on its UK opportunities fund. Trenchard is in negotiations to bring the 19m First State British opportunities fund he runs with him, which would see First State leave the UK equity sector.

  • Trio of fund managers hit the road

    7 Jun 2007

    JP Morgan, New Star and Schroders are jointly hosting regional roadshows on equities, bonds and property throughout June.

  • UBS explores plus points with bond fund

    7 Jun 2007

    UBS Global Asset Management has launched a bond fund that can take synthetic long and short positions using derivatives under Ucits III.

  • UBS Global Asset Management - Corporate Bond UK Plus Fund

    12 Jun 2007

    UBS Global Asset ManagementCorporate Bond UK Plus Fund

  • Wealth of knowledge

    7 Jun 2007

    Tax Simon Hildrey explains why it is not only the wealthy who can benefit from non-domiciled status in the UK.

  • Weir hired to run Atlantis special sits fund

    12 Jun 2007

    Atlantis Investment Management has announced the appointment of James Weir to manage the Atlantis Asian special situations fund.

  • Widows critical claim rejection rate is 16%

    7 Jun 2007

    Scottish Widows paid out more than £25m on 774 critical-illness insurance claims in the year to last October and rejected 16 per cent of claims.

  • Widows reopening door to property fund

    7 Jun 2007

    Scottish Widows is lifting the restrictions on investments into its property life fund.

  • Will FSA pull plug on the commission merry-go-round?

    7 Jun 2007

    James Phillipps considers the repercussions of the clash on commission.

  • Zurich sells annuity business to Swiss Re

    7 Jun 2007

    Zurich Assurance has signed an agreement to transfer 3.7bn of its UK annuity business to Swiss Re.

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