LV= has reduced charges on its self-invested personal pensions (SIPPs) worth between £350,000 and £1m from 35 to 20 basis points (bps), a decrease of more than 40%.

Average growth of IFAs will be 4% in 2013 according to a new report, but companies should be careful to retain profitability as they expand, an analyst said.

National wealth manager, Bellpenny, has acquired Monmouthshire Independent Financial Advisers (MIFA), a subsidiary of Monmouthshire Building Society.

Simon Brunt has been appointed chief financial officer (CFO) at Intrinsic Financial Services.

Nick Kirwan has joined the executive team of the Income Protection Task Force.

Banks are likely to 'continue to hide' their charges leaving independent and restricted whole of market advisers at a disadvantage, said the director of Wingate Financial Planning.

Lloyds Banking Group has announced it is to axe 170 roles within the retail division.

A former sales trader at Legal & General's investment management arm and a broker are the latest defendants to face charges in the Financial Services Authority's (FSA) biggest insider-trading investigation.

CLIENT BASE

Investment companies should look to reduce the number of active funds they offer, according to AWD Chase De Vere following in-house research showing underperfomance in all but one key sector.