A poor start for consumer stocks has led the FTSE 100 into negative territory this morning, with the index down 3.66 points, or 0.08%, to 4,478.59 by 8:45am.

Novia is responding to demand from advisers by making a number of structured product providers available on its online platform.

The Dow Jones has fallen 18.56 points (0.22%) to 8485.52 following alarming US housing starts data.

Royal Bank of Scotland has launched two 5-year structured products that provide 100% capital protection and are actively managed to invest in markets while they are rising and reduce exposure when they trend downward.

Financial advisers are being warned they may face imprisonment if they do business with any one of the thousands of individuals currently on a Government blacklist, which include some linked to terrorist funding.

Charles Deptford is to join Smith & Williamson Investment Management on 3 June as a manager on the S&W Enterprise fund and as lead manager the group's UK Special Situations and UK Equity Growth funds.

The cost of the average fixed-rate deal has risen in the last month, with borrowers requesting longer term deals hit the hardest, according to Moneyfacts.

FSA proposals which would allow old mis-selling costs to be paid for out of with-profits policyholders funds were branded "a backward step" today, just three days before the end of a consultation on the plans.

Fidelity FundsNetwork has adopted Morningstar's qualitative fund research to allow the fund supermarket's users access to independent fund analysis.

IFAonline.co.uk's sister title Professional Adviser is undertaking a survey on the use of structured products in the market.