Wrap/platforms

Ten leading platform commentators were locked in a room last month to debate the future of the market. In the last of a three-part special, the team dissects the ways distributors select and use platforms.

The Cautious Managed sector accounted for more than half of total sales on Cofunds in October in its best-ever monthly showing as advisers continue to favour outsourcing solutions.

IFAs favour Nucleus and Standard Life as their main platforms of choice, research from the Platforum suggests.

Capita Financial Software has launched the latest version of its Synaptic Comparator service which enables advisers to compare on and off platform options.

Investment management firm Heartwood has inked deals with a host of platforms as it looks to gain traction in the IFA market with a new investment proposition.

Platform assets under administration fell more than 4% in Q3, according to figures from consultancy group The Platforum, which suggested advisers have begun to doubt the value of platforms to their business.

Aviva is set to launch a corporate wrap solution next year as it looks to grab a foothold in the workplace savings market.

Origo, the eCommerce standards and services body for the financial services industry, has announced Cofunds, Fidelity, AJ Bell and Suffolk Life have jointed its pension transfer service.

Skandia UK has announced a 5% fall in net inflows and funds under management for the first nine months of the year - but said it had outperformed wider industry trends.

Ascentric is launching a direct-to-consumer (D2C) platform for adviser clients early next year.