A former adviser at NHFA has launched a stiff defence of the advice given - and products sold - by most of his ex-colleagues after parent company HSBC was fined £10.5m for mis-selling investment bonds to the elderly.

A Channel Islands-listed fund which held "substantial" assets with failed broker MF Global UK Limited has ceased trading.

Insurance brokers and life companies will attempt to cross-sell to existing customers in order to compensate for "downbeat" market conditions in 2012, research suggests.

Advisers have expressed concern at the rise in popularity of 'short ETFs' - products designed to track the inverse price of an index or underlying asset.

A trial date for the recovery of assets of Joe Ezaz, the former senior partner of a law firm who is accused of misappopriating €9.8m of investors' cash in the Stirling Mortimer Global Property fund, has been set.

IFAonline gives its breakdown of five things your clients may have read in the nationals. This week: Absolute return funds come under the microscope, there's mixed news on the High Street, and one paper tips wine as a possible money-spinner for consumers...

Prudential have announced that chairman Harvey McGrath is to retire from the board of directors in 2012 once a successor has been found.

The Money Advice Service (MAS) has launched a review into the educational work of the financial services industry to encourage greater understanding of money among young people in the UK.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has appointed the permanent secretary at the Department of Transport chief executive officer of the service.

A former Nursing Home Fees Agency (NHFA) adviser has scoffed at banking giant HSBC's attempts to distance itself from a mis-selling scandal which led to almost 2,500 pensioners being sold unsuitable investment bonds.