FTAdviser.com

Advisers up calls for greater transparency

Story by: Anna Lawlor and Richard Roberts, Investment Adviser

Structured product providers face increased pressure to reveal their counterparties after financial advisers raised concerns about plans backed by Lehman Brothers and AIG.

• Time published: 00:01
• Date published: 22.09.2008
• Published in: Investments

Deutsche Bank reports mixed bag for ETFs

A recent report by Deutsche Bank on the exchange traded funds sector shows diverse trends in their turnover, volume and popularity.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

SPA ETF signs Portuguese deal

SPA ETF, the exchange traded funds provider, has signed an agreement to list and distribute the first-ever ETF in Portugal.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Mackaness joins Threadneedle from Axa Real Estate

Peter Mackaness has joined Threadneedle’s property team as an investment specialist.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

RWC puts finishing touches to Asia Ascent fund

Fund will be Asia-focued Ucits III offering and has explicit target of outperforming index

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Neil Fung-On joins BDO Stoy Hayward as specialist partner

BDO Stoy Hayward has named Neil Fung-On as a new investment management partner for its financial services group.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Baillie Gifford appoints trio to fixed income team

Baillie Gifford has made three new appointments to its fixed income team.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Invesco PowerShares launches two ETFS

Invesco PowerShares has launched two new ETFs on the London Stock Exchange focused on companies active in Japan and the agricultural-related sector.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Skandia launches research-rated Core Fund range

Range consists of 275 funds with more than 50 analysts and managers monitoring funds

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Research shows consumer satisfaction with Unbiased

Satisfaction levels among consumers who meet with an independent financial adviser after using Unbiased.co.uk’s “Find an IFA” service are at record levels, according to research published by the company last week.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

IFG Group announces merger of IPS and PAL

Financial services group IFG Group has announced the merger of its Sipp and SSAS provider companies, IPS Actuarial Services and the PAL Partnership.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Invesco's Woodford to take top job at Edinburgh after clash with Fidelity

Head of specialist funds at Invesco Perpetual, Graeme Proudfoot, pledges 'one fund - one manager' working practice

• Date published: 22.09.2008

New group Samena seeks managers in India and China

A new investment group hopes to acquire fund managers in India, China and Asia and launch its own range of collective funds investing in the Subcontinent, Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

IFA Reaction: Structured products

The IMA's warning to investors last week over the transparency of some structured products has led to a welter of complaints from the industry. Imran Khan asked seven leading IFAs about the vehicles

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Hexam urges investors to embrace Russian opportunities and bag bargain of the century

Hexam manager maintains Russia sound and fundamentally attractive despite Georgian conflict

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Walker Crips to soft close UK High Alpha fund

Walker Crips has announced that it will soft close its UK High Alpha fund to new investors at the end of October following a "surge of interest".

• Date published: 22.09.2008

RCM criticises Lehmans chiefs

Chief investment officer for Europe predicts more regulation in wake of collapse of the Lehman Brothers banking empire

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Axa and Aegon add to Fidelity fund range

Axa Wealth Management and Aegon have both added to the range of Fidelity funds on their life and pensions and offshore bond range.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

JP Morgan Income & Growth reports increased investment losses

JPMorgan Income & Growth Investment trust reported increased investment losses at fair value of £9.75m in its interim results, which it blamed on poor performance in a poor market.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Jupiter hails Pitchwell as post-tax profits up

Jupiter's Primadona Growth trust subsidiary Pitchwell was the main driver in boosting the trust’s post-tax profits by 25.6 per cent to more than £1.5m in its preliminary results according to the group's latest results.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Morningstar increases Europe fund research team

Morningstar has expanded its European fund research team to 28 in total, in its latest effort to boost qualitative research offerings and capability across Europe.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Barings enters Korean market with office in Seoul

Baring Asset Management has taken its first step to expand into the Korean market by opening a new sales office in Seoul and by making a number of appointments.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Mashreqbank launches new Arab Tigers fund

Mashreq Arab Tigers fund will primarily target stock markets in Middle East region

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Aviva makes Allen head of global equities ahead of launch

Aviva Investors will launch on 29 September and will group nine businesses under on brand

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Julius Baer launches luxury brands fund

Swiss manager's new UK vehicle aims to capitalise on crunch-proof spending of the rich

• Date published: 22.09.2008

IMA calls for financial early warning system

The IMA has called for a financial stability legislative committee, chaired by the Bank of England, to be set up as an early-warning system for shortcomings in the special resolution regime. But it has also welcomed the proposals to set up the new regime.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Merrill Lynch rescue 'good for BlackRock'

Merrill Lynch says distribution deal still in place after Bank of America's $50bn share swap deal

• Date published: 22.09.2008

TEPs offer 'safe haven' for investors

Investors should consider Traded Endowment Policies to avoid market turbulence caused by the collapse of banks such as Lehman Brothers, according to the Protected Asset TEP fund.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Primary fund dips below $1

Lehmans collapse blamed for fund 'breaking the buck'

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Jenkins blasts regulators over structured products

The IMA chairman Robert Jenkins accused regulators of being ‘asleep at the watch’ over the risk to investors of structured products.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Allowing AIG to fail was too big a risk, claims F&C's Niven

Beleagered insurance giant forced to accept $85bn loan in return for US government taking 79.9% stake but goverment has right to veto dividend payments in the future

• Date published: 22.09.2008

OPM cuts cash positions in £18m Balanced Managed fund

Team cuts cash holdings from 15% down to less than 5% looking to spread out investments and top up on bullish themes

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Traded life policies gaining favour with IFAs, says Managing Partners

The popularity of traded life policies is gaining momentum among IFAs according to a new survey by Managing Partners.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Merrill Lynch survey indicates slump in manager confidence

Fund manager confidence has slumped with six out of ten now expecting a recession within the next 12 months, according to Merrill Lynch's latest fund manager survey.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Heartwood poaches Scott Ingham from Rothschild

Heartwood Wealth Management has revealed that Rothschild Private Banking and Trust director Scott Ingham will join the company as an investment director next month.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

New Earth fund raises £4m since July launch

The New Earth Solutions Recycling Facilities Investment sub-fund has raised £4m since launching in July this year.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Talisman issues delisting denial

Talisman First VCT had to deny that it planned to delist from the FTSE All-Share index after a listing error caused its share price to fluctuate.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

F&C expands title to fit its broader ambitions

F&C is renaming its £202.5m European fund the F&C European Growth & Income fund.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Report predicts massive job losses over next year

IFAs have given mixed reactions to the prospect of savage job losses in financial services over the next 12 months.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Henderson predicts more volatility in US financials

Volatility in the US financials sector is likely to continue, but the long-term survivors are becoming easier to spot, according to Nicholas Cowley, manager of the Henderson Horizon American Equity fund.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

SWIP's Harries says long/short equities managers are ones to watch

Long/short equities managers are the main contenders to ride out the current financial storm according to Mark Harries, head of multi-manager at Swip.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Arch Group launches third Africa fund

The Africa Private Markets Focus IC has already returned 2.75% to date and will target annual returns of 20%

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Look for safe havens, urges Lawery

FT Fund Links conference hears Jupiter chief tell multi-managers to abandon diversification

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Standard Chartered looks for policies to prevent meltdown

In its monthly synopsis of economic and financial markets development, Standard Chartered believes there should be "proactive policy responses" in place to prevent a financial meltdown.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Lloyds TSB secures the future of HBOS

The Financial Services Authority has backed UK retail bank HBOS following the announcement of its £12bn merger with rival bank Lloyds TSB.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Architas gears up for full launch with appointments

Architas, Axa’s new multi-manager business, is set to add four to six new key appointments as it gears up for full launch by the end of the year.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

London Capital rolls out second tranche of Rainbow plan

Asset manager London & Capital has announced the launch of a second tranche of its Multi-Asset Rainbow plan following the success of the first.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Towry's Fisher hails TCF as 'fabulous'

TCF will eventually create a very powerful regulator, claims IFA chief executive

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Kynge predicts China entering new cycle

While China’s economy may be slowing markedly, the government will respond swiftly and spur growth over the next 12-18 months, according to James Kynge, author of the award-winning book China Shakes the World.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Delegates look forward to summer respite

For author and journalist James Kynge it was the rise of pawnbrokers in Shanghai; and for Richard Lambert, director-general of the CBI, it was the increase in sales of mince and potatoes. Everyone, it seems, had their own original barometers for the state of the economy.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Credit crunch is part of the solution, claims Dumas

What US financial markets need is tough love, says Lombard Street Research expert

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Top managers urge investors to sit tight and avoid panicked selling or buying

Investors would do best to sit tight with their investments and avoid any panicked selling or buying during the current market, according to two leading multi-managers.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

CBI boss predicts BoE could bring rates down to 4% by next summer

Lambert says pace of inflation will slow rapidly due to falling gas and oil prices

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Stellar launches Albania fund after Baltic success story

Stellar Albanian fund will be used to acquire land set aside for rsidential property in capital, Tirana

• Date published: 22.09.2008

China investors must wait for rally, claims Ashburton

Investors in China holding their breath for a market rally may have to wait a little longer, and while inflation tumbles, this will ultimately be a long-term positive, according to Ashburton Investment Managers.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Clare Harvey joins Brooks Macdonald

Brooks Macdonald Asset Management has appointed Clare Harvey as its new private client investment manager.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Retirement market needs guidance, says Columbus

Survey shows many retirees unconcerned by current financial malaise

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Aima warns on shorting regulation

Association claims attempts to limit volatility will have opposite effect

• Date published: 22.09.2008

L&G report urges four key regulatory initiatives

Equity markets need four "key" regulatory and market-led initiatives to stage a recovery and return to normality, according to the latest report from Legal & General Investment Management.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Climate of fear abounds: Aberdeen

Market volatility and the current troubles faced by leading financial institutions in the US and UK have created an atmosphere of “fear” and “mistrust”, according to Aberdeen Asset Management.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Russian oil outpaced by demand for gas

Russia presents attractive opportunities for investors in energy equities and, at first glance, oil companies there are cheap for good reason, according to a report by Lombard Odier.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

S&P adds two funds to multi-manager sector

Credit rating agency Standard & Poor’s Fund Services has added two funds to its asset allocation sector covering multi-manager products.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

IFAs give guarded welcome to Lloyds TSB HBOS deal

Advisers give mixed reactions to possible effects merger will have on both banks' fund ranges

• Date published: 22.09.2008

FundsNetwork launches training website

Fidelity FundsNetwork has launched a dedicated training website as part of its Platform for Learning programme.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Commercial property prices to be published by Reita

Trade body plans to release monthly UK figures after repeated requests from investors

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Impax aims for retail with Leaders fund

Environmental fund specialist Impax Asset Management is targeting the retail market with its new £2.7m IFSL Impax Environmental Leaders fund, launched in March this year.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Managers predict good year for European market

A survey by Lazard Asset Management found that 63 per cent of investment managers expect European ex UK market to rise over the next 12 months.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Short selling ban leads to share price rebound

Securities and Exchange Commission bans naked short selling and imposes tough penalties for abuse

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Credit Suisse to launch retail hedge tracker

Credit Suisse is due to launch the first UK-investable hedge fund index tracker aimed at retail investors in the next six weeks.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

IFAs more willing to embrace change, says ifs

Advisers are taking seriously the calls for stricter professionalism, according to the ifs School of Finance.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Rare distinction for Brewin Dolphin trainee manager

Brewin Dolphin trainee investment manager Ken Oiwa was one of two people in the UK to gain a distinction in the Securities and Investment Institute’s portfolio construction theory exam.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Markets bounce back on freaky Friday

Curb on short selling and rumours of banks' rescue deal send FTSE toward its biggest daily rise since 1987

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Morse urges caution over market cross over

Sam Morse, manager of the Fidelity MoneyBuilder Growth fund, says investors should be cautious about a “cross over” in the market.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Nucleus signs 30th member firm for 2008

Nucleus, the IFA-owned wrap platform, has signed up its 30th member firm for 2008.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Skills should top agenda, says CII's Thomson

David Thomson, director of policy and public affairs at the CII, is lobbying for work skills to stay top of the political agenda at both the Labour and Conservative party conferences.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Asia well positioned to take advantage of credit crunch, says Aberdeen

Hugh Young, managing director at Aberdeen Asset Management Asia, said Asia was very well positioned to take advantage of the credit crunch.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

CFPs top 1500, says PFs

The number of chartered financial planners has topped the 1500 mark, according to the Personal Finance Society.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Ward urges proper plan for failed asset buys

Simon Ward, chief economist at New Star, says proposed plans for a vehicle to buy “so-called failed assets” will have to be thought out properly.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

RLAM trust takes neutral weighting in banks and insurers

Having been underweight in both banks and insurers all year, Kevin Lilley, manager of Royal London Asset Management's £194m European Growth trust, went to a neutral weighting in both areas last week.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Laven MD describes short selling as legitimate

Jérôme de Lavenère Lussan, managing partner at Laven Partners, said the response by the FSA to short-selling highlights the huge uncertainty surrounding the current financial crisis.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Pair charged with 17 counts of insider trading

Two men were charged with 17 counts of insider trading last week at the City of Westminster Magistrates Court.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Lowes and Way join to launch UK market assault

Beijing-based Lowes Wealth Management is partnering with Way Fund Managers to make an assault on the UK market with the launch of the Elite LVM East-West Value fund.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Premier Cru uncorks wine fund

Premier Cru is to launch a fine wine fund aimed at investors seeking a safe harbour away from the turbulent equity markets.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

James Hay reports increase in pension cash allocations

Sipp provider James Hay reported that pension plan holders are shifting greater sums to cash as market volatility continues.

• Date published: 22.09.2008

ETF looks forward to trading after suspension

Trading was suspended over backing by embattled insurer AIG, which received $85bn US goverment loan

• Date published: 22.09.2008

Credit crunch needed to correct US system's woes: Lombard

The credit crunch, far from being a problem, is actually part of the solution to many of the US financial system's current woes, claims Charles Dumas, head of the world service at Lombard Street Research.

• Date published: 17.09.2008

FT Fund Links Forum: China entering "completely new cycle"

While China's economy may be slowing markedly, the government will respond swiftly and spur growth over the next 12-18 months, according to James Kynge, author of the award-winning book China Shakes the World.

• Date published: 17.09.2008