Money Management articles from December 2008

Money Management archives from December 2008

Regulation and transparency - How far should we go?
December 1, 2008... Byline: Chris Cummings While the LAUTRO case continues to roll on, Chris Cummings considers the pros and cons of transparency in regulation The announcement that the Financial Services Authority (FSA) is to appeal against the...

Windsor comes clean on untrained staff.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Geordie Clarke EXCLUSIVE: Windsor Life chief executive Jonathan Yates has spoken for the first time about how untrained staff and IFAs with "shopping lists" led to horrendous delays in customer service levels. In an exclusive...

Mortgage spotlight - All change at the top.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Laverne Hadaway Mortgage lenders are in a state of flux as they look to merge and secure Government help. Laverne Hadaway picks out the emerging product trends It is clear that the UK mortgage market has entered a harsh new...

Taking stock - Calling the bottom.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Russell Taylor Former investment banker Russell Taylor assesses how investors in difficult situations will cope in the current financial climate. The world is in the midst of the most severe financial crisis since 1929 and,...

Protection for women.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Helen Pridham Women still have less protection then men, but who is to blame? Helen Pridham investigates Women have made considerable progress towards equality in recent decades and in some areas they have even overtaken men....

Statistics - December 2008.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Lindsey White Click on any of the links below to view this month's statistics in a PDF file UK Registered Investment FundsUK Registered Investment Funds Investment TrustsInvestment Trusts Insurance Funds Insurance...

L&G pushes IFA into administration.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Joe McGrath Network said it had no choice Legal & General has defended its decision to seek legal assistance in closing down an intermediary member. The Surrey based provider applied to Nottingham County Court for a...

Completely GAR GAR.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Janet Walford OBE The subject of guaranteed annuity rates usually invokes strong feelings, both in those that have them and those that don't. GARs are generally at levels of 9-12% pa, which stacks up very well with the current...

Capital assured.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Gareth Shaw Guaranteed income bonds AIG Life Wealth Management has switched its attention to IFAs by launching its guaranteed income bond with a lower investment level for private investors. There are three investment...

FSA fast tracks TCF.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Gareth Shaw Firms to be tested from January 2009 The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has announced that all firms will be assessed on treating customers fairly (TCF) principles nine months earlier than originally intended....

FSA appeals against Tribunal ruling.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Janet Walford OBE Regulator takes case for confidentiality to High Court As exclusively revealed by Money Management in a news alert early in November, The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has, as expected, decided to appeal...

Link pulls from open bridging.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Joe McGrath Short term lender tightens policy EXCLUSIVE: Link Lending has advised its registered intermediaries that it will now only accept closed bridging deals, with immediate effect. It means that the lender has...

Their bond is their word.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Joe McGrath L&G plans new with profits launch EXCLUSIVE Legal & General will launch its Capital Protection Plus Income with profits bond by end of December. The bond guarantees to return at least 20% more than the initial...

Fantasy Fund Manager update.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Gareth Shaw Put your investment skills to the test and win GBP35,000 Time is running out to enter the JP Morgan Asset Management Fantasy Fund Manager competition. All entries and fund selections must be completed by 30...

Top 15 stories online.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Lindsey White Most read Money Management content online The top 15 Money Management stories stories read online on FTAdviser.com for the month 15 October to 14 November were as follows: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)...

Yet more hit by the Windsor wait.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Geordie Clarke MM learns of other advisers left in the lurch EXCLUSIVE: More frustrated intermediaries have come forward with concerns about Windsor Life's delays and disappearing documents. Chris West, director of...

Compensation success for MM reader.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Geordie Clarke Life office admits unacceptable delay EXCLUSIVE: Windsor Life has paid nearly GBP600 to the adviser and policyholder whose pension transfer was delayed for four months, after Money Management campaigned for...

Hope and glory.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Gareth Shaw American funds UBS is looking to capitalise on the downturn across the pond by launching a US Growth Fund. Managed by the UBS Growth Investors team of 28 investment professionals, the fund is looking to exploit...

Equitable experts in protection call.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Gareth Shaw in Westminster Watchdog criticised over regulatory failure with Equitable Life Experts have called for a greater focus on "consumer protection" in the latest committee meeting considering calls for recompense from...

Packager signs key referral deal.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Joe McGrath Welsh packager continues diversification strategy EXCLUSIVE Y3S Group, the South Wales financial services group, is launching a dedicated equity release division in partnership with specialist IFA, Key Retirement...

GE Money to cull 500 agencies.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Joe McGrath Intermediaries prepare to divert cases to packagers EXCLUSIVE GE Money Home Lending (GEMHL) is to force intermediaries to go through packagers when it culls agencies with less than 500 brokers later this month. ...

Mutual launches loan tracker.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Joe McGrath Welsh lender introduces case tracking system EXCLUSIVE Principality Building Society has launched a case tracker system for intermediaries submitting second charge mortgage business through the Nemo Personal Finance...

Absolute returns suffer losses.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Geordie Clarke UK funds struggle to stay in positive territory EXCLUSIVE: Most UK domiciled absolute return funds have failed to beat their targets, typically three month LIBOR, for the past three years, Money Management has...

Fee-based forum seeks cash boost.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Geordie Clarke Search engine for fee based advisers could be on its way EXCLUSIVE: An IFA has begun informal talks with a wrap provider to secure the financial backing for a stalled online searchable database of fee based...

Building returns.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Geordie Clarke Structured products Morgan Stanley has brought a quartet of structured products to the market that invest in a range of assets, including infrastructure. The Infrastructure Protected Growth Plan 2, Asia ex...

Triple play.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Geordie Clarke Structured products Falling property values and a downturn in the market are being seen as an opportunity for Arc Capital & Income with its trio of new structured products. The Bull & Bear Enhanced Plan 5,...

Seven life offices not applying MVRs.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Gareth Shaw Returns hold up despite more companies applying reductions EXCLUSIVE: Only seven life offices are not currently levying a market value reduction (MVR) on with profits bonds, Money Management has discovered. At...

Rating the ratings.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Joe McGrath Many advisers will only recommend a fund with a AAA rating. Does this provide any greater performance, asks Joe McGrath? If ever there was a time that greater insight was needed to justify investment decisions, it...

With profits bonds results.(Survey)
December 1, 2008... Byline: Gareth Shaw With markets tumbling, can with profits bonds still be regarded as a safe investment option? The recent reintroduction of MVRs has added to their woes, but it's not all bad news, finds Gareth Shaw Another month goes...

Coping with inflation.
December 1, 2008... Byline: John Chapman Rising prices and higher longevity are presenting retired people with both short and long term problems, reports John Chapman Pensioners in particular have suffered from surges earlier this year in food and fuel...

Tax spotlight - Nil rate band planning.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Marcia Banner Marcia Banner of Clerical Medical looks at why lifetime planning continues to be a fundamental estate planning step for married couples and civil partners, despite the introduction of a transferable nil rate band ...

Absolute promises.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Geordie Clarke The prospect of earning cash plus returns in falling markets is attractive. Absolute return funds claim to do this, but is it always possible, asks Geordie Clarke? It is hard to ignore the interest that has...

Diary of a disaster - Part II.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Lindsey White A round up of key events in the global financial crisis As worldwide economic conditions worsen, Money Management tracks the major market changes. 17 October 2008: Following the worst week in its history, the...

MetLife to sponsor 2009 MM IFA awards.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Lindsey White MM is delighted to announce that MetLife will be sponsoring the overall award for the 2009 Financial Planner of the Year Awards. The insurer was also a sponsor of this year's competition. MetLife chief executive...

Pensions spotlight - How harsh is the future retirement reality?
December 1, 2008... Byline: John Chapman Future retirement income will depend not only on demographic change, but on the economy, governments, employers, product providers and individuals, says John Chapman The demographic crisis is worldwide, and it is...

Platforms Olympics.
December 1, 2008... Byline: Clive Waller Are we watching the finals of the platform race, or merely the first heats? Clive Waller, senior partner at CWC Research, looks potential winners and losers There is an assumption in the personal finance industry...