Money Marketing
21 November 2007

  • Crosby to be FSA deputy chairman

    22 Nov 2007

    Former HBOS chief executive Sir James Crosby is to replace Deirdre Hutton as deputy chairman of the FSA and will also become chairman of the FSA's committee of non-executive directors from December.

  • 5D Finance launches packager bible

    22 Nov 2007

    5D Finance has launched its new packager bible today. The guide aims to provide packagers with everything they need to complete commercial mortgage business with 5D Finance.

  • A shaw thing

    22 Nov 2007

    Sam Shaw is a reporter on Money MarketingTuesday night saw me going back to my former contacts in the protection world, the brown-eyed beauty Peter Chadborn, Scouse’s finest Andy Milburn, soon-to-be-daddy Mark Locke and, of course, the omnipresent in the protection world Kevin Carr. Andrea “Core of Steel” Tryphonides was there, too, as were the other MM girls. Milburn took home the winnings from our swearbox, which should have been enough for a round at least.

  • Abbey launches new long-term fixed rates

    23 Nov 2007

    Abbey will be launching a host of longer-term product rates from next monday.

  • ABI working on non-disclosure Christmas present to industry

    27 Nov 2007

    The Association of British Insurers is working on a new set of guidelines to push insurers to pay a proportion of claims which may otherwise be declined for non-disclosure.

  • Accord Mortgages tightens criteria on credit repair range

    27 Nov 2007

    Accord Mortgages has tightened lending criteria on its credit repair products.

  • Adviser Fund Index: Funds pruned in the autumn

    22 Nov 2007

    The Adviser Fund Index panellists trimmed their holdings in all three indices during the November rebalancing. The Aggressive index shrank the most, falling from 124 underlying funds to 114. Balanced and Cautious made net losses of one and seven funds respectively. As a result, the number of individual funds held across the benchmarks fell from 182 to 169.

  • 'Advisers have put up barrier against structured products'

    22 Nov 2007

    The term "structured products" should be ditched in favour of protected invest-ments, says Barclays Wealth director Colin Dickie.

  • Advisers launch a forum for fee based advice

    26 Nov 2007

    A number of fee-based financial planners and advisers have launched the Forum for Fee Based Advice, which aims to give consumers access to impartial, unbiased and independent advisers.

  • Advisers not getting best deal for pension clients' cash deposits, says Investec

    23 Nov 2007

    A third of pension advisers think their clients are earning less than 6 per cent interest on Sipp and Ssas cash deposits according to Investec.

  • Aegon makes offshore foray

    22 Nov 2007

    Aegon Asset Management is introducing Dublin-domiciled strategic global, high-yield global and investmentgrade global bond funds which are available for distribution in the UK, Channel Islands, Ireland and Switzerland.

  • Aegon says 88 per cent of critical illness claimants use Red Arc support services

    26 Nov 2007

    Aegon Scottish Equitable says 88 per cent of group critical illness policyholders who make a claim use the support services provided by care advisory service Red Arc.

  • Aifa chairman Gummer calls on Sants to improve FSA's European relations

    22 Nov 2007

    Aifa chairman John Gummer has called on Hector Sants to improve the FSA’s relationship with Europe and learn lessons from the European Union to create more sensible regulations.

  • All Sants' day

    22 Nov 2007

    FSA chief executive Hector Sants faces his first big IFA gig at the Aifa dinner this week.

  • Aon accuses PPF of overcharging companies by millions of pounds

    27 Nov 2007

    Aon Consulting is accusing the Pension Protection Fund of overcharging companies by millions of pounds on their levy payments.

  • Arc Capital & Income - Bull & Bear Tracker Plan 4

    23 Nov 2007

    Arc Capital & IncomeBull & Bear Tracker Plan 4

  • Aviva target of insolvency hoax

    23 Nov 2007

    Norwich Union's parent company Aviva has become the target of a hoaxer who sent an internal memo warning the insurer was insolvent.

  • Axa aims to cut out caveats in ending duty to disclose

    22 Nov 2007

    Axa is looking to scrap its customers' ongoing duty to disclose for protection policies.

  • Axa appoints MD to head up new investment company

    27 Nov 2007

    Axa & Winterthur wealth management has appointed Ian Colquhoun as managing director commercial operations UK to run its new investment company.

  • Axa piloting medical screening in pharmacies

    23 Nov 2007

    Axa is piloting medical screening in pharmacies for its protection products with access to innovative, non-invasive techniques including needle-free skin tests, saliva tests and hair analysis.

  • Axa's Steve Muir leaves following restructure

    23 Nov 2007

    Axa media relations manager Steve Muir has taken redundancy following a restructure of the external communications team.

  • Bank fined after trader hid losses

    22 Nov 2007

    The FSA has fined Toronto Dominion Bank 490,000 for systems and control failings and banned one of its former traders from carrying out regulated activities.

  • Bank of Ireland withdraws sub-prime range

    23 Nov 2007

    Bank of Ireland has sent an email to brokers alerting them that it is withdrawing its entire non-conforming range from 5pm today.The only other details included in the email was that all of its other products remain unchanged.

  • Bankhall blasts 'poor value' profit schemes

    22 Nov 2007

    Bankhall chief executive Peter Mann has voiced concerns about IFAs being enticed into shared-equity schemes that offer indeterminate amounts at indeterminate points in time.

  • Banks move to reassure public over Revenue data loss

    21 Nov 2007

    The banking industry has moved to allay concerns that HM Revenue & Customs loss of the personal information, including bank details of 25m people will result in mass identity fraud.

  • Bargain hunters looking at Paragon

    22 Nov 2007

    Paragon's dramatic share price fall could spark a swoop from a rival company, with mortgage experts saying that it could be picked up at a bargain price.

  • Blown away by bright and breezy Gale

    22 Nov 2007

    I had to do a triple take on your report that among the top three things Patrick Gale will miss about working at Sesame are the FSA and the pressure of handling regulatory changes. (It is mildly interesting to speculate on what the third thing might be - the money perhaps?)

  • BM Solutions launches new BTL products

    23 Nov 2007

    BM Solutions has launched 30 new products in each of its three existing rental tiers in its BTL range.

  • Boulger backing threeyear fixes for FTBs

    22 Nov 2007

    Brokers should offer threeyear fixed-rate mortgages to first-time buyers in the current property market, according to John Charcol senior technical manager Ray Boulger.

  • Boulger dismisses City forecast for 7 per cent house price fall

    27 Nov 2007

    Mortgage guru Ray Boulger has dismissed forecasts from futures and options traders in the City that house prices will fall by as much as 7 per cent next year.

  • Breath of fresh eair

    22 Nov 2007

    Informed Choice joint managing director Nick Bamford says he believes clients actively wish to pay fees for financial advice and describes the system of customer- agreed remuneration put in place by his own firm

  • Broker talkback

    22 Nov 2007

    Did you complete Aifa's retail distribution review survey to help it shape its response to the FSA?

  • C&G appoints Kevin Purvey as head of corporate intermediary sales

    23 Nov 2007

    Cheltenham & Gloucester has announced that former Bank of Ireland Mortgages head of sales Kevin Purvey will be its new head of corporate intermediary sales.

  • Cable calls for nationalisation

    22 Nov 2007

    The Liberal Democrats have called for the short-term nationalisation of Northern Rock as the best way to safeguard taxpayers' money.

  • Cameron calls on Darling to abandon “ill-conceived” CGT changes

    27 Nov 2007

    The Conservatives have called on the Chancellor to abandon his “ill-conceived” changes to Capital Gains Tax announced in the pre-Budget report.

  • Caught in the crunch

    22 Nov 2007

    The credit crunch could offer an opportunity to demonstrate the value of advice to clients.

  • Central line

    22 Nov 2007

    Too little attention in the RDR debate has been focused on the consumer. Ultimately, there is a need to look back at the RDR and its core objectives. There is a need to make sure that we get a better and not just different outcome from this review. There must be a recognition that consumers share responsibility. We, as IFAs, have a unique level of access to consumers' wants and needs.

  • CGT battle to add to Government woes

    26 Nov 2007

    Black November continues for the Government with Conservative incompetence jibes beginning to stick and pressure growing on the Chancellor over Northern Rock, HMRC and capital gains tax.

  • Chelsea Building Society revises product range

    27 Nov 2007

    Chelsea Building Society has made revisions to its product range with effect from November 30.

  • CHL Mortgages links to Trigold

    22 Nov 2007

    Specialist lender CHL Mortgages has agreed to integrate with Trigold into its e-trading centre to receive applications from its Prospector AAA sourcing system.

  • Cofunds strikes deal with Australian wrap provider Praemium

    23 Nov 2007

    Cofunds has completed a deal with Australian wrap offering Praemium which will see them bring a number of new services and reporting tools onto the UK platform.

  • Compensation consolation

    22 Nov 2007

    From April next year, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme will have a new funding model which could lead to IFAs paying less than they do now.

  • 'Concentrate on specialist advice, not taking exams'

    22 Nov 2007

    Technology-based national IFA 2Plan says chartered status is a more important aspiration for adviser firms than it is for individual advisers.

  • Consumer contradictions

    22 Nov 2007

    Consumer attitudes towards investments seem to have polarised, with investors showing an appetite for high-risk asset classes such as emerging market equities and at the same time wanting the security of capital protection and safer asset classes.

  • Core of the crunch

    22 Nov 2007

    Standing in the dealing room of a firm of London stockbrokers last week, I became aware that people were clustered around TV screens showing pictures of a plume of smoke over central London. As the news came in of a serious fire close to Canary Wharf, so the earlier bullish mood of the market evaporated and shares moved into freefall.

  • Cover stories

    22 Nov 2007

    The Competition Commission's Emerging Thinking document on payment protection insurance has given the insurance industry and intermediaries a clean bill of health.

  • Critical care

    22 Nov 2007

    When crafting this column, there is usually a simple choice to make - to criticise or to praise and perhaps even honour something or someone. This article is not a shower of praise but a tsunami of plaudits on several insurance companies.

  • Darling: final CGT proposals within three weeks

    27 Nov 2007

    The Government will publish its final proposals for Capital Gains Tax in the next three weeks and says it is still listening to business arguments against the plans.

  • Data burden shifts to providers

    22 Nov 2007

    Association of British Insurers' guidance is expected to result in more insurers taking responsibility for data collection rather than relying on advisers.

  • Double-faulted by Darling

    22 Nov 2007

    Chancellor Alistair Darling knows how to make friends and influence people. It seems that he is intent on blaming mortgage lenders and brokers for no end of society's ills.

  • Dunedin turns up GAS for regional growth

    22 Nov 2007

    Dunedin says it will use its investment in Gissings Advisory Services as a platform for regional growth.

  • Economist claims US is already in recession

    22 Nov 2007

    Dr Mark Faber, economist and author of the Boom Doom and Gloom report, says optimism on the prospects for the US economy is misplaced as the world's biggest economy is already in recession.

  • Edeus in society deal that will empty warehouse

    22 Nov 2007

    Edeus is set to "virtually empty" its £1.2bn warehouse line at the start of next year after it completes another wholeloan book sale to a building society in January.

  • EU fund builds skills

    22 Nov 2007

    European commissioner for employment, social affairs and equal opportunities Vladimir Spidla and UK Parliamentary under secretary for work and pensions James Plaskitt have started a scheme to help disadvantaged people find work.

  • F&C's rising stars on move

    22 Nov 2007

    F&C has been dealt a double blow after fund managers Luke Newman and Makis Kaketsis quit to join an unnamed hedge fund firm.

  • Families in dark over LTC funding

    22 Nov 2007

    Only 12 per cent of people seek professional financial advice before putting a relative into long-term care, says protection provider Partnership.

  • Feeney quits Gartmore

    22 Nov 2007

    Gartmore head of distribution Paul Feeney has brought an end to months of speculation by quitting the firm.

  • First footing

    22 Nov 2007

    The shrinking number of mortgage products on the market has brought problems for first-time buyers.

  • Flight of the kiwi

    22 Nov 2007

    In 2005 Adair Turner's Pension Commission identified the KiwiSaver, a national pension scheme that was being set up in New Zealand to encourage higher levels of pension saving, as a possible model for a similar system in Britain.

  • Friends looks at way ahead

    22 Nov 2007

    Speculation over whether Friends Provident will sell parts of its business or become a takeover target has knocked advisers' confidence in the insurer.

  • FSA chief to send out RDR olive branch to IFAs

    21 Nov 2007

    FSA chief executive Hector Sants will send out a conciliatory message to IFAs tonight telling Aifa members he is well aware of their RDR concerns and acknowledging the regulator has not made its intentions clear at times.

  • FSA refers seven mortgage firms for enforcement in industry clampdown

    26 Nov 2007

    The FSA has referred seven firms to enforcement and forced 65 firms to undertake costly reviews after a series of investigations found several mortgage brokers continue to operate "well below standard".

  • FSA set to extend probe into multi-manager advice

    22 Nov 2007

    The FSA says it may carry out more investigations into multi-manager advice after it found insufficient adviser understanding of funds and the effect of charges on performance.

  • FSA to continue with waiver on overdraft complaints handling

    21 Nov 2007

    The FSA is to keep its waiver on complaints over unauthorised overdraft charges after completing a review of the decision.

  • FSA wants summer of love for loan

    22 Nov 2007

    The FSA wants next year to be the "summer of love" for mortgage intermediaries, with hopes that the market will dramatically improve its adv-ice processes.

  • FSA warns of crackdown on mortgage brokers

    22 Nov 2007

    The FSA has warned that it will come down hard on mortgage brokers that flout the rules after it fined two firms and banned a third for sub-prime failings.

  • Golden autumn for Positive Solutions

    22 Nov 2007

    Positive Solutions had its strongest-ever October and has reported 10.7m in commission and fees received for the month. This follows a record September for the firm and PosSol says it is on track to hit its forecast annual turnover of 120m this financial year.

  • Grant Thornton warns 25m data debacle repeat inevitable due to HMRC cuts

    23 Nov 2007

    Grant Thornton says more mistakes like the loss of 25m child benefit records are inevitable if the Government presses ahead with plans to slash funding and staff numbers at HM Revenue & Customs.

  • Halifax moves to help brokers assist clients buying houses in Spain

    27 Nov 2007

    Halifax Intemediaries has launched a new section on its website to help brokers assist clients buying properties in Spain.

  • Henderson takes global outlook

    22 Nov 2007

    Henderson's multi-manager team has replaced the Artemis European growth fund with Artemis global growth in its independent growth portfolio fund to gain further exposure to Asia and emerging markets.

  • Hips rolled out to one and two bedroom homes from December 14

    22 Nov 2007

    The Government has announced today that Home Information Packs will be extended to one and two bedroom homes from December 14.

  • HM Treasury moves to prevent dual regulation of mortgages

    23 Nov 2007

    The HM Treasury and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform has published a consultation document on proposed changes to the Consumer Credit Acit 1974 to prevent the dual regulation of mortgages.

  • HMRC chief quits over data blunder

    22 Nov 2007

    HM Revenue & Customs chairman Paul Gray has quit after admitting his department has lost confidential information, including bank details of 25 million child benefit recipients.

  • HMRC confirms IHT exemption for Asp income

    22 Nov 2007

    The Government says withdrawals from unsecured or alternatively secured pensions will be considered as income for inheritance tax purposes, offering new IHT planning opportunities for advisers.

  • HMRC set for another offshore amnesty

    22 Nov 2007

    HM Revenue & Customs is to introduce a second offshore tax amnesty for people with offshore accounts.

  • Hometrack chief to head strategy at Pru

    22 Nov 2007

    Prudential has recruited former Hometrack Data Services chief executive Simon Allen as chief operations officer.

  • HSBC opens property fund

    22 Nov 2007

    HSBC launches its open global property fund, which will offer daily dealing, this week. The fund will be run by Guy Morrell and will be structured as a non-Ucits retail scheme with retail and institutional share classes.

  • IFP and PFS talk on setting up single standards board

    22 Nov 2007

    The Institute of Financial Planning and the Personal Finance Society are in talks to investigate the creation of a single independent standards board to police all advisers in a post-RDR world.

  • IMLA appoints Godfrey Blight as chairman

    22 Nov 2007

    GMAC-RFC managing director for sales and marketing Godfrey Blight has become the new chairman for IMLA, the association announced today.

  • Insight looks East to boost income

    22 Nov 2007

    Insight Investment's diversified high income fund aims to boost its dividend by investing in derivatives and Asian real estate investment trusts which it says have higher yields than available in the West.

  • Investec won't open frontiers on Africa funds

    22 Nov 2007

    Investec says it is resisting any temptation to offer UK retail versions of its two offshore Africa funds despite demand from advisers.

  • Kensington Mortgages temporarily pulls out of sub-prime

    22 Nov 2007

    Kensington Mortgages is temporarily pulling out of the adverse credit market due to the current market conditions.

  • Le Beau takes non-exec role at claim firm

    22 Nov 2007

    Le Beau Visage managing director Peter Le Beau has been appointed non-executive director at the Health Claims Bureau.

  • Lenders urged to fill part-verified product gap

    22 Nov 2007

    A former Southern Pacific Mortgages manager has called for lenders to fill a gap in the market with part-verified products.

  • LibDems call for Northern Rock shares to be suspended

    26 Nov 2007

    The LibDems have called for shares in Northern Rock to be suspended due to the volatility in share price being seen in response to developments over the lender’s future.

  • LibDems launch petition calling on Government to reveal Northern Rock loans

    21 Nov 2007

    The LibDems have launched a petition calling on the Government to come clean on how much money has been lent to Northern Rock.

  • Long-distance cyclist

    22 Nov 2007

    When I advocated Asia and emerging markets for investment in a self-invested personal pension a few years ago, I was castigated by a number of advisers who believed they were far too dangerous for a pension. Retail clients are now besotted with these regions and this has been given further impetus by the dramatic recovery they have made from the August fallout, with China in particular exploding into life.

  • Low bids see Rock's share price plunge

    22 Nov 2007

    Northern Rock's share price fell to an all-time low on Monday after the firm said potential bids valued it at "materially below" its market price.

  • Loyalty for life

    22 Nov 2007

    The last month has seen Sainsbury's and Tesco running promotions through their loyalty programmes to promote their life insur-ance but the move has been criticised by some advisers as a gimmick.

  • LV= appoints UK equities head

    22 Nov 2007

    LV= Asset Management (LVAM) has continued building its fund management arm with the appointment of Neil Worsley as head of UK equities

  • Manchester brokers banned for underwriting failures

    22 Nov 2007

    The FSA has closed down Manchester broker M Young Legal Associates for leaving clients uninsured by selling them insurance without underwriting in place.

  • Market madness

    21 Nov 2007

    Ever since the sub-prime crunch took hold in the Summer it seems predicting the market has practically become impossible to do - if that wasn’t the case before.

  • Marks to head sales at Hartford

    22 Nov 2007

    Canada Life head of sales Andy Marks is joining Hartford Life as managing director of sales.

  • Mass exodus

    22 Nov 2007

    This week's focus, certainly within Money Marketing, has been over the issue of primary advice. Tom Baigrie, managing director of Lifesearch and also of London-based IFA Baigrie Davies, made one of the most telling contributions to the discussion. He argues that current RDR proposals over primary advice will "hasten the retreat of advisers from the mass market and its replacement by those who sell but do not advise".

  • Mass levelling down could lead to £10bn hit to pensions savings

    23 Nov 2007

    Annual pension contributions could be £10bn lower in 2050 if the majority of employers level down their pension contributions when personal accounts are introduced compared to if there was no reform.

  • Merger could be on the cards for protection pair

    22 Nov 2007

    Protection firms Bright Grey and Scottish Provident could be merged after Royal London takes over ScotProv.

  • Miton plans to expand multi-asset offerings

    22 Nov 2007

    Miton Asset Management, which was formed from the merger of MitonOptimal and Iimia, is bringing out a multi-asset version of its global fund to be called Vega.

  • Money Portal set for Burns-Anderson deal

    22 Nov 2007

    Money Portal is closing in on a deal to buy Burns-Anderson, Money Marketing understands.

  • Moreau hopes to convince Treasury on need for flexible retirement products

    22 Nov 2007

    Axa UK chief executive Nicolas Moreau is calling on the Government to allow greater flexibility in the at-retirement market.

  • Morgan Stanley - Asia (Ex Japan) Protected Growth Plan

    23 Nov 2007

    Morgan StanleyAsia (Ex Japan) Protected Growth Plan

  • Mutual appreciation

    22 Nov 2007

    Old Mutual appointed Suresh Sadasivan about a year ago to run its Asian select fund. He has had considerable experience in the emerging market sectors with Old Mutual and has since improved the performance of the fund hugely relative to his peers.

  • National Ethical Investment Week set for May 2008

    26 Nov 2007

    National Ethical Investment Week will launch in May 2008, organised by the UK Social Investment Forum, a non-profit ethical investment membership body.

  • Nationwide sees 2008 house price standstill

    22 Nov 2007

    Nationwide has warned that house price inflation is set to plummet to zero next year.

  • Nationwide sees drop in net lending to £3.3bn

    22 Nov 2007

    Nationwide's results today show that it has seen a drop in net lending from £5.6bn last year to £3.3bn as a result of its cautious approach in 2007.

  • Neptune merges global funds

    22 Nov 2007

    Neptune is to merge its £11m global income fund into the £548m global equity fund and will introduce an income share class on the combined Oeic.

  • New business rises 8 per cent, says ABI

    22 Nov 2007

    The ABI has released its life and pensions new business data for quarter three this year which shows an increase of 8.1 per cent in new business.

  • New business, closed life firms and service troubles

    22 Nov 2007

    The ABI has released its new business figures today indicating that not all is doom and gloom in the life industry as new business has increased by 8 per cent.

  • Northern Rock changes structure of Together product

    23 Nov 2007

    Northern Rock has changed the structure of its Together product and says it will be withdrawing the existing range of products at 4pm on November 25.

  • Northern Rock receives further proposals below market price

    21 Nov 2007

    Northern Rock has issued a statement saying that it has received additional indicative expressions of interest covering a range of options for the business.

  • On balance

    22 Nov 2007

    Despite the economy slowing in the first quarter, the US markets still represent good value, especially as GDP is expected to remain stable in the second half of the year and into 2008. It is worth bearing in mind that the US may not be the fastest-growing economy but it is still the biggest and it benefits from the rapid growth seen internationally.

  • Origen finance director Jim McGuinness steps down

    21 Nov 2007

    Origen finance director Jim McGuinness has stepped down from his role at the Aegon-owned advisory firm.

  • Oval rounds out business with Ward Mitchell buy

    22 Nov 2007

    Oval has bought Leicester financial adviser firm Ward Mitchell Partnership.

  • Over one in five Sesame advisers aiming for chartered status

    21 Nov 2007

    More than one in five Sesame advisers is working towards achieving chartered status.

  • Pada warned to be up-front on potential charge increases

    22 Nov 2007

    Aegon says the Personal Accounts Delivery Authority must tell savers in personal accounts that charges could rise in the future or risk not treating customers fairly.

  • Pearl deal set to bring £85bn top 10 life firm

    22 Nov 2007

    Pearl is finally poised to win the battle for Resolution in a £5bn deal.

  • Pearls of wisdom

    22 Nov 2007

    So Pearl triumphs and takes over Resolution as its latest jewel.

  • Pioneer welcomes changes to DWP incapacity benefit rules

    21 Nov 2007

    Pioneer has welcomed new incapacity benefit rules outlined by the department of work and pensions on Tuesday claiming anything that highlights the issue of incapacity is positive for the industry.

  • Plans offer gateway to specialist markets

    22 Nov 2007

    Sesame head of research Mark Peters believes structured products offer an ideal route for investors seeking access to emerging markets or specialist products such as commodities.

  • Platforms grow by nearly 50% a year

    22 Nov 2007

    Assets held on platforms are growing by 44 per cent a year and will reach £205bn by 2012, says Lipper Feri.

  • Plum Software links to The Hartford

    26 Nov 2007

    Plum Software has announced that automatic investment updates from The Hartford are now available through Plum’s IFA and mortgage broker software suite.

  • Points of view

    22 Nov 2007

    I don’t know about you but I can be swayed into a decision to buy if I get money off for multiple purchases, club card points or free gifts. Don’t misunderstand me, the car I want to drive, the clothes I want to wear and the wine I want to drink will be bought, irrespective if there is a social offer.

  • Positive force for change

    22 Nov 2007

    During casual conversation, I was nominated as a disruptive force by three IFAs at the Personal Finance Society conference. I have thought about that long and hard for the past 48 hours. The reason for the nomenclature? I am opposed to the retail distribution review. I believe it is disruptive and that is why I am opposed to it.

  • Positive notes

    22 Nov 2007

    Global equity markets shrugged off some poor corporate earnings' news and mixed economic data to post a positive performance in October, as risk aversion stemming from the recent credit crisis ebbed.

  • PPI is right product in wrong hands

    22 Nov 2007

    Following the publication of the Competition Commission's Emerging Thinking document on payment protection insurance, I am delighted to find that the integrity of the insurance industry and intermediaries remains intact. We have been given a clean bill of health.

  • 'Professional body would kill networks'

    22 Nov 2007

    Introducing a professional body to maintain standards would wipe out the role of the network, according to Whitechurch managing director Ian McIver.

  • Professional planning

    22 Nov 2007

    A fundamental shift in Government policy is needed to introduce greater flexibility in pensions and between tax wrappers if the mass-market advice market is ever to be served properly, says the Personal Finance Society.

  • Protection success needs education for advisers

    22 Nov 2007

    Direct Life & Pensions sales and marketing director Richard Verdin says a generic consumer advertising campaign for protection will not succeed until life companies give advisers meaningful training.

  • PruHealth in vitality deal on eBay auctions

    22 Nov 2007

    PruHealth has struck a deal with eBay that will see policyholders get vitality points.

  • RBSIP cuts proc fees across brands

    23 Nov 2007

    RBSIP has confirmed it will be cutting its procuration fees on its First Active, RBS and The One account products.

  • Reconciliation nation

    22 Nov 2007

    Commission reconciliation has historically been one of the most labour-intensive activities carried out by adviser firms. It is boring, tedious, time-consuming but sadly essential.

  • Regulator in listening mode on RDR

    22 Nov 2007

    The FSA has struck a conciliatory note on the retail distribution review and said it is in listening mode.

  • Rennison warns provider technology could stall CAR

    22 Nov 2007

    Product providers may find it difficult to adopt the new technology required for customer-agreed remuneration, warns Thinc Group group corporate strategy director Roderic Rennison.

  • Risk unknowns hinder choice

    22 Nov 2007

    Helm Godfrey managing director Bruce Wilson believes advisers are constantly struggling to understand the risk posed by individual structured products.

  • Rogue shake-out to push up FSA costs

    22 Nov 2007

    FSA fees are likely to increase in the short term to get rid of rogue advisers in the market.

  • Salt to increase fixed rates on sub-prime range

    23 Nov 2007

    Salt has emailed brokers to alert them that it will be increasing its fixed rates on its sub-prime range from November 28.It says that all fixed rates have been repriced and maximum loan to values for 'status' and 'self-cert' reduced for near prime to heavy categories.Maximum first time buyer self-cert LTV has been reduced from 90 per cent to 80 per cent.Maximum loan on self-cert has been reduced to £500,000.Salt says that this is due to recent market changes.

  • Sants' Aifa speech

    21 Nov 2007

    With his speech already released, FSA chief Hector Sants will offer an RDR olive branch at tonight’s Aifa dinner when he meets the great and good of the IFA world.

  • Second thoughts

    22 Nov 2007

    Congratulations on your forthcoming marriage. It is important that couples who are about to marry are aware of the financial implications if they divorce as many people at this stage of their lives are so happy and in love that they cannot even think about separation. The divorce rate is the lowest it has been in England and Wales for 20 years but the number of second-time divorcees has doubled in the last 25 years. In 2006, second-time divorcees constituted one-fifth of all divorcees.

  • Service hopes rise

    22 Nov 2007

    Pearl's victory in the battle for Resolution has been broadly welcomed by advisers.

  • Shadow of the sums

    22 Nov 2007

    It is important to get your sums right. Whether you are The Personal Accounts Delivery Authority faces this challenge next year. It was established to design and implement the new personal accounts scheme and the forthcoming Pensions Bill will give it the powers to start taking decisions like hiring contractors and setting the level and shape of the personal accounts charging structure.

  • Shaming of the few

    22 Nov 2007

    The FSA has always played hard ball and it can been excruciatingly frustrating for journalists trying to stand up a story.

  • Skandia launches client guide to pensions

    21 Nov 2007

    Skandia has published a guide to pensions for advisers to use with their clients, outlining the key principles they ought to be aware of.

  • Split-cap firm BFS finally declared in default by FSCS

    26 Nov 2007

    Split-cap firm BFS Investments has been declared in default by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme meaning consumers can now claim against it.

  • Standard adds MLC Moms to wrap

    22 Nov 2007

    Standard Life wrap is adding MLC's six UK manager of managers portfolios to its core offering. MLC's suite of portfolios will be embedded in the wrap's modelling tools and advisers will also have access to Pivotal Consulting.

  • Standard is still on the lookout for deals

    22 Nov 2007

    Standard Life UK financial services chief executive Trevor Matthews says the company is not ruling out further acquisitions after its failed Resolution bid.

  • Struggle for satellite packagers

    22 Nov 2007

    Personal Touch Packaging managing director Rob Jupp believes lenders should not be criticised for cutting satellite packagers out of their distribution channel.

  • Suffolk Life considering acquisition possibilities

    26 Nov 2007

    Suffolk Life has appointed Fenchurch Advisory Partners to advise on options for the future strategy of the business following a number of expressions of interest.

  • Swip strategy

    22 Nov 2007

    As Scotland's secondbiggest investment company, Scottish Widows Investment Partnership has been one of the busier asset management firms in recent months.

  • 'Switch to fees in just two years'

    22 Nov 2007

    Advisers can move from a reliance on initial commission to a recurring income-based business model in as little as two years, says Paradigm chief executive Paul Hogarth.

  • Tax issues delay Faifs

    22 Nov 2007

    The FSA has delayed plans to develop funds of alternative investment funds due to a number of taxation issues.

  • Ted scott

    22 Nov 2007

    Ted Scott is no newcomer to ethical investing. The manager of the F&C Stewardship income fund has been involved with F&C's Stewardship team since its inception in 1984 and was appointed manager of the income fund in 1998.

  • Templeton emerging markets smaller companies fund available to UK investors

    27 Nov 2007

    Franklin Templeton Investments has announced that the Templeton emerging markets smaller companies fund is now available to UK investors.

  • Tenant demand at five year high, says ARLA

    27 Nov 2007

    Tenant demand in the private rented sector remains at the highest levels seen for five years, according to the Association of Residential Letting Agents.

  • The rating game

    22 Nov 2007

    Rating agencies have come under intense attack over their failure to sound a warning before the US sub-prime mortgage crisis and last week the Treasury select committee grilled them over their role in the debacle.

  • The train now arriving at the platform

    22 Nov 2007

    The fund supermarket industry is on track to provide IFAs with a new fleet of tools and services to get clients to their destination as attention focuses on distribution, says Colin Tipping, client director of Barclays Global Investors iShares

  • To sell or not to sell?

    23 Nov 2007

    Mortgage commentators are predicting 2008 to be a year of consolidation and it seems some players are already looking to offload certain parts of their business.

  • Tory IFA blasts Government over Northern Rock

    21 Nov 2007

    Conservative parliamentary candidate and IFA Deborah Dunleavy has slammed the Government over its handling of the Northern Rock crisis.

  • Transfer backlog took three years

    22 Nov 2007

    An adviser has attacked Axa after it took nearly three years to inform him of a transfer of client funds.

  • Transparency on trial

    22 Nov 2007

    Early next year, the FSA will publish a discussion paper on the purpose and possible effects of greater transparency.

  • UK state pension is still worst in Europe

    22 Nov 2007

    The UK's state pension system has been rated the worst in Europe for the second year running by Aon Consulting.

  • Undiscovered Asia

    22 Nov 2007

    This is the fifth year in a row where equity markets have risen and the seventh year where Asian equity markets have outperformed. This might sound warning bells for some investors but we believe that every stockmarket cycle is different. It would take a brave investor to try to use the duration of market strength to try to time market peaks and we do not believe that the evidence justifies it.

  • Vertex jobs at risk

    22 Nov 2007

    Vertex says up to 55 jobs in marketing, sales, under-writing and risk are at risk on its DB Mortgages acc-ount as a result of strategic changes at the lender.

  • Virgin favourite to land Northern Rock

    26 Nov 2007

    Virgin is the frontrunner to takeover Northern Rock after the lender announced it was taking forward discussions on an accelerated basis with the consortium led by Virgin Group.

  • Vow to protect taxpayer cash

    22 Nov 2007

    Chancellor Alistair Darling says he will veto offers that fail to safeguard taxpayer-funded loans made to Northern Rock.

  • Waters wants to see 130/30 skills

    22 Nov 2007

    FSA director of retail policy Dan Waters says the challenge for managers running 130/30 funds is to prove they have the skills to manage these funds.

  • Webb highlights governance nightmare for Eaglet

    26 Nov 2007

    Eaglet Investment Trust plc founder and investment manager Peter Webb believes that it is imperative that shareholders resist the appointment of three Board members from requisitioning shareholders Knox D’Arcy, QVT and Laxey Partners.

  • Whitehouse appointed head of The Mortgage Alliance

    27 Nov 2007

    Phil Whitehouse has been appointed as the new head of Abbey owned mortgage club The Mortgage Alliance.

  • Will boutique heroes wing it?

    22 Nov 2007

    Advisers are questioning if some of Resolution Asset Management's "superheroes" will fly off after the Pearl deal.

  • Will good things come to those who wait?

    23 Nov 2007

    It looks like the wait is finally over for Burns-Anderson as Money Portal is strongly tipped as being about to close a deal to buy the Bristol-based company.

  • With-profits hurdles remain for advisers

    22 Nov 2007

    FundsNetwork says the FSA's investigation into with-profits has done little to help advisers who still face the same hurdles when reviewing client policies.

  • Wrapped attention

    22 Nov 2007

    Last week, I looked at how the proposed capital gains tax changes might influence the choice of an investment wrapper. At a superficial level, the proposed new flat rate of 18 per cent looks to be significantly more desirable than a 40 per cent income tax charge and even a 20 per cent income tax charge. I suspect it is this that has led to the conclusion reached by some of bonds being dead in the water.

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