RDR

Barclays Stockbrokers has cut the charge on its self-invested personal pension (SIPP) just weeks after revealing its clean pricing structure.

The outlook for the financial services sector is seen to be improving as a consequence of the Retail Distribution Review (RDR), but most advisers report protection sales continue to lag following its introduction.

The "improper" allocation of trades in fixed income securities by two former employees cost Aviva Investors some £132m, it has announced.

A compliance service designed for financial planning firms has been launched.

Standard Life is investigating placing a ban on adviser charging in connection with workplace pensions following discussion with the Financial Conduct Authority.

Chris Smallwood, the chief executive of Openwork-owned national IFA 2plan, has called on the regulator to crack down on what he said were 'misleading' terms used by some restricted advice firms to describe their services.

PA Portfolio takes a look at investing in asset management houses

Insurer and asset manager Standard Life reported a 13% dip in group pre-tax operating profits for 2013 despite strong inflows.

Investment Management Association (IMA) chief executive Daniel Godfrey says we should "interrogate quite hard" the assertion that the price of fund management has dropped elsewhere in the world, but not in the UK.

St James's Place (SJP) is nearing the acquisition of one of the largest privately-owned IFA firms in the Asia region, in what its chief executive said could represent the first of several moves into expatriate jurisdictions.