United Kingdom
FSCS denies compensation on capital-at-risk Lehman products
The UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme has concluded that the marketing material for Lehman Brothers's capital-at-risk products was adequate and appropriate
UK businesses relieved over CRC’s dumping of carbon trade
Government plans to dump the cap-and-trade element of the UK Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) will ease risks for participating companies
Scor eyes UK pension funds’ longevity risk
Reinsurer Scor becomes the latest firm to enter the longevity arena
UK restructure could create scary superpower
UK restructure could create scary superpower
UK structured products stuck on repeat
An unfavourable pricing environment and investor caution is resulting in a series of familiar structures in the UK market. A few variations in underlying are evident but all come back to income
PPF offers potential £80 billion boost to longevity market
UK’s PPF is open to longevity derisking – at the right price
The UK revamp: What will get lost in the shuffle?
A new fraud-fighting body is being created as part of the UK government’s shake-up of financial regulation. Some welcome the proposed Economic Crime Agency, saying its integrated approach is just what is needed. Others worry valuable aspects of the old…
Market snapshot
The sale of structured products in the US has increased by around 36% in June and July. In the UK, the market in the same two months was characterised by the continuing dominance of capital-at-risk products.
FVC Custom Indexes
US and UK benchmark indexes declined sharply in June but recovered their losses in July, while the FVC’s global protected index recorded a rise in June
Global pension funds on the hunt for new custodians
Requests for proposals from continental Europe soar says JP Morgan pensions expert
Private placement structured products boosted by retail mandates
The use of structured products by discretionaries who are managing money on behalf of retail advisers has helped the private placement market continue growing.
The FSA's Retail Distribution Review: What price retail advice?
What price advice?
RBC Wealth Management creates new private client division in the UK
Philip Harris is to head the newly created Private Client Wealth Management team as RBC continues to build on its platform in the UK
Investec launches boutique subsidiary to target wealth managers
Investec unveils its first boutique products aimed at the wealth and discretionary management market
UK Treasury regulatory reform paper hints at potential industry costs
More details emerge on how the new regulatory regime in the UK will be structured
Barclays offers choice of barriers
Barrier picking
ETF issuers confirm tax status
ETF providers in the UK are busy confirming their distributor status, which will allow investors to pay capital gains rather than income tax
Lookback: The Which way
An irreverent take on events of the last month, including the Which confusion over structured products, ETF trading, S&P's benchmarks, a Swiss preference for capital protection and more capital gains tax in the UK
FVC custom indexes
The three FVC indexes fell between April and May 2010, mirroring the falls in the market’s benchmark indexes
Locking in principal protection
Merchant Capital is offering UK investors an at-risk growth product linked that locks in capital protection should the daily closing be at or above 110% of the initial level. Morgan Stanley is the issuer.
UK Wrap: Vanilla repeats rule the roost
Among the few products launched in the UK during the past two weeks, the popularity of the FTSE 100 is continuing as investors remain nervous
Incapital acquires Blue Sky Asset Management
US investment bank and structured products specialist Incapital will takeover UK distributor Blue Sky Asset Management. Blue Sky's book of plans will be subsumed into Incapital Europe