Money Marketing
7 March 2007

  • Advisers split on Sipp opportunity

    8 Mar 2007

    Money Marketing's latest online straw poll reveals 54 per cent of advisers believe they are missing out on a huge opportunity by not focusing more on Sipps while 46 per cent disagree.

  • Blowing the whistle on insurance crime

    8 Mar 2007

    The FSA has set up a whistle-blowing system for the insurance industry in a bid to reduce financial crime in the sector. Insurance providers and inter-mediaries are being urged to inform the FSA when they suspect malpractice or criminal behaviour so that the regulator can investigate.

  • 78 per cent of advisers say there is still a market for ASPs

    8 Mar 2007

    78 per cent of advisers still intend to recommend Alternatively Secured Pensions despite the punitive pre-Budget proposals, according to Skandia research.

  • A worthwhile effort from Cirencester

    13 Mar 2007

    Cirencester Friendly SocietyIncome Assured Plus

  • Abbey launches capital secured UK equity investment plan

    9 Mar 2007

    Abbey Financial Markets has launched a capital secured UK equity investment plan to complement its continuously available capital guaranteed bonds linked to the FTSE 100, Nikkei 225 and property indices.

  • Actuaries expel Ranson over Equitable Life crisis

    8 Mar 2007

    Former Equitable Life managing director and appointed actuary Roy Ranson has been thrown out of The Actuarial Profession.

  • Adnitor's glittering platform prizes

    8 Mar 2007

    Standard Life picked up two awards at the Adnitor Platform Awards last week, winning the best overall platform provider and industry achievement for worksite pensions.

  • Adviser Fund Index

    8 Mar 2007

    Being the most defensive of the Adviser Fund Indices, it is unsurprising that the Cautious AFI has the greatest exposure to fixed interest. The Cautious index comprises more than one-third of its allocation to bonds, with 27 constituent funds represented across four IMA bond sectors.

  • Aegon offers no commission option for advisers

    7 Mar 2007

    Aegon will offer a no commission option for advisers working on a fee basis and three new options designed to allow advisers to cater for the needs of clients who want additional services or greater levels of advice and support.

  • Aegon seizes the opportunity

    13 Mar 2007

    Aegon Asset Management has brought out three new funds, one of which is the UK opportunities fund.

  • An adequate strategy from Adequity

    13 Mar 2007

    Societe Generale Adequity has brought out the New Energy Protected fund, a capital protected Oeic that applies a constant proportion portfolio insurance strategy to the World Alternative Energy index and cash.

  • Arc Fund Management -Arc EIS 6 Growth Fund

    13 Mar 2007

    Arc Fund ManagementArc EIS 6 Growth Fund

  • Arc gets dual boost from Aim flotations

    8 Mar 2007

    Arc Growth Company VCT has seen its net asset value significantly boosted after two of its investments, Consolidated Vending and Traction Technology Holdings, floated on Aim.

  • Assureweb looks close to Bankhall protection deal

    8 Mar 2007

    Bankhall is looking to replace its in-house protection portal, with Assureweb looking set to pick up the contract.

  • Australian example

    8 Mar 2007

    We first came across wraps in the mid-1990s in the US. We admired the way that they worked in America but we had some reservations about the UK market, some of which have not really gone away.

  • Axa axes MVRs and boosts bonuses

    8 Mar 2007

    Axa has removed market value reductions on with-profits bonds and raised bonus rates by 1.5 per cent for many of the 1.3 million customers in the Axa Sun Life and Sun Life Assurance Society with-profits funds.

  • Axa goes talent spotting

    13 Mar 2007

    Axa Investment ManagersAxa Talents Fund

  • Axa's adviser network moves into Thinc

    12 Mar 2007

    Axa is intending to integrate its tied distribution operation Axa Adviser Network with Thinc Group.

  • Bank of England maintains interest rates at 5.25 per cent

    8 Mar 2007

    Weakening economic data and falling inflation prompted the Bank of England Monetary Policy Committee to maintain interest rates at 5.25 per cent.Pressure for further rate hikes has slipped following mixed economic data that has seen high street retail sales falling at their sharpest rate in four years and inflation falling back from December’s 3 per cent 11 year high to 2.7 per cent in February.New Star chief economist Simon Ward says: “We remain of the view that a cooling economy ...

  • Bank of Scotland in BTL drive

    8 Mar 2007

    Bank of Scotland is gearing up for a major buy-to-let offensive as part of a push by the HBOS group.

  • Batten and Garlick get eight-year bans

    8 Mar 2007

    High-profile former directors of Network 300 Chris Batten and Peter Garlick have been banned from holding directorships for eight years for their part in the collapse of the network.

  • Broker Talkback

    8 Mar 2007

    Is the FSA right to keep the RU64 rule?

  • Brokers have reservations on new deals

    8 Mar 2007

    Nationwide is slashing fees and some rates for existing borrowers.

  • 'Brokers will move from proc to performance fees'

    8 Mar 2007

    Hamptons Mortgages managing director Kevin Duffy expects brokers eventually to be paid on performance rather than the traditional standard proc fee model.

  • Bupa ponders space cover

    8 Mar 2007

    Bupa is looking at offering travel insurance for space tourists in light of Virgin Galactic's planned space flights in 2009.

  • C&G hits out at rivals over loss-leaders

    8 Mar 2007

    Lender says it 'won't chase volume for the sake of it' after below-average growth last year.

  • Cameron cracks market in Krakov

    13 Mar 2007

    City-based boutique firm Cameron & Cameron Asset Management, has brought out a fund giving high-net-worth investors access to Zablocie Mill, a property development in Poland.

  • Capita launches GI quotation offering

    7 Mar 2007

    Capita has launched an unrivalled aggregated general insurance service to intermediaries by linking the products and services of its portal Webline and its GI aggregation service BDML.

  • Chasers hit adviser wall

    8 Mar 2007

    Whatever you think of claim management firms, they have been a fact of life and will continue to be so.

  • Check out repo 'rescues'

    8 Mar 2007

    Brokers are being urged to protect borrowers against firms targeting homeowners threatened with repossession.

  • China scare is not a bear, says Mobius

    8 Mar 2007

    The sharp fall in Chinese stockmarkets last week is short-term profit-taking rather than the start of a bear market, says emerging markets guru Dr Mark Mobius.

  • Clark moves up at HSBC

    8 Mar 2007

    Andy Clark has been promoted to managing director, wholesale at HSBC Investments after Michael Warren's decision to leave. Warren was managing director, sales and marketing at HSBC Investments.

  • Clerical Medical launches offshore website

    9 Mar 2007

    Clerical Medical International has launched a website at www.offshore.clericalmedical.com to promote its offshore business.

  • Close in tie-up with Concordia

    8 Mar 2007

    Close Mortgages is extending its distribution to broker alliance Concordia.

  • Cloudy forecast?

    8 Mar 2007

    Our panel of experts consider whether a raft of European property fund launches is an ominous sign for the UK market, plus: should advisers be concerned by the increased use of hedging techniques by multi-managers??

  • Consultants look at NU's orphan plans

    8 Mar 2007

    Aviva's Office of the Policyholder Advocate has appointed consultancy firm LECG to advise on the financial implications for policyholders affected by Norwich Union's reattribution of the inherited estate in two of its with-profits funds.

  • Contract lore

    8 Mar 2007

    How can investors make geared trades using contracts for difference?

  • Corporate drive

    8 Mar 2007

    Bright Grey is entering the individual corporate protection market this year and has appointed Jerry Bayman as corporate protection sales manager to lead the drive.

  • Correspondent's Week

    8 Mar 2007

    This week by The Express deputy personal finance editor Holly Thomas.

  • Coventry Building Society - 2.45% Discounted Rate mortgage

    13 Mar 2007

    Coventry Building Society2.45% Discounted Rate mortgage

  • Cowman joining Just Retirement

    8 Mar 2007

    Just Retirement is entering the protection market to provide products for customers at or in retirement to be headed by former Prudential head of proposition and market strategy Paul Cowman.

  • Credit Suisse's...

    8 Mar 2007

    Credit Suisse's PR firm (three guesses, anyone?) were left counting the cost of the decision of Gary Potter and Robert Burdett to leave the firm last week. All was set for the firm's annual multi-manager teach-in, only for the announcement to seep through that there were no heads of multi-manager left at Credit Suisse to teach.

  • Customise with Cofunds

    8 Mar 2007

    Cofunds is setting up a service which enables IFAs to customise reports for their clients on an individual basis through its forthcoming Your Choice suite of products.

  • Decline and fall

    8 Mar 2007

    Helen Pow reports on how Prudential's research has inflamed the protection industry by putting forward the huge figure of £43bn for declined claims.

  • Desperate house dives

    8 Mar 2007

    Lew Sichelman in the US reports on the sub-prime crash which is seeing borrowers repossessed and lenders shutting up shop while Gregor Watt looks at the UK repercussions.

  • Don't bully us over Sipps

    8 Mar 2007

    Has Peter Hargreaves found the only viable future for the entire industry?

  • Down to the Gwyer

    8 Mar 2007

    A fond farewell is bid to Dave "Case Study King" Gwyer as he leaves behind the Aviva-controlled joys of the Norwich Union press office equity release and those much-plugged with-profits bonds to start a new life at HBOS.

  • EIS raises glass to the cellaret

    13 Mar 2007

    Fine wine merchant The Cellaret is looking to raise up to £1.5m through this EIS to expand its trading activities following last year’s acquisition of The Wine Portfolio and Wine Direct.

  • Ethical winners

    8 Mar 2007

    Ethical funds. Helen Pow considers the impressive performance of ethical investments.

  • Exams must stay to protect the public

    8 Mar 2007

    The FSA is to retain existing exam requirements for advisers due to concerns about quality of training and competence standards.

  • Exit strategy

    8 Mar 2007

    Guy Anker and Sarah Hall survey the scene on lenders' mortgage exit fees after the FSA crackdown.

  • Experts fear worst for Browns Budget swansong

    8 Mar 2007

    With less than two weeks to go before Gordon Brown's "final" Budget pension experts everywhere are crossing their fingers and toes and hoping for the best.

  • Extra payouts for retirement factor

    8 Mar 2007

    Life offices add to endowment compensation after regulator's age alert.

  • F&C looks for catalyst stocks with fund of hedge funds

    8 Mar 2007

    F&C Asset Management is to widen its drive into alternative investments with the launch of an event-driven hedge fund.

  • Fears for tiers

    8 Mar 2007

    Regulation. Helen Pow finds widespread opposition to the FSA's dual-listing plans but some believe it would be positive.

  • Fears over negative equity pledge

    8 Mar 2007

    The equity-release market has warned that products could lose their no negative equity guarantee under new rules.

  • Feeling the heat

    8 Mar 2007

    The Bonham hotel in Edinburgh and Artemis Investment Management jointly hosted a Corporate Cook-Off in aid of local charity Edinburgh Cyrenians' Good Food in Tackling Homelessness programme.

  • Fidelity offers free Pep and Isa transfers into MM Oeic range

    8 Mar 2007

    Fidelity International is offering free Pep and Isa transfers into its multi-manager Oeic range, also available through FundsNetwork.

  • Field tables unclaimed assets Bill to help pensioners

    7 Mar 2007

    Former welfare minister Frank Field has tabled a Private Members Bill calling for a levy on unclaimed assets of banks and building societies to help victims of occupational pension scheme collapses.Field says the Government and parts of the industry have claimed there are limited funds available but he says evidence from Grant Thornton suggests there could be around £4bn to reclaim.He says the estimated 125,000 people who lost out when their schemes went bust should be given first ...

  • Financial Objects reports 2.3m annual profit

    13 Mar 2007

    Software solutions provider Financial Objects has reported an operating profit increased to 2.3m from 1.0m for the previous year.

  • Fixed expression

    8 Mar 2007

    In today's market, it is very difficult to find an investment offering a fixed income of 7 per cent a year tax-free without much risk.

  • Forces of nature

    8 Mar 2007

    Ihave to admit that I am not usually a fan of highly specialised funds. By their nature, they are significantly more volatile than general funds and quite often unsuitable for anyone but very sophisticated clients. That said, they do offer opportunities if you get your timing right.

  • Foresight Venture Partners - Foresight Sustainable UK Investment Fund

    13 Mar 2007

    Foresight Venture PartnersForesight Sustainable UK Investment Fund

  • Friends Provident - Guaranteed Bond - Capital Assured Fund 1

    13 Mar 2007

    Friends ProvidentGuaranteed Bond - Capital Assured Fund 1

  • FSA gets warning on axing excessive charge rules

    8 Mar 2007

    Industry experts say the FSA should not be scrapping the excessive charge rules under Newcob as it sends out the wrong signals to the market by clearing the way for firms to rip off consumers.

  • FSA urged to provide guidance to end confusion over Reits

    8 Mar 2007

    A third of advisers are confused over the regulation of real estate investment trusts, according to research commissioned by Reita.org.

  • FTBs snapping up fixed-rate deals as rates rise

    13 Mar 2007

    The fear of higher interest rates has led a record number of first-time buyers to opt for a fixed-rate loan, according to the Council of Mortgage Lenders.

  • Godiva rides into specialist market

    8 Mar 2007

    Coventry Building Society is setting up a specialist intermediary mortgage arm called Godiva Mortgages.

  • Goodwill hunting

    8 Mar 2007

    Britishinsurance.com managing director Simon Burgess says the payment protection insurance market is coming under heavy fire from customers over charges and needs to launch its own offensive to nurture goodwill and show the worth of its products.

  • Government set to reverse Personal Accounts cap decision

    13 Mar 2007

    The Government has strongly hinted it will reverse its decision in the Personal Accounts White Paper to set the maximum cap on the scheme at £5,000 rather than £3,000.Speaking yesterday at work and pensions questions, Work and Pensions Secretary John Hutton told Parliament he had reconsidered the decision, in response to a question from Tory MP Richard Ottaway.The ABI and IMA have lobbied the Government strongly on the issue pointing out the £5,000 limit would pick up over 90 per ...

  • Green piece

    8 Mar 2007

    Chris Salih says ethical funds have become the latest attraction but asks if investors are willing to go green and give up the opportunity to make cash.

  • Greenshields to be Standard non-exec

    8 Mar 2007

    Standard Life has appointed former Barclays Wealth Management managing director Ray Greenshields as a non-executive director.

  • Grimstone to take chair at Standard as Stewart steps down

    8 Mar 2007

    Standard Life chairman Sir Brian Stewart is to leave the board in May and will be succeeded by deputy chairman Gerry Grimstone.

  • 'Half of Sipp firms will be wiped out'

    8 Mar 2007

    Sipp providers will need at least 2,500 Sipps to run a viable business under the impending regulatory regime, says Suffolk Life marketing director John Moret.

  • Halifax retention deals to net 7bn

    8 Mar 2007

    Dramatic increase in borrowers staying with HBOS after January repricing.

  • HBOS launches Homebuy scheme with Halifax, not BoS

    12 Mar 2007

    HBOS has launched its Open Market Homebuy plan under the Halifax brand.

  • Henderson uses put option to protect its range

    8 Mar 2007

    Henderson has joined the band of multi-managers who are using put options.

  • Horse goes back to BM stable

    8 Mar 2007

    Edeus head of national accounts Dave Horsman, known as "the horse", is rejoining BM Solutions after he quit to join Edeus last year.

  • IFAs too tough as chasers switch to banks and PPI

    8 Mar 2007

    Leading claim management companies are now turning down claims against IFAs as they believe they are unprofitable and are instead focusing on payment protection insurance and bank charges.

  • Impact assessment

    8 Mar 2007

    The first Customer Impact survey provides pointers for the way ahead.

  • Importance of being earnest on loan criteria

    8 Mar 2007

    I trust that your mortgage broking readers were not unduly flattered by the comments of Accord Mortgages managing director Linda Will that brokers are better suited to helping their clients than lenders when they are faced with repossession (Money Marketing, February 22).

  • IMS selects US funds to make growth play in technology

    8 Mar 2007

    IMS has added technology funds from New York-based group Seligman to its multi-manager funds to reposition the portfolios equally between growth and value stocks.

  • In the mood

    8 Mar 2007

    As if on cue, nemesis arrived in equity markets last week. Not before time, I might add.

  • Information overload

    8 Mar 2007

    Firms are evading responsibility by providing information, not advice.

  • Interest rates on hold again

    9 Mar 2007

    For the second-consecutive month, the mortgage market was able to breathe a collective sigh of relief as interest rates were kept on hold at 5.25 per cent.

  • Investec in DC pension drive

    8 Mar 2007

    Group completes suite of packaged products as it sets target to boost assets to £10bn.

  • Jelf links with Lloyd & Whyte

    9 Mar 2007

    Jelf Group has formed a strategic partnership with Lloyd & Whyte in a bid to leverage respective areas of expertise across both groups.

  • Jupiter in buyout talks

    8 Mar 2007

    Jupiter is understood to be in talks with a number of private equity companies about buying out the firm from parent Commerzbank.

  • Just the ticket

    8 Mar 2007

    When unfairly hit with a £40 parking ticket, most people will swear under their breath, write a futile letter to the council and grudgingly pay the fine when threatened with a court hearing.Not Hargreaves Lansdown's Tom McPhail, who was recently spotted in the Mail on Sunday, protesting about parking charges.The newly-bearded one took his case to the county courts and incredibly won.

  • L&G shuts the door on bond offer as advisers abuse deal

    8 Mar 2007

    Legal & General has cut back the extra allocation offer on its portfolio bond after some advisers abused the deal to make easy cash.

  • L&G upgrades CI cover

    13 Mar 2007

    Legal & General has upgraded its critical illness cover policy and will be covering 35 illnesses including three additional illnesses.

  • Laing to hone edge

    8 Mar 2007

    Former Bankhall director of group business relations Arnold Laing has joined IN Partnership as an associate director.

  • Last orders

    8 Mar 2007

    With less than two weeks to go before the Chancellor delivers what will be, barring unforeseen circumstances, his 11th and last Budget, speculation has begun about whether he will reveal any signs of his own policy priorities.

  • Law firms Irwin Mitchell and Golds to merge

    13 Mar 2007

    Law firms Irwin Mitchell and Golds are set to merge with effect from April 1, 2007.

  • Leeds launches new Tessa Isa

    7 Mar 2007

    Leeds Building Society has launched three fixed rate tax-free Tessa Isa products with a minimum investment of £1.

  • Legal & General kicks out good rate

    13 Mar 2007

    Legal & GeneralGrowth Investment Plan Plus 7

  • Life but not as we know it

    8 Mar 2007

    Beginning a series on group life schemes with a look at how the nature of life insurance has changed over the years.

  • Lloyds TSB shuts India call centre

    8 Mar 2007

    Lloyds TSB is to close its Indian call centre and return work to the UK which the Lloyds TSB Group Union says is partly due to 400,000 Lloyds customers signing a petition saying they are opposed to offshore call centres.

  • Managers extend links with insurers

    8 Mar 2007

    HSBC Investments, Insight and Midas Capital have all announced new strategic partnerships to roll out their multi-manager multi-asset funds through insurance companies.

  • Meteor may look to link with boutique

    8 Mar 2007

    Newly launched asset management firm Meteor Asset Management could look to link up with a boutique as it bids to gets four streams of business up and running in the next 12 months.

  • Moneyfacts move

    8 Mar 2007

    The news that Moneyfacts could move into competition with Mortgage Brain and Trigold could be good news for brokers.

  • Moneyfacts opening up loan system

    8 Mar 2007

    Moneyfacts is set to take on Mortgage Brain and Trigold with a full application and sourcing system for mortgage brokers.

  • Multi-faceted predicament

    8 Mar 2007

    Chris Salih considers the effects of a dual blow to Credit Suisse.

  • NDF Administration - NDF Growth Kick Out Plan February 07

    13 Mar 2007

    NDF AdministrationNDF Growth Kick Out Plan February 07

  • NDF Administration -7% Fixed Income Plan February 07

    13 Mar 2007

    NDF Administration7% Fixed Income Plan February 07

  • NDF puts bond on IFA map

    13 Mar 2007

    NDF AdministrationExtra Growth Plan February 07

  • Neptune promotes a greener planet

    13 Mar 2007

    Neptune Investment ManagementGreen Planet Fund

  • New research stresses importance of OMO

    8 Mar 2007

    Just Retirement says A-Day seems to have encouraged more people to shop around for the best annuity at retirement - with latest ABI sales data showing that more than 50 per cent of funds took the Open Market Option.

  • Nucleus white-labels wrap for Paradigm

    8 Mar 2007

    Nucleus Financial Group is to white-label its wrap for new IFA support firm Paradigm Partners.

  • Origen says A-Day rules sparking 'top hat' group Sipp growth

    9 Mar 2007

    Origen says A-day concurrency rules have prompted a growth in demand from employers for a ‘top hat’ group Sipps, allowing senior executives to make additional pension contributions on top of their existing pension schemes.

  • Origo shelves online launch in porn clash

    8 Mar 2007

    Origo has frozen plans for a new online initiative after discovering that a company associated with the chosen name was involved in supplying hard-core pornography.

  • Out of Context

    8 Mar 2007

    "We were singing to each other all morning."

  • Park Row in equity-release lead deal

    8 Mar 2007

    In Retirement Services has signed an agreement with adviser firm Park Row for its brokers to pass on equity-release leads to the specialist provider.

  • Parliamentary Ombudsman will find Government guilty over Equitable

    12 Mar 2007

    The Parliamentary Ombudsman will find the Government guilty of failing to properly regulate Equitable Life, according to a leaked report.The draft report, leaked to a national newspaper, raises the potential for compensation for those who lost out when the provider collapsed, affecting millions of policyholders.Ann Abraham’s report- which is due in the early Summer- is also expected to criticise the FSA for its role in the affair.The report has been delayed twice and will have ...

  • Paying by the rules?

    8 Mar 2007

    Consumer groups have heralded the FSA's somewhat unexpected decision to keep the RU64 rule as great news but advisers and pension providers are claiming the regulator's short-sightedness could lead to more misselling.

  • Pearl launches asset management company

    12 Mar 2007

    Pearl Group is launching an asset management company to manage its £27.1bn funds called Axial Investment Management.

  • Pension lapses hit Aviva shares

    8 Mar 2007

    Aviva shares fell by 5 per cent after it revealed it has set aside an extra £224m to cover higher than expected lapses in pensions.

  • Poor old John...

    8 Mar 2007

    Poor old John Wriglesworth. The PR guru and economist got a nasty surprise when he turned up for work on a cold winter's morning last month to find that the headquarters of his PR empire had been burgled. Sources close to the agency suggested that nothing substantial was stolen apart from Wriglesworth's shoes. The thieves left his full-size Dalek alone, though.

  • Portman Building Society - 100% Mortgage Five-Year Fixed

    13 Mar 2007

    Portman Building Society100% Mortgage Five-Year Fixed

  • Portman Building Society - 100% Mortgage Five-Year Fixed

    13 Mar 2007

    Portman Building Society100% Mortgage Five-Year Fixed

  • Portman urges members to approve Nationwide takeover

    9 Mar 2007

    Portman Building Society has once again urged members to ratify its takeover by Nationwide as it distributes 1.2 million merger booklet packs before its April AGM. The Portman merger booklet pack will cover AGM resolutions and voting, the merger process, bonus details for Portman members, director changes, impact on Portman staff and financial information on both societies.

  • Praise for Unum sales consultant

    8 Mar 2007

    Open letter to managing director, Unum Provident Lifestyle Protection Centre

  • Prestbury sees first profit as it eyes more acquisitions

    8 Mar 2007

    Prestbury has reported its first operating profit and says it is on the lookout for further acquisitions.

  • Prudential - Flexible Protection Plan

    13 Mar 2007

    PrudentialFlexible Protection Plan

  • Prudential devises healthcare menu

    13 Mar 2007

    Prudential has launched the flexible protection plan to the wider IFA market. This is a menu-style protection plan comprising core critical illness cover and level, decreasing or index-linked life cover. Disability cover, unemployment cover and income protection are available as optional extras.

  • PSigma Asset Management to launch income fund

    7 Mar 2007

    PSigma Asset Management has announced the launch of the PSigma income fund (subject to regulatory approval) to be managed by Bill Mott.

  • PTA pessimism prevails

    13 Mar 2007

    It's the final countdown to the Budget and to the fate of pension term assurance.

  • Public perplexed over protection

    8 Mar 2007

    FSA survey shows consumers confused by cover and don't trust providers.

  • PYV offers new deals for advisers and brokers

    9 Mar 2007

    PYV has refreshed its offering of PI products for advisers and mortgage brokers to reflect new deals for intermediaries.PYV chief executive Neil Pointon says advisers and brokers can benefit from reduced rates and better cover, including for GI activities, depending on underwriting criteria.Pointon says applications for cover have been made easier by a reduction in the length of its new business IFA proposal form from 28 to six pages and mortgage form from seven pages to five.Pointon ...

  • Quitting smoking knocks premiums down by a third

    9 Mar 2007

    Co-operative Insurance says smokers could save over a third on protection premiums if they quit smoking.

  • Reits and risks

    8 Mar 2007

    Annie Shaw cuts through the Reit razzmatazz to point out the inherent characteristics of the products which might make them unsuitable for cautious investors.

  • Resolution chief executive quits

    7 Mar 2007

    Resolution chief executive Paul Thompson has resigned and will be replaced by current group finance director Mike Biggs.

  • River runs deep for Potter and Burdett

    8 Mar 2007

    Former Credit Suisse multi-managers Gary Potter and Robert Burdett are to join fund firm Thames River.

  • Roaring forties

    8 Mar 2007

    So IFAs are getting younger, with an average age of 46, according to the FSA's Financial Risk Outlook 2007. I think this is a splendid age for any professional. It is my current age. Seriously, this is good news as new blood must be entering the profession.

  • Running scared

    8 Mar 2007

    Compliance guru Adam Samuel may be a whizz at working his way around an FSA final notice but when it comes to running round a lake in Hyde Park, there is plenty of room for improvement.

  • Scott preaches continued caution on markets

    12 Mar 2007

    The recent correction in UK markets has been the perfect advertisement for investors to be more prudent in the future, that’s according to F&C UK growth and income manager Ted Scott.

  • Seminars launched for IFAs and estate agents

    13 Mar 2007

    Innovative Group Services and the Bespoke Hip Company are jointly launching a series of seminars specifically for estate agents and IFAs.

  • Sesame management to buy 60 per cent of business

    8 Mar 2007

    Sesame management are set to buy 60 per cent of the business in a partial management buyout as Misys announces its new strategy today.

  • Sign up to petition to protect pension savers

    8 Mar 2007

    Over 1,000 people, including many from the pension industry have signed a petition urging the Government to scrap auto-enrolment if it cannot guarantee that every pound saved in personal accounts will make savers at least £1 better off than non-savers.

  • Sipp ahoy for Merchant Investors

    13 Mar 2007

    Merchant InvestorsSelf-Invested Pension Portfolio

  • SocGen sets up ethical structured energy fund

    8 Mar 2007

    Societe Generale is launching a new energy protected fund which is believed to be the first ethical structured product in the market.

  • Specialist focus buoys HBOS

    8 Mar 2007

    HBOS maintained its mortgage market share of 21 per cent in 2006.

  • St James's Place profits from double margins

    8 Mar 2007

    St James's Place has received an outperform rating from leading City analysts after profits of 176m last year.

  • Standard accused of hypocrisy on MVRs

    8 Mar 2007

    Standard Life has been accused of hypocrisy and not treating its customers fairly by running seminars on alternatives to with-profits funds despite still applying high market value reductions on some of its policies.

  • Standard Life joins Reita campaign

    12 Mar 2007

    Standard Life Investments has become the latest company to join Reita, the educational and awareness campaign behind the reita.org website.

  • Stephen Snowden

    8 Mar 2007

    The head of Old Mutual Asset Managers' corporate bond fund took over the reins of the top-performer three ago and has maintained the fund's sparkling performance by freeing up its mandate and through a mixture of playing themes and reinvention. One of his present themes is the 'botherance factor' of bonds with restrictive covenants. Interview by James Phillipps.

  • Sticking to the rules

    8 Mar 2007

    Pensioners have a good legal case against actuaries but do not have the resources.

  • Suisse pressure

    8 Mar 2007

    Credit Suisse has been written off by advisers and some newspapers. This is arguably true for further retail sales, at the very least in the short term.

  • T. Rowe Price adds two European equity strategies to its Sicav

    13 Mar 2007

    T. Rowe Price has announced that it has added both a pan-European and continental European equity strategy to its Luxembourg-domiciled Sicav range.

  • The TCF experience

    8 Mar 2007

    Treating customers fairly is a cunning and evolutionary project.

  • The tooth will out

    8 Mar 2007

    One of the things that often surprises some of my more fundamentalist colleagues in the media is the fact that, on the whole, I do not automatically think that IFAs who use commission-based remuneration systems are the spawn of the devil.

  • The wholly truth

    8 Mar 2007

    Without clarity on the meaning of 'wholly and exclusively', we must rely on sharing experiences.

  • Thinking the unthinkable

    8 Mar 2007

    A very important objective of the FSA retail distribution review is ensuring customers get the appropriate advice supported by the right products in a cost-effective way without consumer detriment.

  • Threadneedle Investments - UK Property Trust

    13 Mar 2007

    Threadneedle InvestmentsUK Property Trust

  • Tight fit

    8 Mar 2007

    Is there a 50bps cut in US rates on the way as Bernanke brings about a soft landing?

  • Tomorrow people

    8 Mar 2007

    The personal accountholders of the future are likely to be guided by a very different breed of adviser, says Scottish Widows head of pensions market development Ian Naismith.

  • Tories pledge radical reforms to simplify tax

    8 Mar 2007

    Shadow Chancellor George Osborne has promised that mishandled tax changes such as Gordon Brown's Budget raid on trusts would not happen under a Conservative Government.

  • Transact breaks through £4bn

    8 Mar 2007

    Transact has broken through the £4bn mark of assets on its platform.

  • Treasury refuses to reveal its Asp maths

    8 Mar 2007

    The Treasury has refused to reveal the fiscal calculations behind the crackdown on alternatively secured pensions.

  • Truth is out there for advisers

    8 Mar 2007

    Institute of Financial Planning founder Paul Etheridge has introduced a software system, Truth, which is designed to offer a comprehensive method of financial planning for advisers.

  • UCB Home Loans - Self-Cert Three-Year Flexible Fixed

    13 Mar 2007

    UCB Home LoansSelf-Cert Three-Year Flexible Fixed

  • UK fundamentals will resist sell-off

    8 Mar 2007

    The downturn in the FTSE All Share index following the global equity market sell-off is expected to be a short-term dip.

  • Unicorn Asset Management - Unicorn Aim VCT 3 Series 3 Shares

    13 Mar 2007

    Unicorn Asset ManagementUnicorn Aim VCT 3 Series 3 Shares

  • Unsettling thoughts

    8 Mar 2007

    AC Eggleton's letter (Money Marketing, February 22) raises an important issue for those establishing tax planning strategies - transfers between spouses must be genuine gifts.

  • Unum links up for income cover

    8 Mar 2007

    UnumProvident has linked up with employee benefit provider Personal Group to market a new voluntary group income protection policy for skilled and semi-skilled workers.

  • US to struggle as economy loses strength

    8 Mar 2007

    Invesco Perpetual chief investment officer Bob Yerbury believes the US will struggle to recover from last week's onset of stockmarket setbacks due to underlying weakness in the American economy.

  • Valuable deal from the Woolwich

    13 Mar 2007

    WoolwichTrack and Cap Mortgage

  • Waiting for Gordon

    12 Mar 2007

    The industry awaits Gordon Brown's last Budget with a number of loose ends to tie up and perhaps a surprise or two before the great clunking fist moves on after a decade as Chancellor.

  • Walking a fine line

    8 Mar 2007

    I have just read Nic Cicutti's article about payment protection insurance (Money Marketing, February 22), I think the expression is with interest, but it is the last paragraph that has prompted me to write.

  • Warning of claim avalanche across loan sectors

    8 Mar 2007

    Mortgage brokers are being warned that an avalanche of claims across numerous sectors is building up that could eventually engulf the sector in more woe.

  • Warning of IHT risk to older Isa investors

    8 Mar 2007

    Way says clients fail to protect estates while clinging on to tax-free plans.

  • Win Grand Prix tickets

    8 Mar 2007

    Sterling is celebrating the second anniversary of its multimanager protected profits funds by offering readers the chance to win two tickets to the Spanish Grand Prix.

  • Winterthur reaping the benefits of A-Day

    8 Mar 2007

    Winterthur Life saw a 122 per cent increase in individual pension sales last year to 1.6bn from 640m in 2005.

  • Wise guises

    8 Mar 2007

    We have long espoused the benefits of asset allocation, not on rigid ideological grounds but rather from a pragmatic standpoint. Our experience is that if you can add value, you should. Yes, it is difficult and does not always work in your favour but it has enhanced our returns for seven out of the past eight years.

  • Woolwich - City Mortgage 3

    13 Mar 2007

    WoolwichCity Mortgage 3

  • Woolwich returns with two-year fixed-rate deal

    8 Mar 2007

    Woolwich has returned to the two-year fixed-rate market as it says short-term swap rates are finally beginning to stabilise.

  • Worthy thoughts

    8 Mar 2007

    I concluded my last article - the third in a short series in which I am discussing key issues in a director share purchase strategy - by highlighting the importance of the valuation of the shares. This week, I will make recommendations as to how financial advisers should ascertain those values.

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