A seventh person has been arrested on suspicion of taking part in a long-running insider dealing scheme allegedly involving senior executives at Deutsche Bank and Exane BNP Paribas.

Undeclared offshore assets will be liable for up to 200% penalties where there is no agreement from the country holding the bank account or assets to automatically disclose them to HMRC.

The Government will slash business rates for a year and create a £4bn support fund to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Chancellor Alistair Darling has frozen the rate of inheritance tax (IHT) at £325,000 for four years.

An IFA with client money caught up in the Keydata debacle has called on the FSCS to justify its proposed additional industry levy.

Legal & General's (L&G) pre-tax profits leapt by 87% last year to hit £1,109m, compared to £592m in 2008.

An austerity Budget full of tax hikes coupled with "dumbed down" pension provision will put the services of professional financial planners in high demand, says the president of the Personal Finance Society (PFS).

Lighthouse Group is stepping up its client sourcing activities as its advisers seek more customers to balance an expected drop off in income "per case" post-RDR.

The Financial Services Skills Council (FSSC) has approved the final QCF Level 4 standards with new guidelines for giving specialist advice.

The FSA will step in to "police" the banking sector, but has doubts over whether it can actually change its culture.