Buckles, Wales' largest IFA, has purchased Wigan-based Mortgages Pensions & Investments, as its expansion strategy built on acquiring the businesses of retiring IFAs gathers momentum.

An IFA comparison website giving advisers detailed data on other firms in their area - including client profiles and charging structures - has launched.

Novia has linked up with wealth manager London & Capital to offer 10 actively-managed portfolios.

Cofunds has launched its personal pension plan after completing its testing stage.

Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP) has appointed Francis Ghiloni as head of group partnerships.

MetLife is launching free online revision sessions for advisers taking exams on pension income.

Transact has cut its annual and switch charges and applied a new single rate for users.

Portals are seeing strong growth in transactions as they realign their roles to support distributors' ecommerce programmes in the run up to the RDR, says AT8 Group.

Regulatory Legal says adviser inertia threatens to derail its campaign to mount a judicial review into the FSCS's decision to increase levies to meet the £70m costs of failed Keydata.

Greece has said it exceeded budget revenue targets last month - earning the country some respite amid the ongoing fallout from its spiralling debt crisis.