Money Marketing
9 January 2008
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87% Of advisers expect pension levelling down
10 Jan 2008
The vast majority of advisers believe personal accounts will lead to a levelling down of contributions and closure of existing pension schemes.
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A new dawn for non-disclosure
15 Jan 2008
Insurers last week guaranteed to pay out more claims for critical illness, income protection and life insurance in cases where medical information has not been disclosed.
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A select boutique from Swip
11 Jan 2008
Scottish Widows Investment PartnershipSwip Multi-Manager Select Boutiques Fund
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A sensible and creative Fof from Swip
11 Jan 2008
Scottish Widows Investment PartnershipSwip Multi-Manager Diversity Fund
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A shaw thing
10 Jan 2008
Sam Shaw is a reporter on Money MarketingI didn't even bother making any ridiculous anti-drinking, anti-smoking, pro-exercise resolutions this year. In our line of work, there is just no point.
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ABI and bankers press for half-hour selling channel with no advice
10 Jan 2008
Aifa has attacked proposals by the Association of British Insurers and the British Bankers' Association for an assisted-purchase channel comprising 30-minute interviews with unqualified sales staff.
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Actuaries say help is needed on DB plans
10 Jan 2008
Employers should get incentives to encourage them to continue offering pensions based on career earnings, says the Association of Consulting Actuaries.
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Advisers looking for property fund revival
10 Jan 2008
Advisers are following fund manager legend Anthony Bolton's lead that commercial property stocks are nearing their lowest point.
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Aegon calling...
10 Jan 2008
Half of the Aegon PR team managed to turn up over an hour late to a Christmas lunch date with the Money Marketing team due mainly to the vanity of Aegon's Kevin Brown.A source at the company tells the Diary that the rest of the team were happy flying down to London carrying only hand luggage but Brown insisted on a suitcase to carry his make-up bag and various changes of clothing to ensure that he scrubbed up well for the London fashionistas.
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Allsopp plans to stand by Kenya
10 Jan 2008
New Star fund manager Jamie Allsopp says he has no plans to change his Heart of Africa portfolio following the political upheaval in Kenya.
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Alpha belter
10 Jan 2008
There has been considerable publicity over the new breed of 130/30 funds but I am not sure they are the panacea that some would have us believe.
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An issue of power
11 Jan 2008
Invesco PowerShares has launched its first exchange traded funds on the London Stock Exchange.
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Anchors aweigh?
10 Jan 2008
In my last article, I discussed the recent demise of returns from commercial property into the apparent start of a negative or at least a low-yielding trend. This reversal follows a few years of exceptional returns from this asset class and I suggested that many investors might be well advised to take some or all of their profits from commercial property funds.
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Anger as ScotEq online flaw blocks pension fund switches
10 Jan 2008
An IFA has hit out at Scottish Equitable after an overhaul of the firm's online application system left him unable to switch client fund holdings within their pension schemes.
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Bank of America buys Countrywide
11 Jan 2008
Bank of America has bought the US's largest mortgage lender Countrywide Financial in a $4bn (£2.04bn) deal.
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Bank of England holds interest rate at 5.5 per cent
10 Jan 2008
The Bank of England has maintained interest rates at 5.5 per cent with commentators suggesting a rate cut is now due in February.
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Banks and building societies blast CAR
10 Jan 2008
The British Bankers' Association and the Building Societies Association have both launched fierce attacks on retail distribution review proposals for mandatory customer-agreed remuneration.
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Barclays Capital - Defined Returns Plan Issue V8
10 Jan 2008
BarclaysDefined Returns Plan Issue V8
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Barclays Capital - Five Year Guaranteed FTSE 100 Deposit Account
11 Jan 2008
Barclays CapitalFive Year Guaranteed FTSE 100 Deposit Account
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Barclays Global Investors - iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Islamic
10 Jan 2008
Barclays Global InvestorsiShares MSCI Emerging Markets Islamic
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Barclays Global Investors - iShares MSCI USA Islamic Fund
10 Jan 2008
Barclays Global InvestorsiShares MSCI USA Islamic Fund
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Barclays Global Investors - iShares MSCI World Islamic Fund
10 Jan 2008
Barclays Global InvestorsiShares MSCI World Islamic Fund
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Bath Building Society links up with local IFA
14 Jan 2008
Bath Building Society has teamed up with a Bath-based IFA firm, City Financial Planning, to create a new independent advice firm, Bath & City Financial.
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Beat the wrap
10 Jan 2008
In my last few articles, I have been writing about the pre-Budget report. Unsurprisingly, I have spent some time considering the potential impact of the proposed 18 per cent flat rate of capital gains tax on decisions about which wrapper would be most tax-appropriate for particular investors.
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Bland to move from small firms as FSA announces reorganisation
10 Jan 2008
FSA director of small firms Stephen Bland is to become the firm’s new director of wholesale firms following a series of role changes made by the regulator.
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Blue Sky Asset Management - Protected Income Plan
10 Jan 2008
Blue Sky Asset ManagementProtected Income Plan
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Blue Sky makes product debut
11 Jan 2008
Investment boutique Blue Sky Asset Management has established its first product, the protected income plan.
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Borrowers taking out residential mortgages declines by 23 per cent in 2007
15 Jan 2008
Hamptons has found that the number of borrowers taking out residential mortgages from 2006 to 2007 steadily declined while buy-to-let mortgages increased by the same amount.
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Broker talkback
10 Jan 2008
Will 2008 be a good year for your business?
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Brown gives Hain his backing but he may still go
14 Jan 2008
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has pledged his support for Work and Pensions Secretary Peter Hain over the latest donar scandal but says this may not be enough to save Hain's job.
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Business volumes see fastest falls in 17 years
10 Jan 2008
Business volumes in the financial services sector have been falling their fastest rate since March 1991.
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Calls for Hain to quit over undeclared donations
11 Jan 2008
Work and pensions secretary Peter Hain is facing calls to quit after failing to declare £103,000 in donations to his Labour deputy leadership campaign.
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Cameron pledges to cut MPs' pensions
15 Jan 2008
Conservative leader David Cameron has pledged to end gold-plated pensions for MPs in a bid to restore trust in Parliament.
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Cavanagh chairman and director stands down
10 Jan 2008
Cavanagh Group has announced that chairman and director John Campbell has decided to stand down in order to concentrate on other business interests.
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Cazenove's Pursglove in move to Gartmore
10 Jan 2008
Cazenove Capital Management sales director Richard Pursglove is joining Gartmore as head of UK retail.
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Changes afoot for New Star UK desk
9 Jan 2008
Fair play to New Star’s John Duffield, who after consistent underperformance has made the call to merge James Ridgewell’s struggling £50m UK special situations fund into Tim Steer’s £424m UK alpha vehicle.
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Cheshire Building Society - Buy To Let 2 Year Fixed Intermediary Only
10 Jan 2008
Cheshire Building SocietyBuy To Let 2 Year Fixed Intermediary Only
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Cheshire Building Society - Self Certification 2 Year Fixed
10 Jan 2008
Cheshire Building SocietySelf Certification 2 Year Fixed
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Cheshire makes welcome addition to self cert
11 Jan 2008
Cheshire Building SocietySelf Cert Two Year Fixed
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CII Group launches Middle Eastern partnership
15 Jan 2008
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Close Ventures - Close Enterprise VCT Top Up
10 Jan 2008
Close VenturesClose Enterprise VCT Top Up
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Cool and the Sants?
10 Jan 2008
Could 1980's rubber-faced comic Phil Cool be the long-lost brother of FSA chief executive Hector Sants? Make up your own mind.
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Coventry targets first timers
11 Jan 2008
Coventry Building SocietyFirst Time Buyer 1.35% Discounted Rate Mortgage
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Critical account of service
10 Jan 2008
I feel obliged to document the difficulties I have experienced with Liverpool Victoria.
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Dawnay Day Quantum - Protected Agricultural Commodities II
10 Jan 2008
Dawnay Day QuantumProtected Agricultural Commodities II
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DB schemes increase diversity, says NAPF
15 Jan 2008
Pension schemes continue to diversify their investments, according to National Association of Pension Funds' annual survey.
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Downing Corporate Finance/NVM - Northern 2 VCT Top Up
10 Jan 2008
Downing Corporate Finance/NVM Northern 2 VCT Top Up
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Drag act
10 Jan 2008
The pantomime season is a suitable time to talk about drag. However, on the fund industry stage, drag has nothing to do with men dressed as pantomime dames flouncing around in big dresses shouting: "Oh no, he isn't."
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Drawing room for advisers
10 Jan 2008
Business figures from Ship members show continued growth in the equity-release sector.
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Dual VCT goes live
11 Jan 2008
The Ingenious entertainment VCT 1 and 2 is a dual venture capital trust offer targeting returns of 15.1 per cent a year over a five-year lifespan.
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DWP has wasted 1.6bn on IT
10 Jan 2008
The Department for Work and Pensions has wasted 1.6bn of public money on three botched IT projects, making it by far the worst Government department offender, according to survey in The Guardian.
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Enterprising move from Close
11 Jan 2008
Close Ventures is raising up to £20m for a top-up of its Close enterprise venture capital trust.
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Ex-Cazenove team head Swip's foray into Fofs
10 Jan 2008
Scottish Widows Investment Partnership has entered the fund of funds arena with multi-manager diversity and select boutiques vehicles.
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Exploring IHT the third Way
11 Jan 2008
The Way Group has introduced an inheritance tax mitigation plan that combines the features of discounted gift schemes and flexible IHT plans within one product.
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F&C sale touted
14 Jan 2008
Foreign & Colonial could soon become the centre of a takeover battle, after reports claimed that majority shareholder Friends Provident is looking to sell its investment arm following a strategic review.
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Fidelity brings EMEA onshore
11 Jan 2008
Fidelity International has introduced an onshore version of the Luxemburg-based emerging Europe, the Middle East and Africa fund it established last year.
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Fidelity builds on Asian credentials
10 Jan 2008
Fidelity is planning a new Asia fund under the management of David Urquhart.
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Fidelity offers onshore version of EMEA fund
10 Jan 2008
Fidelity is bringing out an onshore Emea fund for investors seeking exposure to commodities.
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Film EIS goes Full Circle
11 Jan 2008
Full Circle Films is aiming to raise £2m to invest in a psychological thriller called The Mortician through an enterprise investment scheme and a venture capital trust.
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Fitzgerald is Collins Stewart Dublin COO
10 Jan 2008
Collins Stewart has appointed Paul Fitzgerald as chief operating officer in Dublin. He joins from Bank of America Securities.
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Flexible retirement business for LV=
10 Jan 2008
LV= is setting up a flexible retirement solutions business following the completion of integrating Tomorrow's new business operations it bought from Swiss Re last month.
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Foresight unveils C shares
11 Jan 2008
The directors of the Foresight 2 VCT are raising up to £10m in new money through a C share offer.
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Former Clarkson Hill MD joins Sumus
15 Jan 2008
Former Clarkson Hill managing director Alan Simcock has joined Sumus to head up recruitment across Falcon, Financial Synergies and Financial Services Advice and Support.
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FOS proposes case fee increase to £450
11 Jan 2008
The Financial Ombudsman Service has proposed to increase its case fee from from £400 to £450 but is looking to increase the number of non-chargeable cases from two to three.
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Friends Prov increases final bonuses on with-profits policies
11 Jan 2008
Friends Provident has increased most of the final bonus rates on its with-profits policies but the life office says its policy payouts are generally lower.
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Friends Provident enhances financial underwriting requirements
9 Jan 2008
Friends Provident has introduced new evidence requirements and increased the limits for financial underwriting on life cover, life cover with critical illness and standalone critical illness cover.
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FSA ban for false loan applications
10 Jan 2008
The FSA has banned Eric John Stevens of Select Mortgage Services for submitting falsified mortgage applications to lenders. The probe found he was knowingly involved in the submission of at least 22 false applications.
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'FSA does not understand IFAs'
10 Jan 2008
Aifa has attacked the FSA for showing a lack of understanding of the IFA sector in its response to the prudential rules paper and is calling for its stakes in the ground initiative to be made industrywide.
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FSA fines stockbroker £250,000 for high pressure sales tactics
14 Jan 2008
The FSA has fined Square Mile Securities Limited £250,000 for persistently using high pressure sales tactics and misleading information to sell customers shares they did not want or could not afford.
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FSA power to seize cash if banks fail
10 Jan 2008
The FSA is to be given new powers to intervene in failing banks and seize depositors' cash to avoid a repeat of the Northern Rock debacle.
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FSA proposes two tier listings for greater clarity
14 Jan 2008
The FSA is proposing a two tier listing structure in a bid to widen the gap between securities with higher principles and those with lower standards.
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FSA should have taken more action on Northern Rock, says Darling
10 Jan 2008
Chancellor Alistair Darling today said the FSA must learn the mistakes of the Northern Rock affair, but said it must also be given additional powers to deal with future banking crises.
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Full Circle Films - The Mortician EIS
10 Jan 2008
Full Circle FilmsThe Mortician EIS
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Funds gains multi-asset Insight
11 Jan 2008
Insight InvestmentDiversified High Income Fund
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Get your bearings
10 Jan 2008
When we ask advisers do they have a plan for these slightly troubled economic times they invariably say yes.
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Godiva offers more than a mortgage
11 Jan 2008
Godiva MortgagesMOREgage 6.74% Fixed
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Goldman Sachs buys Money Partners
9 Jan 2008
Specialist lender Money Partners has been bought by investment bank Goldman Sachs after undertaking a strategic review of the business.
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Gonged out
10 Jan 2008
The former FSA chief John Tiner has got his gong - not the knighthood his predecessor received - but a CBE.
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Grant Thornton appoints new head of professional practices group
9 Jan 2008
Grant Thornton has announced the appointment of Peter Gamson as head of its professional practices group.
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Hain apology over campaign donations
10 Jan 2008
Work and PensionsSecretary Peter Hain has apologised after failing to declare donations worth tens of thousands of pounds received during his unsuccessful campaign to become deputy leader of the Labour Party.
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Hazell Carr introduces Sipp for the sophisticated
11 Jan 2008
Hazell CarrSIPP
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Hedge funds defeated at today's Northern Rock EGM
15 Jan 2008
Hedge funds, RAB Capital and SRM Global, have been defeated at today's Northern Rock EGM in Newcastle.
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High fee a barrier for Cheshire
11 Jan 2008
Cheshire Building SocietyTwo Year Discount Mortgage
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HMRC seizes on to new powers
10 Jan 2008
HM Revenue & Customs will have new powers of search, seizure and arrest in relation to unpaid tax under new legislation, says Grant Thornton.
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HSBC Bank International - Foundation Series 3 - Bric Growth Fund
11 Jan 2008
HSBC Bank InternationalFoundation Series 3 - Bric Growth Fund
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HSBC cool on chasing 'hot money'
10 Jan 2008
HSBC Investments says it will not increase its OpenFunds range in 2008 as it is steering clear of funds launched on the back of bandwagons.
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HSBC launches Russian equity fund
10 Jan 2008
HSBC Investments has launched a Russian equity fund under the management of Halbis, the active management specialist of the HSBC Group.
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HSBC opens property door
11 Jan 2008
HSBC InvestmentsOpen Global Property Fund
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Hudd heads for FundsDirect
10 Jan 2008
David Hudd has joined Fundsdirect as operations director. He has previously worked for NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland.
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IFA firm McCarthy Taylor appoints new director
14 Jan 2008
McCarthy Taylor Ltd has appointed Eugenie Cameron as the firm’s new director.
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IMLA calls for FSA to do short term mortgage market RDR review
15 Jan 2008
IMLA says it is in strong opposition to any implementation of the FSA's Retail Distribution Review without a proper assessment of its impact on the UK mortgage market.
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Industry buzzing with deal speculation
11 Jan 2008
Returning to work after suffering from the dreaded norovirus, I find the mortgage market abuzz with takeovers, possible sales and rights issues.
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Ingenious Media Investments - Ingenious Entertainment VCTS 1 and 2
10 Jan 2008
Ingenious Media InvestmentsIngenious Entertainment VCTS 1 and 2
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IntelliFlo selects threesixty to supply template suitability reports
9 Jan 2008
IntelliFlo has chosen Threesixty to supply template suitability reports on its Intelligent Office online service as part of its online offering to 5,000 IFA users.
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Investec Asset Management - GSF Emerging Market Debt Fund
10 Jan 2008
Investec Asset ManagementGSF Emerging Market Debt Fund
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James Hay - Wrap and Sipp
10 Jan 2008
James HayWrap and Sipp
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Jeffree takes on New Star Asia fund
10 Jan 2008
Rob Jeffree is to take over from Mark Harris as mana- ger of New Star's £24m Asia portfolio.
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John Charcol appoints investment bank over sale options
10 Jan 2008
John Charcol has appointed investment bank Gleacher Shacklock to review its financing and ownership options following several expressions of interest in the broker.
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JPMorgan to launch new Income & Capital trust
14 Jan 2008
JPMorgan is to launch a new Income and Capital trust under proposals for a members’ voluntary winding-up and scheme of reconstruction for the existing JPMorgan Income & Capital Investment Trust.
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Just Retirement rolls out enhanced annuities for asthma sufferers
10 Jan 2008
Just Retirement is extending its enhanced annuity range to cover consumers who suffer from mild medical conditions such as asthma and angina.
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Keep your nerve over claims
10 Jan 2008
From time to time, I have read of retired IFAs complaining about being hounded in retirement by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme over business written many years before as a result of the latest hindsight review.
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Keydata Investment Services - Extra Income Plan 16
10 Jan 2008
Keydata Investment ServicesExtra Income Plan 16
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Keydata unlocks geared returns
11 Jan 2008
Keydata Investment ServicesDynamic Growth Plan Plus 2
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Killick & Co - FlexiSipp
10 Jan 2008
Killick & CoFlexiSipp
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Knight sets the Pace
10 Jan 2008
Pace Financial Solutions IFA David Knight is trekking through the Annapurna region of Nepal for 10 days to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. In 2004, Knight walked the Inca Trail in Peru and in 2006 he walked the Grand Canyon Hiking challenge, both for Macmillan. His two treks to date have raised about £12,500 for the charity. If you would like to sponsor David, please contact him by email on david.knight@pace-financialsolutions.co.uk
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L&G and Cofunds extend distribution arrangement to 2013
10 Jan 2008
Legal & General and Cofunds have announced an extension of their current distribution relationship to 2013.
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L&G guides advisers on new Welfare Reform Act
14 Jan 2008
Legal & General has produced a free guide for advisers outlining the requirements under the new Welfare Reform Act and the possible implications for the group risk market.
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Lehman Brothers - The Enhanced Returns Plan
10 Jan 2008
Lehman BrothersThe Enhanced Returns Plan
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Life offices ignore adviser's questions
10 Jan 2008
Life offices are not treating customers fairly and are wasting advisers' time by refusing to answer questions on policies due to cost cut, says CBK principal Peter Chadborn.
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Life Trust launches longevity product
9 Jan 2008
New life company Life Trust has launched a longevity plan which it claims protects against the financial risks of living longer.
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London Scottish Mortgages pulls its secured loan range
15 Jan 2008
London Scottish Mortgages, part of London Scottish Bank, has pulled its secured loan range.
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Low expectations
10 Jan 2008
A few months ago, I was talking to a friend of mine about his finances. He and his wife are in their late 30s, both are in full- time work and they have a young daughter just entering her teens.
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Maia makes a resolution
11 Jan 2008
Resolution Asset Management/Maia CapitalResolution Asset Maia Multi-Manager Growth Fund
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Maia steps into the spolight
11 Jan 2008
Resolution Asset Management’s multi-manager boutique, Maia Capital. has introduced three unit trust funds of funds.
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Maia super hero
11 Jan 2008
Resolution Asset Management/Maia CapitalResolution Asset Maia Multi-Manager Cautious Fund
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Making enhances
10 Jan 2008
Adam Habib, the former leading capital protected product provider, has joined Lehman Brothers as managing director, heading equity structured retail products.
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Man Investments see opportunities in market volatility
10 Jan 2008
Fund of hedge funds manager Man Investments predicts that uncertainty over the US economy will create opportunities within relative value, event-driven and managed futures strategies this year.
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Meteor Asset Management - Meteor Senior Life Settlement Sterling Fund
10 Jan 2008
Meteor Asset ManagementMeteor Senior Life Settlement Sterling Fund
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Meteor Asset Management - Rainbow Plan 2
10 Jan 2008
Meteor Asset ManagementRainbow Plan 2
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Meteor banks on slice of life
11 Jan 2008
Meteor Asset Management has introduced an offshore Oeic that invests in a portfolio of senior life policies in the US.
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Meteor sings a rainbow
11 Jan 2008
Meteor Asset ManagementRainbow Plan 2
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Middle East cash may rescue Northern Rock
10 Jan 2008
The bid to rescue Northern Rock has been widened to include governments in the Middle East after financing continue to remains short in the UK.
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Money Marketing Markets: Drugs are good for you
11 Jan 2008
A volatile week in the markets saw the index lose further ground while many of the winners over the week ended up giving back a chunk of their gains on Friday.
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Money Portal in cash wrangle on Millfield
10 Jan 2008
Money Portal is locked in a contractual dispute with Millfield administrators PricewaterhouseCoopers and is withholding the final payment of up to £300,000 it owes for the collapsed firm.
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More freedom in tax-free cash rules, says Skandia
9 Jan 2008
A rule change hinted at in the pre-Budget report could present a significant opportunity for clients with pensions set up before A-Day, says Skandia.
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Mortgage Next offers new property valuation facility
15 Jan 2008
Mortgage Next is offering brokers a new facility to check property valuations quickly.
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MPs' fierce criticism over Hips
10 Jan 2008
MPs have attacked the Government's handling of the introduction of home information packs, suggesting ministers were poorly prepared and lost their nerve.
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MPs' pensions put at £16.5m
10 Jan 2008
The cost of MPs' pensions is more than double the official estimate. The figure reported by the Treasury stands at £7.8m but estimates using FRS17 rules puts the figure at £16.5m.
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NAPF warns of 2012 challenge facing schemes
10 Jan 2008
Three-quarters of workplace pension schemes will be affec- ted by the introduction of personal accounts, according to the National Association of Pension Funds.
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Nationwide Building Society - Two Year Tracker A - without reservation fee
10 Jan 2008
Nationwide Building SocietyTwo Year Tracker A - without reservation fee
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Nationwide launches desktop alert service for brokers
11 Jan 2008
Nationwide Building Society has launched a new desktop alert service for intermediaries called Nationwide Express.
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Neptune Investment Management - Asia Pacific Opportunities Fund
10 Jan 2008
Neptune Investment ManagementAsia Pacific Opportunities Fund
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Neptune Investment Management - Latin America Fund
10 Jan 2008
Neptune Investment ManagementLatin America Fund
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Neptune targets Latin America
11 Jan 2008
Neptune Investment Management has added the Neptune Latin America fund to its Oeic fund range.
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Network Data shelves Homeowners
10 Jan 2008
Network Data has suspen- ded the launch of its whole of market lender Homeowners Mortgages.
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Network move makes Sense for Threesixty
10 Jan 2008
Threesixty has bought a 15 per cent stake in Sense, the network started last year by Park Row founder Tim Newman.
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New Star to merge UK special sits with alpha
10 Jan 2008
New Star is to merge James Ridgewell's struggling 50m UK special situations fund into Tim Steer's 424m UK alpha vehicle.
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New Vision for Mortgage Times
10 Jan 2008
The Mortgage Times' network is to be rebranded as Vision network with a new website, IT platform and insurance panel.
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No honour in this system
10 Jan 2008
As expected, John Tiner got his new year gong and we pick up the pieces of his fiddling. There have been two very notable omissions in the honours' list, Ros Altmann, who at the very least should be elevated to the House of Lords if honours are to mean anything, and Steve Bee, who surely should be included.
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Noble appoints investment chief
10 Jan 2008
Noble Fund Managers has appointed Bruce McLaren as chief investment officer. He will oversee the appraisal of all investments made by Noble.
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Northern Rock nationalisation could be "undoubtedly difficult", says Cable
14 Jan 2008
The nationalisation of Northern Rock could be “undoubtedly difficult” but remains the best option, LibDem Shadow Chancellor Vince Cable has said.
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Northern Rock sells equity release portfolio to JPMorgan for £2.2bn
11 Jan 2008
Northern Rock has agreed to sell its portfolio of lifetime equity release mortgages to JPMorgan for £2.2bn.
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Norwich Union with-profits returns plummet by more than 50 per cent
15 Jan 2008
Norwich Union's with-profits policyholders saw their investment returns drop by more than 50 per cent last year compared with 2006.
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NR board tells shareholders bank can still be put "on the road to recovery"
15 Jan 2008
Northern Rock's chairman Bryan Sanderson has told the bank's shareholders at today's EGM that the bank can still be put "on the road to recovery."
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Omnii Solutions launches TCF mortgage toolkit
15 Jan 2008
Omnii Solutions is releasing software to help advisers clarify client and property information and to assist in meeting Treating Customers Fairly requirements.
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Over 450 responses to RDR consultation
10 Jan 2008
The FSA had received over 450 responses when the RDR consultation ended last month.
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Pal brings Sipps to the big screen
10 Jan 2008
Self-invested personal pension provider The Pal Partnership has linked up with a film company to offer the first chance to invest in film production through a Sipp.
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Paragon to raise £287m additional capital with rights issue
11 Jan 2008
Buy to let specialist lender Paragon announced this morning that it is raising £287m additional capital from its existing shareholders through a rights issue.
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Parky is new face of Axa over-50 plan
10 Jan 2008
Chat show host Sir Michael Parkinson is the new face of Axa Sun Life Direct's guaranteed over-50 plan. The company will be launching a multi-media advertising campaign with Parkinson this month which will include TV and print ads.
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Pay FOS fee only if case is upheld, says survey
10 Jan 2008
Nearly three-quarters of consumers believe advisers should have to pay the 400 Financial Ombudsman Service case fee only if a complaint is upheld, according to Burns-Anderson research.
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Personal accounts could get new name
10 Jan 2008
Personal Accounts Delivery Authority chief executive Tim Jones has admitted that the introduction of pension personal accounts might be delayed past the planned start date of 2012.
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Pink Home Loans- Abbey for Intermediaries 5.72% Fixed Remortgage
10 Jan 2008
Pink Home LoansAbbey for Intermediaries 5.72% Fixed Remortgage
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Pink picks Bank of Ireland for self-cert
11 Jan 2008
Pink Home LoansBank of Ireland Mortgages Self Cert 6.19% Fixed
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Plan for pension changes
10 Jan 2008
The signs are that the strong business growth seen by advisers last year will continue in 2008 and beyond.
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Premier Mortgage Services achieves £38bn worth of mortgage completions
14 Jan 2008
Premier Mortgage Service has achieved £47bn worth of mortgage applications and £38bn worth of mortgage completions in 2007.
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Prestbury signs up to Uinsure
10 Jan 2008
Prestbury has signed up to Uinsure for building and contents and mortgage payment protection insurance.
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Pre-X gives access to second EIS fund
11 Jan 2008
Broking and fund management business Pre-X Capital Management has introduced its second enterprise investment scheme fund, the axcess EIS fund 2008, following a similar launch last year.
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Product matters
10 Jan 2008
Axa is testing its enhanced annuity with eight specialist annuity distributors to gauge the annuity market, roadtest its administrative processes and establish how its product fares.
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Project shows demand for generic channel, says Citizens Advice
15 Jan 2008
A pilot project offering free financial advice from IFAs has proved there is “significant demand” for a generic advice service, according to the Citizens Advice Bureaux.
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Protection industry makes "pioneering" non-disclosure decision
9 Jan 2008
Protection insurers are to pay more claims for critical illness, income protection and life insurance where medical information has not been disclosed.
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RAM Capital takes live edge
11 Jan 2008
RAM Capital/Edge Investment ManagementEdge Performance VCT D Shares
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RBS Intermediary Partners - NatWest Buy-to-let 2-Year Fixed Rate Remortgage
10 Jan 2008
RBS Intermediary PartnersNatWest Buy-to-let 2-Year Fixed Rate Remortgage
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RBS Intermediary Partners - NatWest Buy-to-let 5-Year Fixed
10 Jan 2008
RBS Intermediary PartnersNatWest Buy-to-let 5-Year Fixed
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'RDR should focus on costs, not commission'
10 Jan 2008
The retail distribution review should focus on total expense ratios and reductions in yield rather than the "sterile" fees versus commission debate, says SimplyBiz.
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Reality check
10 Jan 2008
Fewer members, a different name and a postponed delivery date are all on the agenda for personal accounts, according to Personal Accounts Delivery Authority chief executive Tim Jones. But IFAs hoping for more certainty on what they are competing with will be disappointed. Jones has made it clear that much is still to be determined before the state-sponsored super-scheme takes off.
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Redeeming factors
10 Jan 2008
The rush to the exit door of UK commercial property funds shows no sign of slowing down.
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Relationship problems
10 Jan 2008
It seems only right that my first column of 2008 kicks off my noting that the financial advisory community has scored a blank in the new year honours.
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Resolution Asset Management/Maia Capital - Resolution Asset Maia Multi-Manager Balanced Fund
10 Jan 2008
Resolution Asset Management/Maia CapitalResolution Asset Maia Multi-Manager Balanced Fund
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Resolution Asset Management/Maia Capital - Resolution Asset Maia Multi-Manager Cautious Fund
10 Jan 2008
Resolution Asset Management/Maia CapitalResolution Asset Maia Multi-Manager Cautious Fund
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Resolution Asset Management/Maia Capital - Resolution Asset Maia Multi-Manager Growth Fund
10 Jan 2008
Resolution Asset Management/Maia CapitalResolution Asset Maia Multi-Manager Growth Fund
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Resolution shareholders approve Pearl deal
9 Jan 2008
Resolution shareholders voted in favour of going ahead with the Pearl deal today at an extraordinary general meeting.
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Richard Spilg
10 Jan 2008
Richard Spilg is keen on promoting entrepreneuralism in business. The chief executive of BDO Stoy Hayward Investment Management likes people who are passionate and determined to be successful and he says this spirit flows through the firm.
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Ripple effect
10 Jan 2008
No one can ignore the impact of the credit crunch and the uncertainty that surrounds it.
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Same old issues that just won't go away
10 Jan 2008
The second reading of the Pensions Bill was a largely unremarkable affair with many of the same questions being raised by opposition MPs again and either being answered or avoided by the Government.
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Sandler to run Northern Rock if it is nationalised
14 Jan 2008
Architect of the failed stakeholder regime Ron Sandler has been chosen by the Government to run Northern Rock if the lender is nationalised.
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Santander eyes IFAs for portfolio roll-out
10 Jan 2008
Santander Asset Manage- ment UK is considering extending its recently launched global equity growth portfolio, which contains a new emerging markets fund of funds, to IFAs.
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Schemes back with surpluses
10 Jan 2008
Almost half of all UK pension schemes are now in surplus, with the aggregate deficit improving from 40bn to 2bn through 2007, according to Aon Consulting.
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ScotMut slammed for S2P auto move
10 Jan 2008
Syndaxi Financial Planning director Robert Reid has criticised Scottish Mutual for automatically contracting clients back into the state second pension, saying it constitutes advice that the provider must be liable for.
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Sense of commitment
10 Jan 2008
Before Christmas, I spent time with a good friend who runs a highly respected IFA in the North of England. I have sat on committees with him and know him as professional and knowledgeable.
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Sesame advisers reveal market worries
10 Jan 2008
Over half of Sesame advisers are worried about the impact that volatile stockmarket performance could have on their business this year.
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Shadow chancellor says Bank should be given rescue powers and not FSA
11 Jan 2008
Shadow Chancellor George Osborne says Chancellor Alistair Darling is wrong to give the FSA bank rescue powers and says these should rest with the Bank of England.
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Skandia goes green with new logo
9 Jan 2008
Skandia has rebranded its identity from blue to green and has adopted a new logo.
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Starting blocks
10 Jan 2008
January usually sets the tone for the rest of the year in stockmarkets. As markets rise more years than they fall, January is more often than not kind to investors but this year could be different.
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Surveys a waste of time
10 Jan 2008
Rarely a day goes by without a phone call asking us to participate in a survey. If the caller says it will take three or four minutes it takes at least 10. A quote of 15 minutes means at least 30. Estimates are as accurate as the admin of the life companies on whose behalf the calls are usually made.
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Tactical Error
9 Jan 2008
My client has received a pension share but is refusing to give the pension company her details, believing that the longer she delays the situation, the more money she will receive. What can I do?
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Take advantage
10 Jan 2008
The interplay between the intensifying credit crunch and co-ordinated remedial action by central banks worldwide will continue to dominate the capital markets.
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That's what it's all about
10 Jan 2008
It certainly feels like we are in the middle of a protection hokey-cokey right now, with insurers in (Fortis, allegedly), insurers out (Standard and Widows) and our friends at the Pru trying to shake it all about with its recent innovations.
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The emerging story
10 Jan 2008
There are 219 funds that did not have a full one-year track record at the end of December. That is one new fund for almost every business day last year. Some of these funds were not strictly new launches but a rebranding or restructuring of an existing portfolio but there is no doubt that 2007 saw a high degree of launches in some areas of the market, namely, property, managed, China and India.
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The Way Group - Way Duo Inheritor Plan
10 Jan 2008
The Way GroupWay Duo Inheritor Plan
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Three options from Lehman Brothers
11 Jan 2008
Lehman Brothers has established a FTSE 100 linked capital-protected bond that allows investors to choose their term and type of return.
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Tide and seek
10 Jan 2008
Over the past few months, there has been a profound change in sentiment across investment markets stemming from the cumulative impact of the credit crunch.
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Tories pledge to carry on means-test battle
10 Jan 2008
The Conservatives have pledged to continue the fight for a solution to the means-testing dilemma in the committee stages of the Pensions Bill.
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Total transparency on OPM fund moves
10 Jan 2008
OPM has introduced a section on its website that lists all sales and purchases of funds in its multi-manager funds, with brief details of the reasons for the changes.
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Towry buys employee benefits specialist
10 Jan 2008
Towry Law has bought London employee benefits consultancy and financial planner Hazlems Financial.
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Tug of war continues over additional FSA powers
14 Jan 2008
The FSA finds itself at the centre of the Northern Rock storm this week as the political finger pointing continues over the lender's current situation.
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Unit-linked for Nottingham Friendly
10 Jan 2008
Nottingham Friendly Society is to offer its first unit-linked savings plan, offering investors an ethical, UK or global option.
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US regulator probing Merrill Lynch over 'front-running' claim
14 Jan 2008
The US Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating whether several current and former employees at Merrill Lynch improperly placed orders for the broker's own account ahead of client trades, according to reports.
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Vertex buys Sesame Office and Sesame chooses MBL
14 Jan 2008
Vertex has bought Sesame Office from the group in a move that sees Vertex become the preferred desktop solutions provider for its members' life, pensions and investment business.
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Winning ways
10 Jan 2008
Money Marketing's No Advice, No Protection campaign has achieved its goals. The protection it refers to is not just that which insurance can provide but also that which the Financial Ombudsman Service offers those who buy an unsuitable product.
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Wins team join Numis
10 Jan 2008
Five members of Wins Investment Trust team, including researchers Charles Cade and Simon Elliot, have quit to join rival Numis.
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Wrap in pipeline for JP Morgan
10 Jan 2008
JP Morgan Asset Management is set to be the next big name to join the wrap market after the company confirmed it is investigating plans to launch a platform.
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Wrap will take centre stage in 2008, says Ferguson
11 Jan 2008
Nucleus chief executive David Ferguson says 2008 will be the year that wrap achieves mainstream status as take-up and use among advisers rapidly increases.
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You know it makes Sense
11 Jan 2008
The Millfield saga looks to be finally drawing to a close withPricewaterhouseCoopers concluding the administration of the business and commencing its liquidation.
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Zurich offers cover in 15 minutes
10 Jan 2008
Zurich's revamped online system is aiming to reduce the underwriting process for mortgage and family protection to 15 minutes.
