AXA Distributions Services has appointed Richard Lloyd as investment marketing manager.

Insurance firm Fortis UK, which launched a life business in July, has announced positive first-half results for 2008.

Fee-based IFA support service provider threesixy, has launched a product panel for its clients, listing partners offering ‘third way' pension products.

A survey published by the IMA has revealed that the number of net retail sales was down almost £6bn compared to last year.

Advisers are ditching mainstream UK-focussed funds, leading senior figures to assert that many are chasing returns and running the risk of missing out on a possible change in fortunes for the domestic market as well as jeopardising clients' capital.

The number of fund providers recording positive net sales has fallen dramatically in the last eight years despite a huge influx of new funds to market.

Home repossessions have risen by over 40% since the end of 2007, according to figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML).

Retail fund of fund sales continued to defy current market movements in Q2 this year, climbing 67% on the previous quarter.

Money Guidance may struggle to succeed because the cost of the scheme has been drastically underestimated, according to IFA-owned wrap Nucleus.

London shares opened lower after news one the of UK's biggest banks, RBS, had made a half-year loss, but the FTSE100 made a recovery by mid-morning and was down just 1.1 points (0.02%) to 5,476.4.