FCA: Banks will need to appoint a whistleblowing champion from next year October 6, 2015 City financial firms will now be required have a whistleblowing champion to present an annual whistle blowing report, according new rules published today by the UK’s financial watchdog. The new whistleblowing champions, who must be a senior manager, will be responsible for internal whistleblowing arrangements and must be able to handle all types of disclosure from [...]
Brooks Macdonald, Capita, Tesco: Best of the Brokers for 6 October 2015 October 6, 2015 To appear in Best of the Brokers, email your research to notes@cityam.com BROOKS MACDONALD I want to grow old with you, was Shore Capital’s message for Aim-listed wealth manager Brooks Macdonald. The broker maintained its “buy” rating and upgraded its fair price to 2,075p from 1,875p on the strength of its full-year results, citing [...]
City Moves for 6 October 2015 | Who’s switching jobs October 5, 2015 ETF SECURITIES The provider of exchange traded products has appointed James Butterfill as head of research & investment strategy. Based in London, he will report direct to Mark Weeks, the firm’s chief executive officer. Prior to joining ETF Securities, Butterfill worked at HSBC, and most recently at Coutts, as a multi-asset fund manager and global [...]
As George Osborne poaches policy from the opposition, have the Tories now won the centre ground? October 5, 2015 Laura Swire, director at Hanover Communications, says Yes George Osborne not only parked his tank on Labour’s lawn; he disembarked, helped himself to their porridge and then settled himself into bed. Labour has spent months telling the nation (the parts of it on Twitter anyway) that anybody who believes in prudent financial management or a [...]
Shared Ownership Week: So what is it anyway? October 5, 2015 Like the sound of Shared Ownership, but not sure how it works? Katie Bond, director of housing association Notting Hill Home Ownership (NHHO), is here to set the record straight for Shared Ownership Week (5-11 October). What is a Shared Ownership scheme and who is it meant to help? Shared Ownership is where you [...]
Pensions jargon busted: Your guide to the experts’ complex lingo October 5, 2015 Six months on from the landmark pensions changes, and one thing hasn't changed: Pensions jargon is as complex as ever. From benefit crystallisation events to annuities and LTAs, here is our simple guide to the experts’ language. Annuity An annuity is an insurance product, purchased to ensure a guaranteed income from retirement [...]
The best a dog can get: Your quick guide to pet insurance October 5, 2015 The average pet insurance claim is £679, and for dog owners it’s even higher at £683. But with only 20 per cent of pets insured, it’s clear insurance is not at the top of the priority list for most animal lovers. Even if an owner has savings which could cover a pet’s illness, insurance [...]
Breaking the Bank: What will rising UK interest rates mean for P2P lending? October 5, 2015 The Bank of England will soon need to rediscover the use of its trigger finger and fire the starting gun on interest rate rises. Still expected to be slow and steady, tightening policy after nearly seven years of ultra cheap money will nevertheless have a sizeable impact on everything and everyone, pushing up borrowing costs [...]
Paying the professionals: Do I need a wealth manager? October 5, 2015 Annabelle Williams explains when it’s worth enlisting the help of a professional Getting your affairs in order is complicated and many people will have considered enlisting the services of a wealth manager, either on an ad-hoc or more permanent basis. But when do you need one, and what should you sort out first? DO [...]
Pensions reform: Lump sums don’t mean Lamborghinis as Britain’s savers are still being prudent October 5, 2015 Pensioners were expected to be buying up Lamborghinis in droves this summer, after landmark pension freedoms came into effect in April. The new system allows people over 55 to take some – or even all – of their pension as a lump sum. It wipes away old restrictions which only let retirees have a [...]