Marketplace lending: How the industry is dealing with securitisation – and does having skin in the game really matter? April 12, 2016 If you've watched The Big Short, you’ll be able to call to mind a securitisation cheat sheet: big financial institutions – investment banks, quasi-government agencies – bundle together hundreds of loans, then issue bonds to investors, using those assets as backing. In the alternative lending industry, securitisation is an exciting word for some, and a dirty one for [...]
“Closet indexer” fund managers help drive exchange-traded fund market to record levels in Europe as assets invested globally top $3 trillion April 12, 2016 Assets invested in exchange-traded funds and products listed in Europe reached record levels at the end of the first quarter in 2016. Preliminary figures from ETFGI shows $522bn (£366bn) was invested in the funds at the end of March. The market also saw its 18th consecutive month of net inflows, totalling $5.11bn. The data also showed [...]
UK pensions trends: FTSE 100 defined benefit pension schemes are increasingly bolstered by bonds April 11, 2016 FTSE 100 companies now hold a record £315bn worth of bonds across their defined benefit (DB) pension pots, research released today has found. According to the study by JLT Employee Benefits, FTSE 100 companies increased the value of bonds they held in their DB pension scheme assets by roughly £25bn over the year to the end of September [...]
City watchdog reminds firms managing funds to watch their language in customer communications April 7, 2016 Firms managing funds must be careful to make sure their product descriptions are clear and free of jargon, the results of a review published today show. The review by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) found that, while the majority of the firms it studied in its sample were investing in line with the strategy they [...]
From unicorns to cockroaches: Alejandro Cremades on why the startup funding landscape is about to change April 7, 2016 The funding landscape for small businesses in the United States is about to change significantly. Next month, the Jobs Act Title III – the regulation that will give non-accredited investors (people making under $200,000 a year or with a net worth of under $1m excluding their primary residence) the opportunity to invest in startup companies [...]
Steel crisis: Why is everybody suddenly so fascinated by pension pots? April 6, 2016 The ongoing steel crisis has brought to the forefront not only questions about the UK's dwindling manufacturing industry but also worries about just how some of the country's biggest pensions commitments can be funded. So, the steel workers haven't been topping up their pension pots? Not exactly. Tata Steel's workers are members of the British Steel [...]
From the new state pension to the new lifetime allowance: Here’s everything you need to know about three pension changes taking place today April 6, 2016 Callooh, callay: it's the day a raft of changes to the pensions regime come into force. A week after the last tranche came into effect. Yep – on top of pension freedoms and various Isas, chancellor George Osborne has decided to make even more changes to the system. Confused? From the new state pension to the lifetime allowance, here's [...]
Recently launched Research Tree raises £450,000 in second funding round from investors including Liberum April 6, 2016 A recently launched investment research firm has today unveiled plans for expansion after raising £450,000 in a second funding round – and is hoping to attract more private investors to use the service. Research Tree, which was established by former equity research analyst Rob Mundy, began operations last month. The company provides investment research from 20 different [...]
Women face retirement poverty: The feminisation of poverty means more older females live below the breadline April 6, 2016 Females are losing out when it comes to having a decent retirement and need to plan better to avoid poverty in old age. The pay gap, taking time off to have children and the fact greater numbers of women work part-time are all part of the problem. Read more: Three charts that show if you can [...]
Cummings leaves TheCityUK for Investment Association top job April 5, 2016 The Investment Association (IA), which represents managers who handle upwards of £5.5 trillion, has recruited TheCityUK boss Chris Cummings as its new chief executive, following a six month search. Cummings will fill the void left by the departure of former IA chief Daniel Godfrey, who stepped down after a row with the groups members. “I [...]