The government is to announce further spending cuts in Wednesday's Budget, with the savings going to large-scale infrastructure projects designed to boost economic growth, according to reports.

Some agents selling Harlequin properties before March 2009 misled investors into thinking that their investment money would be held securely in ring-fenced accounts.

TailorMade Independent, a distributor of Harlequin Property investments, has had its permissions changed to restrict its ability to carry on new pensions business.

The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) has cut its interim levy for investment intermediaries for 2012/13 from £25m to £20m, and has said it will not rule out pre-funding as a means of raising cash for the scheme.

Aegon-owned network Origen Financial Services has posted a loss before tax of £2.9m after a £1.9m provision for a review into advice suitability impacted on the businesses bottom line.

Income is the dominant theme among investors at the moment, with the focus on UK equity income spreading to other areas including Asia and emerging markets, according to Adrian Lowcock, senior investment manager at Hargreaves Lansdown.

The Financial Services Consumer Panel (FSCP) has launched a four pillars of consumer protection framework aimed at enabling more effective assessment of EU legislation, standards and supervision.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is to close its 281 tax enquiry centres in 2014 and pilot a new support service from June.

Advisory group LIFT-Financial is planning to expand through its self-employed adviser arm LIFT-Advice because the incoming capital adequacy requirements for this side of the business are less onerous.

Age Partnership, a retirement services adviser, has raised concern for equity release customers over the marketing of Property Protection Trusts.