Sterling has plunged to its lowest level in nearly 18 months against the dollar amid renewed fears about the health of the British economy and growing conviction that the next move in UK interest rates will be down, The Times reports.

Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive Sir Fred Goodwin has expressed his regret after the bank plunged to a £691m loss in the first half of the year.

Delaying pension contributions by ten years at the age of 25 could cost around £40,000 more to get the same level of retirement income, according to Legal & General.

The trend for advisers to become ‘asset gatherers - consolidating client's investments onto a platform or wrap - is well advanced, with well-known benefits to both the adviser and the client.

Having fallen from their July highs, oil prices will trade in the $100-140/barrel range in the coming months, in line with the underlying supply/demand dynamics, according to Angus McPhail, global oil and natural resources analyst at Alliance Trust.

Much of the adviser community remains wary of structured products, often seeing them as complex vehicles that gamble on indices not losing a set percentage over the 5-6 year investment period. David Burrows looks at how these products are structured,...

Wall Street trading was down on opening due to a rise in unemployment and poor retail figures, with the Dow Jones index falling 107.55 points (0.92%) to 11,548.52.

It is "only a matter of time" before the FSA begins a crackdown on providers over in-specie transfers of SIPPs, Suffolk Life's John Moret says.

William Russell has launched a ‘Medical History Disregarded' expatriate health insurance group plan.

Friends Provident expects new pensions business to fall further in the second half of 2008 as it continues to pay for pipeline business after disbanding initial commissions.