Latest News
The role of Fixed Income in supporting efficient MPS diversification
Join us for our next live webinar where we’ll be looking into Fixed Income investments along with our expert panellists from Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM). In particular, we’ll be looking at how Fixed Income can be used as an efficient and effective...
Aegon : Latest Retirement Income Data shows criticality of Advice Guidance Boundary Review to ‘at retirement’ clients
Steven Cameron, Pensions Director at Aegon comments following the latest FCA Retirement Income Market Data. He said: “The latest FCA Retirement Income Market Data shows just how critical it is that the Advice Guidance Boundary Review focusses on plugging the support...
Dudley Building Society reduces mortgage rates by up to 0.35%
Dudley Building Society has reduced rates on a selection of its fixed and discounted rate Expat and Self-Build mortgages. Two-year fixed expat residential mortgage rates now start at 6.45% for loans up to 60% LTV and from 6.55% for loans up to 85% LTV. Two-year...
CFA Institute research: challenges of climate-related data in the investment process
As we celebrate World Earth Day today, it reminds us that obtaining comprehensive, reliable, and comparable climate-related data is challenging for investors striving to understand and assess the investment risks and opportunities posed by climate change. That's...
Business & Development
New co-presidents appointed to CISI Scotland committee
The CISI is delighted to announce that Jonathan Gibson, CFP™ Chartered FCSI, and Shaid Moughal ACSI are the new co-presidents for...
Anti-greenwashing: UK firms gearing up for new rules and guidance
As we celebrate World Earth Day, Jessica Reed, Partner, and Edward Twigger, Associate at Farrer & Co LLP, look ahead and into some of...
The CISI and Evertreen partner to plant trees and build a sustainable future
In a significant step towards environmental sustainability, charity and global professional membership body, the CISI (the Chartered...
Can plastics transform? What plastic-intensive industries can learn from leaders in the low carbon transition: Morningstar Sustainalytics
As we celebrate World Earth Day today, and its theme of 'Planet vs. Plastics', Pustav Joshi, Associate Director, Climate Solutions,...
Probate delays surge – a 65% rise in year-long cases unveiled by Quilter FoI data analysis
New analysis of Freedom of Information (FoI) data obtained from the Ministry of Justice by Quilter has found that the number of probate...
Economy
Strong US CPI inflation rules out a June interest rate cut: latest analysis from Close Bros AM
With the market now pricing in 1-2 interest rate cuts by the Fed this year, and top US central bank officials including Fed Chair Jay...
UK inflation down to 3.2% – but what does it mean for interest rates? Analysis from across the industry
This morning, the Office for National Statistics has reported the latest UK CPI inflation data, showing that prices rose by 3.2% during...
Disappointment as US inflation rises to 3.5% – but what does this mean for interest rates and markets?
Yet again it seems that market expectations have been dashed with the March US CPI inflation data coming in at 3.5% compared to...
FCA finds many still struggling with cost of living – the industry reacts
New research from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has found that while many are struggling to meet financial commitments, the...
Invesco: When will central banks cut interest rates?
Written by Kristina Hooper, Chief Global Market Strategist, Invesco Key Takeaways: When will cuts start? Perceptions change with each new...
Insurance and protection
LifeSearch Protection Awards 2024: Winners revealed
Legal & General was the biggest winner at the LifeSearch Awards today (17th of April). Voted for by ‘Searcher advisers, they took home...
I&P Podcast #3: Family Income Benefit – an under-advised protection product with Shelley Read, Royal London
This week we will be taking a look at a much under-advised protection product, Family Income Benefit (FIB). Protection planning, can at...
2023 another record year for group risk market – Swiss Re
The UK group risk market saw another record year of growth in 2023, according to Swiss Re’s annual Group Watch report published today. The...
Dentists’ Provident delivers resilient performance in challenging market
The 2023 annual report from Dentists’ Provident, a leading income protection provider for dental professionals, shows that the Society,...
Expert answers burning home insurance questions searched by 140,000+ Brits
Following a 36% surge in home insurance premiums, new research has revealed that confusion around home insurance - including costs -...
Mortgage & Property
Dudley Building Society reduces mortgage rates by up to 0.35%
Dudley Building Society has reduced rates on a selection of its fixed and discounted rate Expat and Self-Build mortgages. Two-year fixed expat residential mortgage rates now start at 6.45% for loans up to 60% LTV and from 6.55% for loans up to 85% LTV. Two-year...
Legal & General Ignite: Market activity robust in March but buyers’ needs remain complex
The latest data from Legal & General Ignite, the free mortgage research and sourcing platform, shows that UK mortgage market activity remained robust throughout March despite ongoing economic headwinds. This was driven by resilient pockets of demand, particularly...
Amendment to Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill to ‘water down’ ground rents proposals
Significant potential changes to the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Bill were reported over the weekend, which will effectively ‘water down’ the Bill. The Bill proposed to reduce the ground rents to ‘a peppercorn’ (ie zero) which led to resistance from the Treasury due...
Buy-to-let product availability shows signs of stability
Buy-to-let product availability is showing signs of stability, according to the latest analysis by Moneyfactscompare.co.uk. Overall buy-to-let product availability (fixed and variable) rose month-on-month, albeit marginally (39 deals). This comes after a reduction in...
BSA calls for radical change to fix broken housing market
A new report from the Building Societies Association (BSA) has found that significant changes are required if we are to help prospective first-time buyers get onto the property ladder in the current housing market. It also warns that policy solutions that help today’s...
Atom bank launches Near Prime products and reduces rates on
Near Prime rates reduced by up to 0.30 percentage points New three-year fixed rate products introduced Atom bank, the UK’s first app-based bank, has announced it is reducing the interest rates on its Near Prime range, as it continues to offer value to underserved...
Regulation & Compliance
‘Big Tech a priority’ says FCA Chief Executive
In a speech delivered today, the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Chief Executive Nikhil Rathi announced the regulator's plans to...
Advisers ‘complacent’ on decumulation approach in light of thematic review, finds Copia
New research from Copia Capital in conjunction with the lang cat reveals that at the start of this year, just one in five advice firms...
It’s time to level the playing field: Here’s why the APCC wanted to expand the Skilled Person Panel
Richard Farr, Working Group Chair at The Association of Professional Compliance Consultants (APCC) discusses why the APCC has worked to...
How wealth managers should handle FCA’s new Consumer Duty
Written by Rachael Rowe, RVP for Financial Services at Seismic How wealth managers should handle FCA’s new Consumer Duty Rachael Rowe, RVP...
Improving picture for personal finances, but many still struggling finds FCA
New research from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has found that while many are struggling to meet financial commitments, the...
Digest
New research reveals the Top Financial Concerns Driving Half the UK’s Wealthy to Consider Moving Abroad
New research conducted by private and commercial bank, Arbuthnot Latham has revealed that 81% of the UK’s most affluent individuals are stressed about their finances, indicating that financial wellbeing is about more than just the totality of your wealth. But what...
Cyber attack surge is “Tip of Iceberg”, expert warns
New figures showing a surge in cyber-attacks on businesses are just the “tip of the iceberg”, a leading expert has revealed. Government data shows 50% of companies have experienced a breach or attack in the past year. But Roy Shelton, CEO of the Connectus...
UK businesses record a 55% increase in sick leave
New analysis of over 1,700 businesses has revealed that the average business has seen a sharp rise in sick leave - with 55 percent more days lost in the last four years due to short and long-term illness. The Sick Leave Report 2024, conducted by HR systems...
Financial expert comments on Brits methods of obtaining financial freedom
Amid reports that more than half of adults in the UK claim their financial situation has worsened in the last year, the concept of “financial freedom” has soared with 91.8 million views on TikTok.1,2 With this in mind, the investment experts at Oxford Capital surveyed...
House prices skyrocket at faster rate than wages in these English areas
The London Borough of Barking and Dagenham is the area of England where homeownership affordability has fallen most in the last 10 years, with house prices more than doubling to £380,000 and wages only rising by £2,182. Another London borough, Hillingdon, ranked...
Santander offers free four-year Railcard freebie for new current account customers
From today, customers aged between 20 to 25 can get a free four-year Santander Railcard when they open any Santander current account before 30 April 2024. The Santander Railcard gives card holders a third off train travel across England, Scotland, Wales, and the...
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